KIT FOCUS: Criss-Cross False Eyelashes

One of my favorite false eyelash styles to use is the criss-cross lash. Listen, I know that you’re looking at them in the package, and saying to yourself, “Is he serious? Like, is he REALLY serious? This looks like some type of intricate eye armor, not a fluttery lash.” Well, I too had that reaction the first time I picked them up. I mean, they do look all pointy, and precise, and uninviting… but I PROMISE you, this is one of those “don’t judge a book by its cover” sort of things.

The criss-cross false eyelash is a trick you want to pull out of your bag when you are trying to make the eye look bigger and more alive! The lash gives you density, while at the same time giving you separation! I know it sounds impossible, but I assure you this will all make sense when you see it on the eye. Something about the geometry of the lash causes the hairs to be dense at the band, while giving amazing separation at the tips!

A lot of brands make this type of lash, but my favorites are by Shisem, Darkness, Mattése Elite, and Ardell.
Shisem Twin #4

Darkness Lashes

Mattése Elite #1398

Ardell #403

WORD OF WARNING: This style of false eyelash takes the patience of a Buddhist monk to apply.  Like, you may want to practice applying these on your niece a few times before bringing it to set. The band on these lashes are extremely rigid, and they do not flex very much. I find that flat eyes, without much curvature on the lid, are the easiest to get these lashes to adhere to (Think Japanese or Korean eye shapes). Trying to get these on to more “Western” or rounder eye shapes is a pain in the effing ass!

…like, nothing about the process of putting these on a curved eye is pleasant. You will struggle. A way that I have come up with for coping with this problem is to heat the lash band with a blow dryer for 10-15 seconds, then wrap the lash around a FAT brush handle (powder brush) for 30 seconds while it cools. As the band cools, it bends and curves the lash, so that it is easier to apply. You’ll thank me later… but you can thank me now if you want to.

Anyway, here is an example of how these torturous lashes look once they are actually on the eye. Not what you expected, huh?