False Eyelashes and Where They Ended Up
May 3, 2009 by Louie Jerome
Published in Makeup
False eyelashes were very fashionable during the 1960’s. We took a lot of time getting them just right but they always came off.
False eyelashes were invented way back in 1916. American Film Director D.W.Griffith came up with the idea when he was directing the movie, ‘Intolerence’.
He had the idea that actress Seena Owen would look particularly seductive if she had eyelashes that brushed her cheeks and made her eyes look very large.
So, he got a wig maker to interweave some human hair attached to very fine gauze. The gauze was glued to her eyelids.
Her eyes were gorgeous, but the movie left Griffith with huge debts which might have been avoided if he had patented his invention which went on to make milions.
It wasn’t until the 1960’s that false eyelashes really became popular. These were made of plastic and looked like fine bristles and the glue they were held on with was often inadequate for the job.
So, it was common for girls to pay a visit to the ladies room and look into the mirror to find that one of their ‘falsies’ had migrated and was stuck to her cheek.
Image via Wikipedia
Another thing we had to remember when we went out in our false eyelashes was that if we got too close to some attractive hunk (you know what I mean), our eyelashes might get rubbed off! Sounds funny? Believe me, it’s not, I remember it well. There was I thinking I looked ‘hot to trot’ as we say on this side of the Atlantic, when I happened to look up and notice one of my falsies stuck to his cheek. Oh, the shame!
The good part about these was that you could trim them with a pair of nail scissors to the right width and length and they didn’t need mascara. They came in black and brown and if you bought expensive ones you could even get dark blue ones.
Image via Wikipedia
Then the Japanese invented false eyelashes which were applied one at a time in a beauty studio. This proved to be quite expensive so many stayed with their original do-it-yourself falsies.
These are still around and can be had in cheap makeup shops for around £1 (a couple of dollars). They come in kits complete with glue and all you have to do is stick them on. If you don’t know how to trim them to the right width, or fix them on, ask your grandma.
Yes, these have most likely been around as long as she has.
Liked it
May 3rd, 2009 at 1:28 am
Quite a laugh.
May 3rd, 2009 at 2:19 am
A great, fun article, Louie. Am I right in thinking that they are still used in the fashion industry today, or are models selected by the length of their lashes?
May 3rd, 2009 at 2:20 am
problem putting up your long curls lashes?
hehehehe you can use the sticky extracts from the leaves of a jack fruit. it’s quiet useful.
lol
May 3rd, 2009 at 7:12 am
Louie I remember these well although I never wore them but the girl that got all the guys did lol. Maybe that’s why she never had the same guy twice lol. Excellent write I truly enjoyed it .
May 3rd, 2009 at 10:56 am
I had never worn false eyelashes until a few weeks ago when I was going to a 60s themed engagement party. And yes, one of them did come off when I stupidly rubbed my eye. You can’t even touch your eyes with those things.
Enjoyable post.
May 3rd, 2009 at 12:16 pm
I enjoy reading it.
May 3rd, 2009 at 7:50 pm
What fun! Yes, I remember false eyelashes. I had a set once, even. But my own lashes are of reasonable lenghth and thickness, so I soon lost interest in them. (They don’t work very well if your main social activities are spelunking and camping.)
May 4th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
An enjoyable read.
May 4th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
very fun! lol I tried to put false eyelashes on once…and decided that sticking to my natural ones was probably a better idea… Eyelash curles do wonders for they eyes! lol I didn’t know that there was so much to fake eyelashes…
May 8th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Great article! I had them put on once and never again!
May 9th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Never worn them and after reading this – never will!
)