These Fake Lashes That Require No Glue Just Changed My Makeup Game

As a seasoned beauty editor, I’ve picked up a makeup technique or two from the professionals. Between interviews, glam sessions, and master classes, I’ve had the chance to learn from some of the best in the business, and I like to think my makeup skills are fairly advanced for a nonprofessional. But there’s one step I’ve never quite been able to nail and over the years, it’s become the bane of my beauty existence: I can’t apply fake lashes.

There’s something about those hairy little strips that absolutely baffles me. And trust me, I’ve tried them all—little wispies, magnetic lash strips, adhesive eyeliner, special lash tweezers. No matter what, I always ended up with a glue-covered mess, haphazardly secured lash, or, more often than not, I’d end up giving up altogether, foregoing the allure of fluffy, full lashes for my sad, straight natural ones. 

So when I heard about a self-adhesive, reusable lash that could apparently be applied in seconds, I was cautiously optimistic. After all, my lash track record isn’t exactly stellar. Still, could these be the dummy-proof fake lashes I’ve been searching for? The lashes in question are Lilly Lashes new Self-Adhesive Lashes ($16). The magic is in the self-stick tacky band, which uses your own body heat to stick to the lash line and stay all day.

After trimming the lashes to fit my eyes, I got to work applying them to my eyes. Like I’ve mentioned, I’m actively bad at applying false lashes, so I don’t know that there’s a technique or product that would make the process easy for me. That being said, I am writing this review with a beautiful pair of fake lashes securely on my eyelids, and that’s quite a feat. 

The thick black band is meant to mimic the effects of eyeliner, so it’s important that the lash is perfectly aligned with the eye. Too high, and you’ll see a gap of skin between the real and fake lashes. Too much to either side, and it looks like you’ve magically overdrawn your eyeliner. 

I found the best method to be using my fingers to first gently line up the lash with my eye, resting it right on top of my lash line but not really securing it in place. Once I was happy with the general placement, I used a tweezer to squeeze together the real and fake lashes on the inner and outer corners of my eye. At the same time, I would gently (but firmly!) secure the lash onto the lash line. If I got too aggressive, the lash would end up sticking to my tweezers.

But there’s something that sets this process apart from my previous failed attempts at fake lashes: Because there’s no glue involved, I could easily remove the lash and try again without any fuss or mess. Without fear of the glue drying, I could really take my time, and it made all the difference. And, because the lashes are reusable, I was able to practice without fear of wasting any product. Over the course of two days, I worked with the same pair of strip lashes over and over until I really perfected the look.

I won’t lie: I still don’t feel like much of an expert when it comes to fake lashes, but it does feel good to know that I can actually wear a pair if I so choose. If I can do it, I’m willing to bet even the freshest beginners to fake lashes can do it too. And if not, you can try and try again—without ever needing a second pair.

To buy: Lilly Lashes new Self-Adhesive Lashes ($16)