Do Magnetic Lashes Actually Work? An Honest Answer From the Person Who Makes Them
Yes, magnetic lashes work, and the ones that do not are usually one of two things: a pair of sandwich magnetic lashes (sometimes called clip-on) that clamps your own lashes, or a liner lash worn on too thin a layer of liner. A good magnetic lash holds with small magnets gripping a magnetic liner on the lid, goes on in about a minute once you have learned it, and gives 30+ wears. Here is the honest version, including who they do not suit.
- How they hold: magnets in the band grip iron oxide in a liner drawn on the lid. No glue, nothing on your own lashes.
- Why some fail: sandwich magnetic lashes that clamp your natural lashes, too few magnets, or a liner drawn too thin.
- The learning curve: two or three goes, and the liner is the whole lesson.
- Who they do not suit: anyone who will not draw any liner at all, and anyone who wants days of wear without a nightly step.
- Worth it? One pair, 30+ wears, on and off in seconds. Start with the Magnetic Lashes & Liner Kit.
I have made magnetic lashes since 2019, so you would expect me to say they work. What you might not expect is that I agree with a lot of the complaints. Plenty of magnetic lashes do not work, and people who tried one of those have every reason to be doubtful. So here is what makes the difference, who should skip them, and what to expect in week one.
Do magnetic lashes work?
Yes, when three things are true: the lash holds to a liner on the lid rather than clamping your own lashes, the band carries enough magnets to hold the corners down, and the liner is drawn properly, right into both corners. Get those right and the lash snaps into place, stays through the day, and lifts off at night. Miss any one of them and it will lift at the corners, which is the complaint behind most "they don't work" reviews.
How do magnetic lashes work?
The liner carries iron oxide, a pigment that magnets are drawn to, suspended in a film that dries on the lid.1 The lash band carries small magnets, six on each of ours, which sit along the liner and grip it. Nothing touches your natural lashes and nothing is glued to your skin. At night the lash lifts off and the liner washes away with your usual cleanser.
That is a different mechanism from the first magnetic lashes most people met, which clamp a top and bottom strip around your own lashes with no liner. Those hang on your lashes, pinch them together and dangle at the ends. Our guide to clip-on magnetic lashes vs magnetic eyeliner lashes explains why the sandwich format gave magnetic lashes a bad name.
Why do some magnetic lashes not work?
| The complaint | What is usually behind it | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| "They lift at the corners" | Lashes that don't fit your eyes, too few magnets, or liner that stops short of the corners | Trim the band so it doesn't hang off or sit too long. A six-magnet band, and liner drawn to the very ends of your lash line |
| "They won't stick at all" | One thin pass of liner; the magnets have nothing to grip | Two thin layers, built until the liner is as thick as the magnets, then let it turn tacky |
| "They slide around" | Liner still wet, or oily lids | Wait until the liner is tacky, not shiny; oil-free cleanser on the lid first |
| "They pulled my lashes" | Sandwich magnetic lashes that clamp your natural lashes | A liner lash: nothing touches your own lashes |
| "They stopped working after a few wears" | Liner residue built up on the magnets | Wipe the magnets after each wear; a cotton bud with isopropyl alcohol lifts old liner |
| "They look fake" | The style, not the magnets: too long, too dense, a thick band | A shorter, wispier style on a thin band |
Our 6-magnet lashes carry six small magnets where other brands use three to five, and the magnets are 50% smaller and stronger, which is what keeps the inner and outer corners down. The four mistakes that shorten their life and the application guide cover the rest.
Do magnetic lashes need to fit your eyes?
Yes, and fit is one of the most important things to get right. A band that's longer than your eye hangs off the outer corner or sits too far into the inner corner, and that's where lifting starts. Hold the lash along your lash line before you apply it. If it runs long, trim the band to fit.
Fit comes first, and our hold has margin to spare. If trimming takes off one magnet, or even two, our 6-magnet lashes still stay on securely. That's because the hold doesn't rely on magnets alone. Our hybrid magnetic eyeliners work two ways at once: iron oxide for the magnets to grip, and a film-forming adhesive that holds the band as it sets.
