The History of Eyelash Extensions

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The History of Eyelash Extensions

Most people assume eyelash extensions are a relatively new treatment, in fact they date back further than you may think!

In the 1800’s trying to achieve longer lashes was a popular topic in many books and fashion magazines. Tips included cutting your lashes to encourage them to grow, using pomade and washing the eyelashes with a mixture of walnut leaves and water.

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In 1822 the press reported that residents of Paris had started sewing hair into their eyelids (yes that is as horrifying as it sounds!!) to create fake eyelashes. This was also reported in 1899 in the Scottish press.

In 1902 famous hair stylist and inventor Karl Nessler patented a method in the UK to weave artificial eyelashes and by 1903 was selling it in his salon in London. Many years later in 1911 the US the patent for false eyelashes was performed by Canadian Anna Taylor.

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In 1916 director D.W. Griffith was working on his movie Intolerance and wanted actress Seena Owen to have long eyelashes and to have her eyes to stand out. He made use of false eyelashes that were human hair woven through a fine gauze material.

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As techniques improved false eyelashes became very popular with the general public in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. The original fringe base false eyelash gave way to more advanced designs such as flares or cluster lashes which were used to thicken specific areas of the eyelash. The style in the 1960s was a brash and bold one with a touch of overdone to the overall style at the time.

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By the 21st century more advanced eyelash extensions methods came into use. Said to have been developed in either Japan or Korea in the early 2000’s (based off of older techniques) these methods achieved widespread use by 2004. Becoming favored by celebrities and famous movie stars eyelash extensions have only increased in popularity. Modern lashes are lightweight, comfortable and far superior to the older methods of the past.