The Ultimate Guide To Strip Lashes

Strip lashes are one of the most important beauty decisions you can make, whether you’re looking for a fluttering natural look of a sultry evening diva lash, there is something for everyone.

But for a novice, applying strip lashes can seem quite daunting. Worry not, we are here to give you the ultimate guide to lashes. From how to choose the right strip lashes to cleaning and storage, by the end of this article, you’ll know everything about these great little accessories. Click here for a fabulous range of easy to apply strip lashes.

What Are Strip Lashes?

Strip lashes have been around since the early 1900s and it looks like they are still a firm favorite for fashionistas around the globe.

They are small clusters of false eyelashes attached to a long strip of malleable plastic that can be worn for a temporary period.

How To Choose The Right Strip Lashes

This all depends on what look you are going for and how experienced you are with lashes. You may be wanting that full fan Kim K look but if this is your first time wearing false eyelashes, you may want to go for a more subtle look and work your way up.

Many who are new to falsies make the mistake of purchasing the cheapest pair possible as a practice set. While this may seem logical as you won’t be losing out on much cash if you can’t get it right, it can actually be counterproductive.

Cheaper sets are often poor quality, don’t fit right, and come with inadequate glue. This means even if your application skills are perfect, they won’t last long and leave you feeling deflated, defeated, and not wanting to give it another go.

How To Prepare Strip Lashes

Whichever pair you have chosen, it is unlikely they will fit you straight out of the packaging. As our eyes vary so much in size, you will need to do a bit of tailoring.

Using a clean pair of tweezers, gently tease the strip lashes from the packing from the outer corner.

With the strip lashes still held by the tweezer, hold them up to your eye to gauge how much needs to be removed to fit your eyelid.

Use a pair of sharp, small, and clean scissors (we recommend nail scissors if you don’t have specialized ones) snip the excess from the outer corner upward. Do this cluster by cluster and check the fit each time until you’ve got it perfect.

Applying Strip Lashes

This is the bit where people go wrong so pay attention! Using the wand that came with the adhesive, gently sweep some of the glue along the strip while holding the lash with your tweezer.

Now, wait. The glue needs to become tacky so let it dry for 10-30 seconds, this will make it easier to apply on your lid.

Still using your tweezers, press the lash at the center to the center of your eyelid then work your way outwards. Don’t worry if you don’t get it the right the first time, you can remove them and try again.

For extra hold, you can apply 2-3 small dots of glue on your lid as well, this is perfect if you need them to last all day.

You can apply makeup before or after applying your lashes, there is no need for mascara but you can apply a thin coating beforehand, this can even help get a grip on your natural lashes.

Handy tip always carries the adhesive in your bag in case you need to top up throughout the day.

Removing Strip Lashes

Your strip lashes should always be removed before going to bed and it’s very easy to do so. Use your tweezers to gently pull from the outer corner.

Place somewhere safe, away from drafts, ready for cleaning.

Cleaning Strip Lashes

Properly cleaning your strip lashes prolongs their life, saving your cash and reducing waste and it’s really easy to do so.

Using a gentle makeup remover, soak a cotton ball and gently wipe on all sides of your lashes, repeat until all makeup and grime have been removed.

Using a clean cotton ball, soak on water, and wipe the lashes to rinse away your makeup remover.

Then, take a clean mascara wand or eyelash brush and tease through the lashes to restore their original shape.

Leave to dry naturally on paper towels. Once they are dry, store them in an empty container with a lid that will keep any germs and dirt out of them.

Not only does this keep your lashes looking fabulous for longer, but it also prevents any bacteria entering your eye from previous wear, which could lead to irritation, discomfort, and in the worst-case scenario, serious damage to the cornea.

Quick Hacks

Here are some quick hacks to make the process of applying strip lashes easier:

When you take your lashes our the box, give them a gentle bend. Your eyes are curved so manipulating the plastic will make it easier to match the curve on your eyelid.

The glue that comes with false eyelashes isn’t always the best quality, shop around, look at reviews, and find the best glue on the market for your budget. Without good glue, all your hard work applying could be for nothing.

While conventional tweezers can work, if you are going to be applying strip lashes regularly or are having difficulty, invest in specialized eyelash application tweezer, they can make a world of difference.

You can cover up any application mistakes with a good liquid liner, it’s great for filling in gaps in the strip that may not be meeting your natural lashes correctly.

With everything you have read in our ultimate guide, you should now have a better understanding of everything strip lash related!