The history of artificial eyelashes

Fashion and style is constantly changing over time and has a long and interesting history. Beauty treatments, hair care and make-up go back centuries and are an integral part of our social and cultural change. Also, the history of artificial eyelashes goes back further than most people think.

Artificial eyelashes in the 18th century

The idea of ​​artificially lengthening women's natural eyelashes is not new. In the 18th century there were nowhere near the eyelash bands or eyelash extensions with individual eyelashes as we know them today, but the first attempts at eyelash extensions are well documented in books and publications.

Initial ideas for long, beautiful natural eyelashes were, for example, cutting off the natural eyelashes so that the natural eyelashes can grow back more quickly. Other ways to speed up the growth of natural lashes and accentuate the natural look were using pomade or washing the natural lashes with a mixture of nut leaves and water. In 1822 , Henry Labouchère reported in the French press that the ladies of Paris were now combining natural hair with natural eyelashes in order to lengthen their eyelashes.

The history of artificial eyelashes at the beginning of the 20th century

In 1911 , the first American patent for false eyelashes was issued. The Canadian Anna Taylor had combined unknown material with natural eyelashes. In 1915, famous hairstylist and inventor of the perm Karl Nessler began offering false eyelashes in his New York hair salon as 'protection against the intensity of electric light'.

Also famous is the first use of false eyelashes in Hollywood in 1916 in the film 'Intolerance' . Silent film director DW Griffith directed this silent film starring actress Seena Owen. Griffith asked a wig maker to mix natural hair with alcohol and apply it to the actress's natural lashes.

Artificial eyelashes from 1940-1960

Over the following years, the techniques and possibilities of false eyelashes continued to develop. Artificial eyelashes have been a popular beauty trend since the 1940s. Hollywood stars like Greta Garbo, Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe wore false eyelashes for photo shoots and filming to make their eyes appear larger and more expressive.

In the sixties, make-up changed, it was avant-garde, innovative and young. The supermodel of his time Twiggy was known for her extravagant look. Twiggy attracted attention with her painted eyelashes, but the artificial fake lashes were also one of her trademarks. Other models like Jean Shrimpton and Penelope Tree followed suit. You could now see models on the pages of the fashion magazines Vogue and Harper's Bazar with extreme eyelash looks.

The seventies and eighties were a little quieter. When it came to make-up, the natural style was preferred, the artificial eyelashes disappeared into obscurity. In the 80's the focus was more on blush and dark lipstick.

Then came the big comeback of artificial eyelashes in the 1990s. Pamela Anderson and Anna Nicole Smith or the model Cindy Crawford oriented themselves to the glamor of the 1950s and made artificial eyelashes popular again. The materials also developed further, with artificial eyelashes being used more and more frequently as eyelash strips. Special eyelash glue has also been developed so that the artificial eyelashes last longer.

Fake lashes are going mainstream

At the beginning of the 21st century, eyelash lengthening techniques became increasingly sophisticated. More and more Hollywood greats and many actresses wore artificial individual eyelashes. Jennifer Lopez , who wore red fox eyelashes at the 2001 Academy Awards, liked it particularly extravagantly. Then, when Madonna promoted her 2004 Re-Invention tour with $10,000 mink and diamond lashes, false lashes finally went mainstream.

The beginning of 2000 was also the time of the synthetic individual eyelashes . Manufactured in Japan and Korea since the beginning of 2000, the fine eyelashes for the international market are still made there in delicate manual work. New techniques for lash application were also developed, such as the 1:1 technique or the volume technique.

Artificial eyelashes come in all sorts of variations. Whether synthetic individual lashes, colored lashes or tufted lashes, it is now important that lashes are vegan and cruelty free . Trends are changing, but the fact is, false eyelashes are more popular than ever and it's hard to imagine life without them.