Last week we talked about just how amazing magnetic lashes are…
The Ardell Magnetic Liner and Lash kit got top marks from us, but we’re back to see how good their magnetic lash strips are (£7.99).
There are so many eyelash brands and styles out there, but not all of them are created equal. For those of you who have ever tried magnetic lashes, there are currently two popular styles and two ways in which they are applied:
- Magnetic eyeliner kit: Magnetic eyeliner is applied to the eyelid and magnetic lash strips are held in place on top
- Magnetic lash strips: 2 magnetic strips of lashes are placed above and below your lashes. The lashes are held in place by clamping your lashes in between.
With so many of us putting lashes on every day it makes sense that they be quick, easy and safe to apply…right? Well, it’s even more important if you have a mobility issue or a disability. Our in-house accessibility reviewer, Maya gave the Ardell magnetic lash strips a run for their money, here’s what she thought...
Being a young disabled women in today’s society, I find it frustrating trying to reach modern beauty standards – what society says women ‘should’ look like is often all smoke and mirrors, it’s an impossible ideal for any woman to meet on a daily basis.
This does NOT mean that I don’t want to take part in the fun sometimes!
That said, I have mobility issues and I find using some beauty tools and products tricky. If I’m honest, getting ready can take a lot of energy and time…it can be tiring. This is why when I find a product that is easy to use and is less time-consuming, I’m totally here for it!
I heard about the ARDELL magnetic lashes, and I was pretty excited – lashes that I can just place on my eyelids, no glue, no fuss? Woohoo!… But I’m afraid that excitement was short-lived.
Accessibility of the Ardell magnetic lashes (strips)
It started so well. I received the package from www.falselashes.co.uk. The Ardell Magnetic Lashes included two magnetic eyelash strips and an applicator. The package was easy to open, and the instructions were easy to follow, with a picture guide. (My disability is around mobility, so this is only a reflection of how I personally found the product and packaging. Those with other disabilities, such as a visual impairment, are likely to have a different experience).
Once inside the package, things took a turn for the worse. The quality of the lashes seemed fragile, and they looked cheap. I have used many different lash brands before, so I know the difference between good lashes and…not so good ones; these were the latter. That said, the applicator was pretty sturdy and easy to use – they work a bit like pinchers or tweezers, so you open and close them with a slight squeeze of the fingers – I actually ended up using the applicator on my other lashes!
Despite the quality of the lashes, I still wanted to give them a try, but it was much more complex than I thought it would be. Even with the pictures and instructions to guide me, I struggled to position the lashes with both hands and when I did, they would not hold together. You need two hands for these lashes, as you need to have one in place while you manoeuvre the other around – if you struggle with glue on lashes, FORGET IT! These are so much worse. They were so fiddly that after about 7 more tries, I gave up. I don’t think I will use them again.
Overall, the product was not very useful, and it was even more time-consuming than my glue-on lashes. If I wanted to go somewhere quickly or if I was running late for work, I would not grab the ARDELL magnetic lashes as my first choice.
In the name of balance, here are two review videos of the Ardell strip lashes; let us know what you think:
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