Lola's magnetic lashes: Tried and tested

"So the lashes are magnets… that stick to your eyes?" Reactions from friends range from bewildered, to cynical to extremely excited when I tell them that I will be road testing Lola Lashes' line of magnetic false eyelashes—a beauty breakthrough that promises to do away with the messiness of glue-on lashes for good. No more visible white glue, no more sticky fingers, and no more lashes slowly creeping down your face like an extremely glam, stowaway spider. 

My lashes arrived in a cute, compact kit with case (complete with magnet-lined lash stands), liquid liner and an oil-based liner remover and lash cleanser. The concept is simple enough—the liner, which contains metallic properties, is slicked on, allowed to dry and followed with the silk lashes, which are lined with tiny magnets which adhere to the liner and stay in place until you're ready to de-lash at the end of the evening. 

In practice, I'm cynical. The silk lashes are beautiful. Mine are in the style "Sapphire" and have a flirty, your-lashes-but-better look to them. But I can't imagine that any magnetic liner could either be strong enough to hold the lashes for any length of time, or gentle enough not to irritate the extremely-sensitive skin of my eyelids. 

I decide to put them to the ultimate test. A windows-down, 30-minute drive to the seaside, followed by a long, windy walk along the coast and alfresco dinner in the balmy summer air. 

I start by measuring the lashes against my eye and trimming them down to size. It's a simple enough process, and a tiny snip is all I need to match my natural eye shape to the lashes. 

The instruction leaflet that comes with each lash kit is extremely clear—apply liner, wait for it to dry, and then apply lashes. Being an insufferably impatient person, I apply and almost immediately attempt to attach the lashes. Do not do this. Upon first application, the liner is extremely smudgy, and although my lashes apply beautifully, I am left with coal-black circles beneath each eye. Not quite the look I was going for. 

A quick clean up later, I try again, this time allowing the full few minutes for the liner to dry before applying my lashes. And it's… extremely simple. The lashes adhere immediately to my upper lash line, looking so seamless that I spend a few seconds poking around with a cotton bud to make sure they're really as in-place as they seem. They are. 

Windows down—it's time for the first challenge. Slightly nervous that I am about to let a lash loose somewhere along the A47, I rest my head on my elbow and watch the trees whizz by and the ocean loom closer as the wind hugs my cheeks. So far, so good. When I step out of the car and glance in the wing mirror, they're still in place, without a smudge in sight. 

I'm pleasantly surprised as I embark on my windy beach walk to find the lashes don't press up uncomfortably against the lenses of my sunglasses. Even without using a tool, they have a pleasant curl that means they're lifted up away from my eyes. 

Three hours later, I nervously check my reflection, expecting to look as tired-out as I feel. But the lashes are in place, making me look surprisingly glam. In fact, the glamourous look of my eyes is somewhat comical in comparison to my walking outfit—holey leggings and an oversized T-shirt.

So in place do the lashes remain that I barely need to touch up my eye makeup before dinner, and they keep on lasting through the evening, without a hint of sliding, caking or that ever-so-slightly-poked-in-the-eye feeling that comes with most glue-on lashes. 

You need to pull the lashes firmly to dislodge the magnetic effect when removing, but it's perfectly comfortable and easy. 

The removal oil makes them easy to clean, though I don't find it completely removes the liner from my lids. I go in with my own favourite oil-based cleanser (hello Body Shop chamomile cleansing balm) afterwards to ensure all traces are gone, and that does the trick. 

Compared to traditional, glue-on eyelashes, there's no comparison. Lola's Lashes are the real deal. Do as I say, not as I do and follow the instructions to the letter and you'll have a pretty, flirty pair of lashes that will last you through the day and still look as glam as the moment you applied them when you come to take them off.

I was particularly impressed with the jet black liner, which even outperformed some of my favourite everyday liners in terms of durability, colour and ease of use. 

With performance this good, I can't see myself ever going back to traditional lashes—Lola's magnetic lashes aren't just a fad, they're a beauty revolution.

Sets available from lolaslashes.co.uk

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The reviewer received a free pair of lashes in order to write this review

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