Our Favorite Fake Eyelashes: The 2022 List Beauty Awards
All prices are current as of time of publication.
Putting on a pair of fake eyelashes is arguably one of the most difficult skills to finesse when perfecting a makeup routine. Before you can even begin to master gluing a strip to your lash line (which is no small feat), you need to figure out the best style to complement your eye shape and decide what you're hoping to achieve. Do you want a pair of lashes that pump up your volume and bring eye-popping drama? Or are you more in favor of an everyday pair that adds just the right amount of va-va-voom without overwhelming your eyes?
There's a learning curve to figuring out fake eyelashes, but a nice pair will elevate your look and bring everything together. We'd like to think that's especially the case during the pandemic since masks have taken the lower halves of our face out of play. If you're looking at experimenting with lashes, the first step is to pick out a solid pair to practice with, and we're here to help you figure out the best of the best.
We snagged five pairs of lashes that have devoted fan-followings online and tried them out just for you. We kept track of how they felt on the eyes, how easy they were to apply, how much we had to trim to make them fit, and how they looked once applied. Once we tested them all out, a clear winner emerged. Read on to find out what pair won The List Beauty Awards: fake eyelashes edition.
Ardell Lash Demi Wispies: Winner
There's nothing better than a killer deal, and that's exactly what you get when you pick up a pack of Ardell Lash Demi Wispies. For $11.99, you receive five pairs of lashes packaged in a quality black cardboard box. Ardell's brand is sold in stores, and the container has a cut-out so that it can be displayed on a hook. However, unlike other lashes on this list that are packaged for in-store display, this case is still easy to store in a drawer.
As the name suggests, these are wispy. The individual lashes come in a variety of sizes and overlap with each other to create a feathered effect. The style is flared to open the eye — they're graduated so that lashes are smaller on the inner corner and longer on the outer. The best part for us was that the thin, flexible band is clear. That means you can apply them with a clear adhesive (we used an adhesive eyeliner) and eschew eyeliner. And when we did try these out with eyeliner, we didn't need to use a black one to match the band.
These look delicate, are perfect for everyday wear, and feel comfortable on the eye even after hours of wear. Although the brand doesn't tell you how many times you can recycle each pair, the website states that sets can be reused. So even if you only get two uses out of each, that's still a fantastic deal for the quality provided, making these our clear winner.
Lunar Beauty Stella Lashes: Runner-Up
Beauty guru Manny MUA conquered YouTube before launching his brand Lunar Beauty, and the artist has played no games with his line ever since. Products range from eyeshadow and blush palettes to lip glosses, liquid lipsticks, and (most importantly) fake eyelashes. The faux mink lashes come in four different styles that bring varying amounts of drama. Each set costs $15 and is packaged in an ethereal purple and pink cardboard box that opens from the middle. Just in terms of packaging alone, these are on a tier above most.
We snagged a pair of lashes in the style Stella, which are billed as a solid option for everyday wear. The lashes are slightly flared and come with one of the thinnest and most flexible bands we tried, which makes them incredibly easy to apply to the lash line. The individual lashes overlap and create a wispy look on the eye while still adding volume.
We only had to cut off a small portion before application. Once prepped, they went on easily with an adhesive eyeliner and stayed on comfortably for hours. It was like they weren't even on our eyes! These could have come in first place but are a little more expensive than our winner, and we are a sucker for Ardell's clear band. On the bright side, each pair should still last you up to 20 wears, meaning these are a very solid investment from a promising indie brand.
Velour Lashes Effortless No Trim Natural Lash Collection in Final Touch: Runner-Up
One of the most difficult things to figure out when you're just starting to wear fake eyelashes is how much you need to trim off a pair to get them to fit your eyes. We've always been worried about cutting off too much and ruining an expensive investment. If you buy from Velour Lashes Effortless line, you don't need to worry about any of that. The brand's cruelty-free, vegan lashes don't need to be trimmed and come on a flexible, black cotton band that is easy to maneuver along the lash line.
We picked them up in the style Final Touch, which is billed as being a full-volume, flared pair of medium-length lashes. They cost $26 and are packed in an expensive-feeling plastic container for easy storage. You won't have any question about what you're reaching for when you grab these out of a drawer. True to the brand's promise, we didn't have to trim the lashes at all when we put them on — they applied nicely using an adhesive eyeliner and stayed in place for hours.
The Final Touch lashes weren't uncomfortable on the eye. They wore easily and weren't overly distracting. The style was just a touch on the dramatic side for everyday wearing. These pack serious volume, but they're perfect to reach for to pump up a look. The best part is that they're good for upwards of 20 wears, according to the brand.
Lilly Lashes 3D Faux Mink Lashes in NYC: Runner-Up
Lilly Lashes bills itself as offering the "world's most glamorous lashes" and carries a variety of different lines and styles. We picked up a pair from their 3D Faux Mink line in the style NYC. The vegan lashes cost $28 and come packed in a sleek, black cardboard container that could be easily stored in a cabinet.
The NYC style is described as flared, and the brand says they will best complement almond, downturned, and round eyes. There is a dramatic flare from the inner to the outer corner, which will create the illusion of extreme lift. The pair has a flexible, black band. The individual lashes feel silky, are uniformly placed for a thick look, and appear real.
Before applying, we had to trim off a portion of the lashes to make them fit on our eyes. They were a little harder to trim than some pairs because the individual lashes are very tightly packed on the band. Once prepped, we applied them using an adhesive eyeliner. The lashes felt light and stayed in place for hours. Although dramatic and flirty, they were very comfortable.
This is the priciest option on the list, but each pair will last for upwards of 20 wears, according to the brand. That doesn't alleviate the initial sticker shock, but you can pick up a pair of these luxe lashes and know that you're investing in them for a while.
Eylure Luxe Silk Marquise Lashes: Runner-Up
If you prefer a pair of lashes that deliver on drama but come at an affordable price, look no further than Eylure's Luxe Silk Marquise Lashes. They're cruelty-free, vegan, and cost $11.99. The cardboard packaging is tailored for display on a hanging shelf in a store, which makes it more awkward to stack in a drawer. However, the lashes themselves are secure and protected inside the container, which is what really matters.
Speaking of the lashes, Eylure describes them as a dupe for Lilly Lashes's popular Miami style. As we already mentioned, Lilly Lashes will set you back $28, while these babies are less than half of that price. They come with a strong but flexible black band and are designed to flare out and open up the eyes. Make no mistake — this is a dramatic lash. In terms of texture, they look more plastic than others but still feel soft and wispy. The brand provides its own lash glue for adhesion, which dries down clear.
We had to trim a good deal of the lashes off to get them to fit our eyes. Once there, they felt lightweight and stayed on for hours. Better yet, the brand promises you'll get upwards of 10 wears out of each pair before replacing them. If you break down the cost across 10 uses, you're paying just around a dollar every time you step out. That's affordable beauty at a very worthwhile price tag. We love to see it!