History of Fake Eye Lashes

 Everyday, I read various news feeds and on one, I found an article listing among other things, some magnetic eye lashes.  I'd never heard of them but they sound a bit easier than trying to glue strips onto the eye.

I know some wear them all the time while others wear them occasionally but how did they become a part of people's beauty routine?  Where and when did they start?

In Ancient Rome, Pliny wrote that long lashes meant the woman was chaste.  This thought combined with the already established belief that as you aged, your lashes grew shorter.  Women of the time wanted to keep their lashes as long as possible.

By 1899, women improved their lashes by having lashes implanted onto the eye lid via a needle.  This common operation happened all over including in Paris.  Some women who didn't want to undergo the needle, tried glueing lashes without much success.  It is said that a Canadian woman patented fake eyelashes in 1911 when she created a crescent shaped fabric with implanted pieces of human hair. She designed them to attach to the upper lid with a bit of glue.

Then in 1915, Karl Nessler opened a hair salon in New York City.  In addition to his permanent waves, he also offered fake lashes to help protect the eye from the glare of electric eyes.  He hired chorus girls to wear them while batting their eyes at people to advertise this product.  However, fake lashes did not become popular until 1916 when movie director D.W. Griffith demanded that one of his actresses in the movie Intolerance, have lashes that were so big, they brushed her cheeks.  One of the wigmakers attached human hair to her eyes using spirit gum. It worked but she ended up with such an allergenic reaction, her eyes swelled closed.

Karl Nessler also known as Charles Nessler began marketing fake eyelash kits to women. He named his lashes "Nestolashes" which came with glue and directions so that every woman who desired could achieve the same Hollywood look.  Originally, fake eyelashes only lashed a few hours but as time passed, they became better and could last a lot longer.

The use of eye lashes gained popularity to the point, columnists were suggesting that young men carefully check women out because the long curling eyelashes they saw, might not be theirs through the 1920's and 30's.  Other columnists called any woman who wore false eye lashes "a temptress".  In fact, Vogue magazine featured adds for fake lashes topped with gold and platinum beads in the 1930's.  At this time, fake eye lashes were still being made of human hair and fabric.

Then in the 1940's and 50's eyelashes gained popularity because Hollywood stars wore them all the time.  These new fake lashes were made out of plastic rather than human hair and made the eyes of the stars larger and more eye catching.  It was all about glamour but in the 1960's fake lashes became more about innovation and youth.  The poster girl for the fake eyelashes during this decade was Twiggy.

Fake eye lashes fell out of favor in the 1970's and 80's before they came roaring back in the 1990's with the glamor look.  When the 2000's hit, it became popular for stars to wear fake eyelashes out of animal fur and diamonds. Now they are magnetic eyelashes which are much easier to apply.  You simply use a special magnetic eyeliner first.  Let it dry and then attach the lashes.  I'm told they work quite well.

I've never used eye lashes because I didn't want to use adhesive but this new type might make it worth using.  Let me know what you  think, I'd love to her.  Have a great day.