Are Magnetic Lashes Safe? How To Apply

Have you ever watched a beauty tutorial and wondered how that guru so easily popped on a pair of falsies? You’re not alone. False eyelashes are notoriously tricky to apply, even harder to remove, and often leave the eye sticky with a bit of glue residue. On the other hand, lash extensions are an investment and require major upkeep. What’s a person to do if they want the look of long and luscious lashes without all the pain? Enter magnetic lashes, the less difficult cousin of the falsie that’s not only easy to apply and remove but can do so without leaving behind a sticky mess. Magnetic lashes work in two ways, they can attach by using two magnetic strips that snap over the lash line or you can apply a magnetic eyeliner before your place the lash.

And the high-tech falsies are safe if you proceed with caution. “Magnetic lashes can cause the same problems as strip lashes if not taken care of or removed properly—things like loss of lashes, conjunctivitis, and blepharitis,” explains Dr. Arian Fartash, an optometrist based in California. “The wearer must remove the liner properly as we don’t want it to clog the lash pores.” But magnetic lashes don’t pose the same issues that glue lashes do. “Lash glues can be very toxic as they contain ethyl cyanoacrylate and parabens, which can cause skin irritations,” she says. “Many times, people have a sensitivity to the glue that traditional falsies are applied with, so for this reason, [magnetic lashes] can be better to use.”

Dr. Fartash also recommends cleaning the lashes after every use. “I recommend using a lash brush to gently rub the soap on the falsies and loosen up debris before washing with warm water,” says Dr. Fartash. “A great cleanser that I recommend to my patients is the WeLoveEyes Foaming Cleaner and the Eyelid Margin Cleansing Brush.”

Below, the seven best magnetic lashes on the market.