I’ve never been one to mess around with false lashes. Far too fiddly, I wrote them off years ago as the one corner of the beauty realm that I simply don’t have the patience for. And considering I’m too lazy to even get my nails done half the time (my current gel manicure is in a pretty bad way right now), there’s no chance of me committing to the upkeep of professional lash extension treatments. But then I heard about Lashify.

Lashify – if you haven’t already seen gushing reviews posted all over every social media platform going – is an at-home DIY lash extension kit that promises the lashes of your dreams for anywhere between three to five days. But standard-issue strip lashes these are not. 

There’s a fair few things that make the Lashify system unique. First, the lashes (or what the brand refers to as gossamers) are designed to sit under the natural lashes instead of on top. What difference does that make? Well, it disguises the joint far better than a clunky strip lash and gives off the impression that the false lashes might actually have sprouted from your very own eyelid. Rather than one strip, they come as small clusters of hairs – the idea is that you use between four and seven of those clusters per eye.

The bonding process is different too. The glue (which is named Whisper Light) is nowhere near as gunky as the lash glue you might be used to. Instead, it’s more akin to the adhesive an in-salon professional would use, just not nearly as strong. Plus, it contains biotin and has real flex to it, cushioning the natural lashes and preventing fall-out. You simply swipe on a very light layer of the two formulas (it’s dual-ended), pop on the lashes and then use the Fuse Control Wand (which is kinda like an eyelash curler-cum-tweezer hybrid) to bond the false lashes to your real one. When you’re done with that look? You can simply use an oil-based cleanser and they drop right off. 

There’s also a ton of lash options, classified in an easy to follow code system: the As fall into the Amplify range, subtle lashes that add just an extra bit of wispy volume; the Bs are the Bold lashes, adding volume; while the Cs are the Curl lashes, adding – you guessed it – curl. And they each come in different lengths denoted by numbers. There are also all sorts of colours and textures to play with too.

It was my best friend Giselle that first introduced me to Lashify. She’s a complete convert and told me just how much of a cult following this brand has garnered. In fact, there are even entire Facebook groups run by super fans dedicated to sharing useful Lashify tips and hacks. Can it really be that good? I decided to try the DIY extensions out for myself.

For my first foray into Lashify, I was lucky enough to have a one-to-one session with Vanessa Quinteros, Lashify’s director of education and training, but thankfully, those aren’t limited to beauty journalists. As long as you’ve bought a Control Kit, £115, anyone can book a consultation with a specialist to troubleshoot application issues. 

Although the kit itself looks fairly intimidating, once I got into it, it was fairly easy. I started by prepping my eye with Pre-Cleanse, £24, a cleanser that peels away make-up, skincare, dirt and oils, a necessary step to improve the longevity of the finished lashes. After that, I combed the black end of the Whisper Light, £21, bonder through my lashes, waited 30 seconds and then followed with the clear end.

Then for the lashes. The hardest part is figuring out how to hold the Fuse Control Wand. Your mind automatically holds it like a pair of tweezers, when really you need to hold it so the curve hugs the contour of the eyelid. Once you’ve figured that out, it’s so much easier.

I picked up the first gossamer (C10s) and positioned it underneath my top lashes at the very outer corner. Weirdly, the lashes seem to spring onto the glue as though it’s a magnet but the key is making sure you apply them at least 2mm away from the waterline, otherwise they won’t last as long and they’ll be pretty uncomfortable. Once that’s in place, you simply clamp them onto the natural lashes using the Fuse Control Wand and move on to the next one before sealing the whole set with Glass, £16, a waterproof finishing coat.

Unsurprisingly, I was no pro from the get-go but as I slowly worked my way along the first eye and then onto the other one, it got easier and easier. My advice? Have a mirror up close and personal with your eye so you can really see what you’re doing and don’t get frustrated if you struggle to coordinate your brain and hands; it’s like using a curling tong for the first time.

One week in and two sets of lashes later, Lashify is officially my newfound obsession. I love how subtle they look, how you needn’t wear mascara alongside them and how you can remove them with no bother and no lost lashes as soon as you’ve had enough. I may still be perfecting my application but I love the way they look so much, I’m going to stick with it.

Shop Lashify Control Kit at Lashify, £115

Images: Shannon Peter/ courtesy of Lashify