If you are anything like me, you’ve probably spent (and wasted) hundreds of dollars in an effort to create standout lashes. The eyelashes are the true frames of the face so helping them take center stage is an easy way to create a glamorous look. But for many individuals, myself included, our lashes appear so light and small that even heavy coats of mascara fail to make much of a difference.
As a result, we’ve set our sights on mastering the technique of how to dye your eyelashes at home. Learning how to dye your eyelashes at home may seem scary or dangerous. We researched a plethora of methods and have created a handy dandy guide to explain the process in detail for you. We’ve also included plenty of helpful tips to create a flirty eye fringe safely. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Why Would I Want to Dye my Lashes?
There are many reasons that may lead a person to want to color their eyelashes. Blonde haired guys and gals may have eyelashes so fair that they are nearly impossible to see. Dying your eyelashes can also save you time during your morning routine since you can skip mascara for the two to five weeks that your lashes remain before starting to grow out.
Selecting the Right Eyelash Dye
There are countless eyelash coloring or tinting products currently available on the market. While it’s terrific to have such a vast array of choices, it can also make narrowing the field down more difficult. We personally recommend using a kit since it will include everything you will need.
This process does require several items, so using an eyelash tinting kit can save you money and time. Its crucial to choose items that will not cause irritation. The dye will be placed very close to your eyes and some very delicate skin. This is one time when it’s more important to be well prepared rather than frugal.
Color Cues
One of the questions we hear most falls along the lines of “what color should I use” so let’s address this issue now. If you have brown or black hair you will look perfect with black lashes. Redheads and blondes can select a slightly lighter brown shade to complement their fairer hair. Another good way to decide is by choosing the shade of mascara you like you best on yourself from brown to black.
Preparing to Dye Your Eyelashes
Similarly to coloring your hair, its important to do a patch test before dying your lashes. While even we admit to sometimes not doing the patch test before each hair coloring session, this is one time when safety is truly your top priority. Your vision and facial skin are two areas you never want to place under any unnecessary risk.
To perform the patch test you will need to do the following tasks:
- Mix a small amount of the lash color and the developer together.
- Place the mixture directly onto the skin on the inside of your arm just below the elbow crease.
- Cover the dye with a band aid or gauze and tape.
- Leave the area undisturbed for the appropriate amount of time as direct by the manufacturer, usually 24 to 48 hours.
- Rinse the area and inspect the skin for any redness, itching, burning, blistering, or irritation. If the skin looks good you are ready to move forward with dying your eyelashes.
How to Properly Set Up Your Area to Tint Your Eyelashes
Let’s take a peek at the important steps that will assist you in preparing to color your lashes.
What You Need to Tint Your Lashes at Home
Start out by setting up the tools you will need. Include your:
- Eyelash Tinting Kit: If you decide against purchasing an actual kit you can pick up the items separately. You’ll need an eyelash color, a color developer, and applicators.
- Tray to Mix: You’ll need a tray or mixing cup for the color and developer. Use something you can throw away afterwards.
- Vaseline: Vaseline can be placed around the skin to ensure you don’t end up with panda eyes or cheeks. If the color gets on your skin, be sure to wipe it away quickly to avoid it dying your skin.
- Protective Cotton Pads: These pads will catch drips
- Disposable Spoolie Mascara Brushes: Disposable mascara wands make excellent applicators for tinting ypur lashes.
- Eyeliner brush: Eyeliner brushes also make a wonderful applicator to paint the color along the lashes.
- Q-tips, Cotton Pads, and Tissues: These items make wiping a stray drop of dye away fast and simple.
- Gloves: Gloves help to keep your hands and nails free from the tint and protect your eyes from bacteria.
- Water: Water is always a must for clean hands and to be around just in case you need to rinse the dye off of anything.
- Eye Makeup Remover: You’ll need this to prep lashes before tinting time.
- Eye Drops: Eyedrops come in handy in case any of the tinting solution gets into your eyes or in case they become irritated at any point.
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Begin With a Clean and Fresh Canvas
Start by cleaning your lashes. You want to be sure they are thoroughly cleaned of any mascara, oils, or dirt. Wipe them with a gentle and mild cleanser then be certain they are fully dry before continuing to the nest step.
Get Mixing
Next, we will mix the eyelash dye color with the color developer. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to a T to avoid any mishaps or accidents. You want to use the included tray or sometime of mixng cup. Make sure to blend the two substances together fully to activate the color.
