If you're craving commercial-worthy lashes we don't blame you. Longer eyelashes can add that extra dose of pretty to your face, can open up your eye area and can even make your eyes look bigger. No wonder longer lashes are at the top of every girl's beauty wish list.
Cue our beauty mavens, BareMinerals make-up artist Sarah-Jane Froom and Max Factor's make-up artist Caroline Barnes. They've equipped us with some top tips to make sure lashes look longer.
Mascara magic
While mascara is our favourite (and most instant) way to get longer-looking lashes, how you apply it can increase the effect considerably.
Caroline has this insider advice for perfect mascara application:
1. When you pull the mascara wand out of the packaging, remove excess mascara off the tip of the wand, by twisting it at the end of the barrel. This prevents lumps on your lashes.
2. Start at the base of your lashes in the middle, and make a small wiggle motion at the base to dump as much mascara at the roots. This will give your lashes a solid foundation and enable then to lift.
3. Avoid coating the tips of the lashes with too much product as this will weigh them down and they will appear heavy and clumpy.
Layer up
Three is always the magic number, this mantra even works for mascara.
Sarah-Jane Froom says: "Always apply three coats on the top lashes and two on the bottom to get them looking not only longer but fuller too."
Our top tip: Don't wait for each layer to dry as getting a hold of those lashes will be a lot harder!
Remove that make-up
While we depend on make-up to enhance our natural beauty, there's no points scored for sleeping with your make-up on. That's exactly the right way to go about blocking your pores, messing up your skin and weakening your lashes.
Wearing too much mascara for too long will only make your lashes dry out and become brittle, meaning they're more likely to break and fall out. So before you hit the sack, make sure you cleanse! Check out our edit of the best cleansers.
Use an eyelash growth serum
It's a bit of a commitment but it definitely pays off - using an eyelash growth serum will certainly help you achieve longer, fuller-looking lashes.
There's plenty of different ones out there but we're obsessed with the one and only RapidLash which is clinically proven to make lashes up to 50 percent longer and 75 percent more voluminous. What's more it works in as little as 30 days.
Get curling
Eyelash curlers are one of your best weapons in the fight against lacklustre lashes. Curly eyelashes make your peepers look brighter, bigger and much more flirtatious. By curling your lashes you're exposing more surface which instantly makes lashes look longer.
Embrace lash fibres
If you've not come across lash fibres before you might find them a bit scary. These clever beauty fibres look just like cotton wool which you paint onto your lashes to thicken them. The tiny fibres attach to your natural lashes, so that when you apply your mascara there's more for it to hold onto, instantly making your lashes look longer.
We've tried a fair few lash fibre products and our fave? Magnifibres from QVC - it can make lashes up to 5mm longer.
© Pixelformula
Try eyelash extensions
A sure-fire way to longer lashes? Extensions will do the trick!
Eyelash extensions should be approached with caution as the wrong kind can weaken your lashes and cause them to fall out, but if you find the right technician you'll soon fall in love with your longer, natural-looking eyelashes.
Flutter lashes are one of our fave ways to get longer, lovelier lashes. These pre-curled lashes last the full length of your natural lash cycle, which is on average 60 days. They're super soft and rather than glueing false lashes on top of existing lashes the technique isolates one lash at a time to give a natural and beautiful extension of your existing eyelashes.
What's more they're comfortable enough for contact lens wearers and take away the need for mascara!
Brush those lashes
Sometimes the most effective things are the most simple. We love this tip for longer eyelashes - comb them through every so often - brushing your lashes with a special eyelash comb can make them look longer and can help them to grow a little more too.
Vaseline habit
Vaseline is one of our favourite things in the sofeminine beauty team. It works so many magic tricks we're nothing short of obsessed. One of our many uses for this pot of petroleum jelly? Slicking it over our lashes before bedtime. Commit to this beauty habit and you'll see your eyelashes looking longer in a matter of weeks.
Eat well
Last but not least, let's not forget that beauty really is an inside-out matter at times. If your diet is lacking in essential vitamins and minerals then your lashes are probably having a hard time reaching their potential.
Change up your diet and make sure it's rich in protein like eggs and fish which help your hair to grow (and that includes eyelashes). The more fruit and veg you eat the better.
Got another tip to get longer-looking eyelashes? Tweet it to us @sofeminineUK
