How to Trim False Eyelashes

Measure and trim your falsies at home so they lay perfectly

Co-authored by Cordelia Frost

Last Updated: December 29, 2023

To get the most natural look and comfortable fit from your false eyelashes, you might need to trim them down before wearing them. Since everyone's eyes are different and the lashes often come in one-size-fits-all packages, it's common to have to snip a little off the end of a new pair of falsies before you apply them. Fortunately, it’s quick and easy to customize your false lashes with just a pair of tweezers and a few cuts from small, sharp scissors.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Measuring Your Eyes

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1
Hold the lash up to your eye to measure the correct fit.^{[1]
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Cordelia Frost
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Expert Interview. 30 July 2021} Looking in the mirror, place the lash just above your natural lashes. Line it up so the inner edge is at the innermost part of your eyelid and the outer edge extends past your lid.^{[2]
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- If you line up the outer edge instead of the inner edge, the cut lashes can irritate the inner part of your eyelid when you wear them.
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Pinch the false lash with tweezers where you want to start cutting. Grip the lash tight between your thumb and forefinger at the point where the outer end lines up with the outer edge of your natural lashes. Then, keeping your grip in that spot, move the lash away from your eye and mark where you want to make the cut by squeezing it hard with your tweezers.^{[3]
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- Squeezing the lash with your tweezers will make a little dent in the lash so you know exactly where to cut it.
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It’s really common for people to have to have one eye bigger than the other. To make sure your lashes fit both eyes perfectly, measure and mark each lash individually.

Part 2

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Customizing False Lashes to Fit Your Eyes

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1
Trim the lashes at the pinch marks with sharp scissors. Hold the lash tightly between your thumb and forefinger so that it does not slip. Then, simply snip the lashes on the mark you made with the tweezers using small, sharp scissors.^{[4]
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- It's a good idea to cut a little longer than you think you need because if your measurement was wrong, you can always go a little shorter, but you can’t go longer after you’ve made the cut.
- Cut the outer corner of the lashes so you get a nice gradual flare coming from the inner corner of your eye.^{[5]
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  Cordelia Frost
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  Expert Interview. 30 July 2021}
2
Cut the lash shorter if your mark is in the middle of a cluster of hairs. If the mark you made is in the middle of a clump of lashes, you'll want to cut it just before the cluster. This will give the most natural look and comfortable feel.^{[6]
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- Depending on how your lashes are made, cutting through the cluster may also make the lash fall apart, so it's definitely something to avoid doing.
3
Test the fit by measuring the lashes again. Hold the lashes up to your eyes as though you were applying them and check to make sure that they line up where you want them. With the inner part of the lash nestled up against the inner part of your eyelid, the outer part should not extend past your natural lashes.
- False eyelashes should enhance and fill out your natural lashes, so aim to make them as close to the same length as possible.
4
Cut the lashes more if needed. If after you've remeasured the lashes the outer edge still extends farther than you want, it's easy to fix with another little cut. Just line up the lashes again to gauge how much more you need to cut off.
- It’s best to cut a little at a time and repeat the process rather than cut too much off the lashes and ruin them.
- If you're really struggling, try cutting the lash strips in half or into thirds. Then, glue them from the outer corner of your eye inwards.^{[7]
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  Expert Interview. 30 July 2021}

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Where do you trim your fake eyelashes?

Cordelia Frost
Makeup Artist & Gothic Blogger
Cordelia Frost is a Makeup Artist and Gothic Blogger. With over a decade of experience, Cordelia specializes in cruelty-free and vegan beauty, hooded eye makeup and tutorials, gothic fashion, and skincare. She wrote and published “Hooded Eyes Makeup Manual” available on Amazon. Cordelia is the creator of Phyrra.net and PhyrraNyx, where she shares beauty and fashion tips and tricks.

Cordelia Frost

Makeup Artist & Gothic Blogger

Expert Answer

Hold the false lashes up to your eyes before you trim anything. From there, see where the lashes need to be trimmed down.

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Tips

You can also use nail clippers if you do not have small scissors.^{[8]
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You can save the cut bit of lashes to add some extra volume to the outer corners of your eyes and make them really stand out.^{[9]
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Make sure your scissors are very sharp so that they make a clean cut and don’t bend the lashes.

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Warnings

Do not trim the eyelashes while holding them near your eye. Your hand could easily slip and cause a serious injury.^{[10]
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