Lashing out

Erase that thought, especially if the best thing you can associate with flamboyant falsies is Priscilla prancing about as queen of the desert or cabaret girls ruffling their feather boas on the Las Vegas strip. Thanks to Shu Uemura, the link between false eyelashes and drag queens is long gone. The cutting-edge beauty brand has upgraded false eyelashes’ repute with the creation of the Tokyo Lash Bar, a collection of intoxicating eye sweepers that go beyond style expectations.

False eyelashes are "essential to complement the ‘making of the face.’" If a beautiful face starts with beautiful skin, then falsies are the cherries that top off the creation. According to Shu Uemura International chief makeup artist Kakuyasu Uchiide, false lashes frame one’s face and, mixed with the right eye shadow, will help emphasize a look. Falsies are also quick personality quizzes; wearing a pair already reveals a certain fashion daring. While the best-selling black or brown flare lashes (half lashes that comprise the lash bar starter kit) are best for daily peeper perk-up use, the more flamboyant pairs satisfy for glamorous occasions.

The Shu Uemura lash bar doesn’t stop with thick black synthetic lashes. Combining the grace and symmetry of traditional Japanese aesthetics with the more colorful pop preferences of Japanese youth, the lash collection runs the gamut from pairs in every color of the rainbow to diamante-studded to peacock-style feathers to stylishly macabre spider webs. The bar also offers false underlashes (the better to frame the eyes with, my dear) in equally glitzy designs.

Shu’s lash bar was first launched in New York’s trendy SoHo area about a year ago. The concept was born after the brand received an overwhelming number of inquiries. Quickly, Shu Uemura realized the lure of glamorous eye attachments and came up with a collection that went beyond, and was definitely more affordable than, diamond lashes. As with his avant-garde spatial makeup, Shu Uemura has managed to make the unexplored stylish and is now considered the pioneer in false-eyelash fashion.

While Shu Uemura’s eyelashes present a certain do-as-you-please philosophy, Uchiide-san reveals that there is still a protocol to wearing falsies. Eyebrows, first of all, should be well-groomed and should be drawn longer than usual, going just past the outer line of the eye. If the lashes are especially extravagant, makeup for the rest of the face should be toned down: subtle blush and natural lips. Uchiide explains that strong lip makeup paired with false lashes is passé. It’s out of fashion if it hearkens back to the overdone sensationalism that pervaded the Eighties. And just as we pass off anything "fake" as the real thing, so should we make our falsies look naturally strapped to our lids, even if they are orange fans or faux feathers.

It’s all in the attachment, says Uchiide. Putting on falsies requires finesse and some patience. First, ascertain the center point of your eye, and then attach the mid-portion of the lash to this area. Move on, sticking it into the inner corner of your eye before finishing off with the outer corner. Make sure to lift the outer corner of the falsie "so the eyes won’t look sad." Uchiide suggests practicing attaching the false lashes without the glue first so as to get a feel of the structure of both your eyes and the lashes.

In trendsetting Tokyo, the Shu Uemura lash bar is impressing the "fickle," hard-to-please Japanese press and exciting style-setting residents. The Tokyo Omotesando boutique, Shu Uemura’s historical first free-standing address, displays the complete lash collection, including limited editions slated for release in other countries in July. Bestsellers in Omotesando are the purple flares, half-lashes in bright purple and yellow streaks – beauty consultants reveal that they sold 130 pairs in March alone.

Complementing the bright-eyed wonder afforded by this season’s color-riddled falsies is Shu Uemura’s Amber and Nature makeup collection, a sun-kissed color palette for summer. Shu Uemura recently came up with summer collections, but it seems like they’ve been at it for ages. The striking green and gold packaging encases a shimmery palette reminiscent of the sun as it dips into the horizon. Molten bronze and green colors collide with muted yellows and coppery peaches. The must-have from this collection: the liquid eyeliners. Uchiide-san’s favorites, these liners give off a glossy finish but stick on like solid mattes. Really, it’s all about eyes this season.