Safety First
Protect the skin beneath your eyes with the protective cotton pads. We like to use the ones that stick to the skin while we are coloring our lashes since this gives you full mobility of both hands. Place vaseline on the skin around the eyelids and eye area not concealed by a protective cotton pad as an extra safety meausre. Set up your other cotton supplies nearby to catch any drips or sray spots fast.
Dye Time
Work slowly and so one eye at a time. Use a small amount of the coloring mixture by grabbing some on your spoolie brush or your eyeliner brush. Don’t try to place the dye right at the lash line, but instead imagine you are painting on very wet mascara. If you slip, use your Q-tip or tissues to quickly remove any mishaps.
Cover each lash with the tinting mix. You need to coat the tops, bottom, and sides of the lashes. Take your time and take breaks occasionaly to ascertain if any of the dye has landed anywhere you do not want it.
Wait and Wash
Following the instructions of the dye manufacturer, wait the prescribed amount of time. When time is up you can gently wash the tinting mix off. Dip a cotton pad in water and gently starting at the inner corner of the eye, wipe the mixture out and away while your eyelids are shut. Continue until all of the mixture is gone. Pat your eyes dry. Repeat the process with the other eye and your lower lashes.
Safety Tips for Dyeing Your Eyelashes
Safety is always our number one priority. Afterall, no beauty service is worth injuring yourself or your vision. Here are some tips to keep you safe while tinting your lashes.
- Do NOT use hair dye instead of eyelash color to dye your eyelashes.
- Select a lash tint that has been specifically formulated and tested for human eyelashes.
- We will say it again: Please do the patch test. We can’t emphasize how important this is. No one wants a rash or hives on their eyelid, trust us.
- Grab a ton of applicators and use a new one each time you need to reapply more tint mix to the spoolie brush. This practice is to maintain a clean field and not introduce any bacteria or dirt into the mixture.
- Don’t forget to keep fresh water nearby in case of a mishap. You may need to rinse color mix out of the eye which is much easier with a large amount of water.
- Prevent stains on the skin by quickly wiping them away as soon as you notice them You may also want to skip self-tanner for a few days before and after as it has chemicals that could react with those in the dye.
With so many people wanting flirtier more noticeable lashes, dying your eyelashes at home has become a much more common practice that we hope to make simpler and safer. Remember that being prepared ahead of time and going slowly will allow you to achieve amazing results. Always keep extra water nearby for safety.
We hope you enjoyed learning how to tint your lashes today! Hearing from our loyal readers always makes us happy. Drop us a line below with your best eyelash dye DIY tips and tricks.
In fact, the patch test is a really important part of the process. You can greatly harm your eyes if you do not find out in time how your skin reacts to mascara. Once I did this and then walked for a week with red bruises around my eyes. Awful.
I’m not sure I can do it myself, but your advice make me more convenient. The most important thing here, I guess – to be calm during the process. But it’s a real problem to preserve my hands from shaking
I’ve never seen blue eyelash dye of good quality. But I’d like to emphasize the color of my blue eyes with blue eyelashes) Hope, it won’t look like bruises around my eyes. How do you think?
Is it possible to color the eyelashes in red, for example? How long will the color last?
In general, this is quite dangerous: the red pigment is quite toxic, it is better to do this painting in a good salon, and not at home.
Now something exotic is in fashion. Girls use white eyeliner, blue shades, red eyelashes … What is the tendency to be traffic lights?
Just people like to be bright. What’s bad about it?
It turns out it’s so easy! I didn’t even think that you can do it yourself
This is a little dangerous if you have no experience. Better try with a friend so that you have an external controller)
It would also be nice to know how to comb them carefully. Because after painting they can stick together.
For combs, you can gently use an eyebrow brush. Only while the eyelashes are still wet.
It looks so good in the photo, but it’s scary to try it yourself.
If you decide not to purchase a kit, be attentive to the brand of your eyelashes! It’s better to overpay than to lose your eyes.
I make a simple eyelash tint with cocoa and olive oil. It only lasts a couple of days, but it definitely won’t hurt your eyes.
I have been dyeing my eyelashes every month myself for many years. This has its own charm, because you can always change the style: blue, red, black … whatever. But in the beginning it was necessary to get used to it. At first I used too much paint and my eyes were swollen.
This is a very difficult task. I paint myself for many years, but I would never risk doing the same to one of my friends.