So Here's How You Get Those Wild Lashes

No, they're not falsies. Yes, they're all mine.
Publish date:
December 23, 2015
makeup, drugstore beauty, mascara, primers, cover girl

So last week, I was minding my own business just writing about my favorite beauty gadgets, and uploaded a photo of me casually using one to apply my eye cream.

Well, you guys went all nuts in the comments (what up sybilvain, Shmoe, Roboutique and the rest of the crew) asking me how the hell I got my lashes so big, if they were falsies, and basically demanded me to fess up to this black magic. Fine! Omg I'll do whatever you guys tell me to, I just so desperately want you all to like me.

No, they're not falsies. Yes, they're all mine. I actually had a friend text me after reading that article asking if I had gotten lash extensions again. Nope! It's just a couple products I layer up when I want big lashes.

Oh, trigger warning or whatever, this article has a lot of closeups of my, like, eyeballs, which I know is weird. The only saving grace is that I have perfect skin and am gorgeous. What was I just saying about being likable?

Okay so, starting off. I've got pretty nice natural lashes to begin with (dudes always do, isn't that messed up?)

They're full and even and have a nice curve, basically, they play really well with products.

First up: A lash primer!

GrandePRIMER from Grande Naturals, $24.95

I am a true believer in GrandePRIMER. Long story short, it's similar to a white mascara that you brush on before anything else to thicken and lengthen your lashes, giving you a better starting point when you're looking to really make your lashes huge.

The product itself is pretty dry, so it's going to build your lashes without making them bind up, or interfering with the mascara you'll eventually layer over them. Some mascaras, like my favorite YSL, have a very wet formula, so you can't build it up too much before your lashes start clinging together or the product gets all over you lids and under eye. You don't run into that problem here.

It doesn't coat your lashes in white, either, so you won't be trying to cancel out the color during your next step(s).

Follow that up with a mascara of your choice!

I've probably got upwards of eighty mascaras, but I went with my favorite volumizing mascara, a drugstore mascara at that.

Covergirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara, $8.99

You can use whatever mascara you want, but when I look for mascaras, I always look for ones that promise volume over length. I know some of you need length, but I'm good on that, and when it comes down to it, all mascaras are going to lengthen, no matter what. I want something that's going to make my lashes look full and thick, while making them longer.

I always say that the brush is just as important as the mascara itself. This short, fat brush has teeny little rubber teeth that applies a lot of product with each pass, really beefing up your lashes. Most brushes that you see have long teeth or bristles great for separating, lengthening and defining, but this one is all about bulk. I love it.

Layer the mascara over the primer. Do your best to cancel out all the white but don't get too caught up with that because we'll be going over it again, trust.

This is where our real secret weapon comes in.

Eyeko's Black Magic Lash Boost, $35

What this is is a tube of black fibers that you brush onto your mascara right after you put it on. They cling to your lashes, making them thicker, fuller, longer, and more dramatic. They're wild.

The brush isn't your normal mascara brush, it's almost like netting attached to a wand, picking up the fibers from the tube and applying them to your lashes.

You're basically doing a wet/dry method of getting your lashes bigger, instead of weighing them down with layers on layers of the same one product. These fibers are plant-based so they wont irritate and are great for people with sensitive eyes. Just makes sure after to brush any stray ones off of your face before you go out because since they're loose, a few tend to fall from the brush during application. They don't cling the makeup you're already wearing so they're not going to ruin the rest of your face.

Next, go back in with your mascara!

I've tried a bunch of different mascaras when I do this method, sometimes I use two different ones, but I find that I'm happiest with the results when I stick with a good volumizing mascara the entire time.

Since I'm all about volume, I make sure to pack on the product at the root of my lashes before combing it through. I often lift my lid to get to the base of the outer corners of the lid to really fling them out, for a nice winged festive cat eye moment.

Once you get your lashes looking as fly as you want them to, boom, you're done! Now, you are wearing a ton of black products on your eyelashes, so you might want to seal it all in with BareMinerals Locked & Coated Waterproof Lash Topcoat just to be safe but it's not a make or break.

See? It's easy to take your natural lashes and juice them up without having to glue on another set of falsies! It's one of my favorite beauty tricks because they end up looking so insane and beautiful, and it's so easy to do in your own bathroom with just a few extra seconds.

Do you have any tricks to make your lashes massive? What about your own beauty hacks? Tell me everything in the comments and maybe I'll try some of them out.

Tynan and his lashes are on Twitter @TynanBuck.