Style

Making sparse eyelashes look thicker

Jul 06, 2016

Ageing has its benefits – we get wiser, we have more time to relax, we can really embrace who we are – but there are some things we wish wouldn’t change, and one of them is our lack of hair! Hair seems to sprout where it shouldn’t, and drops off where it should stay. One of those places is our eyelashes.

You may have noticed your eyelashes were looking a bit on the thin side, however you are not alone. There are a number of ways you can thicken those lashes to give the illusion of a much fuller eyelid.

But first….

Why do eyelashes thin?

There are many causes for thinning eyelashes:

Wear and tear – If you rub your eyes, you could be contributing to eyelash breakage and thinning.
Poor makeup habits – Misuse of mascara is a main cause of eyelash thinning, so make sure to never leave mascara on overnight, because this can cause the delicate lashes to break.
Eye infections and other medical conditions – Sometimes, there are underlying medical conditions that can lead to eyelash thinning such as vitamin deficiency and hormone imbalances.
Ageing – Unfortunately, the natural ageing process triggers a reduction in the bodily reactions that promote hair growth, which means that all body hair thins as time goes on.

Preventative measures

Thankfully, eyelash thinning can be prevented through simple modifications to your routine:

Practice good makeup habits – If you use an eyelash curler, never pull your eyelids out or tug on your eyelids or lashes at all. Use only mascara that glides on smoothly.
Use gentle makeup removers – Rather than just using water and soap to scrub your eye makeup off at night, use a dedicated makeup remover to get rid of your eye makeup. Dab the makeup remover gently onto your eyelid and lashes.
Condition your eyelashes – You can prevent eyelash breakage by moisturising your eyelashes with Vaseline.

If you already have lost a considerable amount of eyelashes, consider trying the below:

1. Eyelash extensions

According to Starts at 60 beauty expert, Margaret Woodberry, a convenient beauty trick is to have eyelash extensions applied. It is not an overly expensive procedure and the lash extensions will last about six weeks or more with care.

She suggests avoiding wetting the extensions for the first 24 hours and try to sleep with your face away from the pillow.

Then, gently brush and position the lashes each morning. As you gradually lose lashes, just call in to your beauty salon and have some new extensions attached to fill the gaps.

When washing your face, use a cotton bud to clean and dry around your eyes.

2. Use makeup to thicken

There are a few easy tricks to use to give the illusion of thicker eyelashes.

Dust on some talcum or translucent powder before you apply your mascara or thickening products.
Apply your thickening mascara from the roots up, wiggling the brush from side to side.
Finish by curling with an eyelash curler

Optional: Add more powder to the lashes and go over once more with your mascara.

3. Tightlining

Tightlining is a really helpful technique for making your eyelashes appear fuller – it requires putting eyeliner in between your lashes on the upper waterline. It may be a little bit uncomfortable at first, but it is worth it! This technique adds extra depth and definition to your eyelashes, and can fill in the gaps.

4. Winged eyeliner

Winged eyeliner can give the illusion of fuller eyelashes as it extends your lashline. From a distance, people won’t notice the liner, but rather they’ll just think your eyelashes will look luscious.

5. Apply olive oil

Apply olive oil to your lashes – it strengthens hair and stimulates growth. Apply to a cotton ball and dab on your eyelashes. Leave it on for five minutes, then rinse off. Repeat for a couple of weeks and you’ll see a noticeable difference.

6. Fake eyelashes

If you’re going out for the night and want to look glam, your eyelashes can really make your makeup pop. If your eyelashes are quite sparse, false eyelashes will give you a whole new set.

Choose the style you want – eyelashes now come in full strips, three quarter pieces, or clusters. There’s thick or thick ones or even ones with glitter or sparkling bits. Find one that suits your look.
Glue – most false eyelashes come with a little glue bottle in the pack but some can have an adhesive strip attached. Combine the glue and adhesive for a super strong stay.
Trim – you’ll notice when you check the size of your lashes that they might be a bit too long. Get some nail scissors and snip the ends so you have an even arch.
Shape – bend you false lashes into a C before applying. Hold this so your eyelash follows your natural eye lid otherwise it’ll fall off.
Apply – tweezers or your fingers are the most common ways to do this but an eyelash applicator can also help. Put a thin layer of glue on the strip and wait for 10 seconds before applying as you want it to get a bit tacky to stick better.
Use a magnifying mirror – there’s an art to applying lashes and not everyone gets it the first time. Place on top of your natural lash line and not on your eyelids.

7. Try eyelash fibre mascara

Forget about thickening mascara if you have super thin lashes – there’s a new must-have in town. A lot of brand sell a fibre mascara which does the job of lengthening and thickening without having to get extensions or applying multiple coats.