False Eyelashes

Wearing false eyelashes is one of the easiest ways to give your face a lift. But with all the different shapes and lengths to choose, it can be daunting to find the right pair. Just let your eye shape be your guide. To find out which fake lashes will suit you best, keep reading.

Sometimes one mascara isn't enough to get the faux-lash effect. Don't settle for second best, though. Double down on your formulas instead. Combine a lengthening lash-enhancer with a thickening formulation, or top a defining mascara with a curling one. The combinations are endless. For lashes even Snuffleupagus will envy, find a few top mascara pairings when you keep reading.

False eyelashes are one of those beauty products that give you a serious boost when used correctly, but can also look terrible when things go awry. "The key to false lashes anytime, whether you're backstage or at home wearing them, is to fit them to the eyes. You have to cut the band and make them shorter, otherwise they'll drag your eyes down," explains Stila key makeup artist Sarah Lucero, who created the flirty eye makeup look for Alice + Olivia's Spring 2013 show. To see her insider tricks for getting false lashes right, keep reading.

For special evening events or a night on the town, false eyelash strips (in lieu of individual lashes) provide glitz and eye-popping power to make the time and effort worth it. Armed with a few cool tricks up your sleeve, you can easily blend them in with your natural lashes so they don't look overly obvious. Celebrity makeup artist and Vanitymark Cosmetics founder, Brett Freedman, offers a few ways to make the whole false eyelash strip application go more smoothly.

1. Cut the strip lashes so they are as long as the length between the center of your eye to the outer corner. "Remember it's all about blending your inner lash line lashes with the faux," Freedman explains. Avoid starting too close to your inner eye, because it's "a dead giveaway and difficult to glue down in that naturally sparser area."
2. Spread a thin line of glue along the thread, and blow on it a little to allow the glue to become a little dry and tacky.
3. Use your fingers to apply the fake lash to the outer corner of your lash line (and not your lid). Then, use tweezers to press the strip down securely along the lash line. If you are hesitant, Freedman promises it gets better with practice. "It's like riding a bike," he explains, adding, "Once you do it a few times it's way easier."
4. Hold down both edges of the false lash for a few minutes until the glue dries to lock them in place.
5. To finish, do a quick pump with an eyelash curler and top off with a few coats of mascara to blend the natural and faux lashes together.

Perhaps you've been intrigued by the idea of wearing individual lashes, but are a bit intimidated by how to apply them. "Generally I like to use individuals just on the outer corners to give eyes a bit of extra interest," celebrity makeup artist and Vanitymark Cosmetics founder Brett Freedman explains. "The good thing about individuals is that you can use just a few to fill in spots and thicken/lengthen." Like how that sounds? See Freedman's tips for applying individual lashes with ease when you read more.

Celebrity makeup artist and Vanitymark Cosmetics founder Brett Freedman has been guest blogging on BellaSugar for the past two months, but alas, all good things must come to an end. Thank you for your amazing advice and top tips, Brett, and we look forward to seeing your work on red carpets everywhere! With that said, we're proud to present Brett's last column, for which we know you'll be all a-flutter.

Long, lush lashes. Who doesn't want them? With the trend toward brighter lips and sparser eye, a vivid lash line is even more important. So many gals ask me about amping up their flutter with faux lashes. It's actually pretty easy. Here's my technique to give your peepers a little extra pop. See how Brett gets it right every time when you read more.