Our guide to the best false lashes for small eyes shows how to map and trim a band, step by step.
How long do magnetic lashes take to learn?
Two or three goes for most people, and the liner is the whole lesson. Draw two thin layers close to the lash line, right into both corners. Wait until it turns tacky. Hold the lash by the outer end, set the inner corner first, then lay the band along the liner. If it lands off, lift it and place it again; there is no glue drying underneath you. By the third morning it is a minute.
Who do magnetic lashes not suit?
I will be straight about this. If you will not draw any liner, a magnetic lash is the wrong product; our clear band lashes on a clear adhesive liner are the answer there. If you want to wake up with lashes on for days, press-on clusters are the answer, not magnetic. If your lids are very oily and you will not prep them, the liner will struggle. And if you are hoping to skip the learning, there is a learning: short, but real.
Our guide to which lash system is right for you compares all four of our systems, and magnetic lashes vs cluster lashes is the comparison most people are really asking about.
Are magnetic lashes worth it?
For most people who want false lashes more than a few times a year, yes. One pair gives 30+ wears. It goes on in about a minute and comes off in seconds. There is no glue to buy, time or react to, which matters if lash glue has ever irritated you.2 Against glue-on strips, that is far more wears per pair; against salon extensions, it is the look without the appointments, at a fraction of the upkeep.
Our short test video puts them through a blow dryer, a workout and humidity, which is the fairest answer to "do they stay on".
Do magnetic lashes damage your natural lashes?
Liner lashes do not touch your natural lashes at all; the band sits on the lid. Sandwich magnetic lashes are the ones that pinch and pull. Our guide to whether magnetic eyelashes are safe to wear every day covers the liner ingredients and the daily routine, and seven magnetic lash myths takes the rest of the worries one by one.
Where to start
With a kit, so the first morning has the lash, the liner and a compact to put it back in. Choose a short, natural style for your first pair; the glam styles are easier once the liner is second nature. Each pick shows the lash on the eye and on its own.
Magnetic Lashes & Liner Kit
A pair of magnetic lashes in the style you choose, the magnetic liner in black or brown, and a mirror compact. Everything the first morning needs.
Shop the kit
Lucinda
5mm to 10mm of natural volume. The first pair most people should buy: forgiving, everyday, and glasses compatible.
Shop Lucinda
Rapunzel
8mm to 12mm of full Russian volume in a round, lifting shape. The second pair, once the liner is second nature.
Shop Rapunzel
Mystic
9mm to 14.5mm in a flared cat-eye on a fully magnetic band with no visible magnets, so you can trim it anywhere.
Shop MysticThe Hybrid Magnetic Liquid Eyeliner lays down the most liner per pass; the Hybrid Magnetic Eyeliner Pen is a thinner formula with a fine tip, more coats and more control. The Lash Applicator helps with placement, and if you would rather draw nothing black, the Crystal Clear Adhesive Eyeliner holds our magnetic lashes too.
Hybrid Magnetic Liquid Eyeliner
Hybrid Magnetic Eyeliner Pen
Lash Applicator
Crystal Clear Adhesive Eyeliner
Frequently asked questions
Do magnetic lashes actually work?
Yes, when the lash holds to a liner on the lid rather than clamping your own lashes, the band carries enough magnets to keep the corners down, and the liner is drawn properly, right into both corners. Most 'they don't work' reviews come from sandwich magnetic lashes or too thin a layer of liner.
How do magnetic lashes work?
The liner carries iron oxide, a pigment magnets are drawn to, in a film that dries on the lid. Small magnets in the lash band sit along the liner and grip it. Nothing touches your natural lashes and nothing is glued to your skin; at night the lash lifts off and the liner washes away.
Why do my magnetic lashes not stick?
Almost always the liner: too little of it, or liner that isn't extended to the full width of the lash band. Draw two thin layers right into both corners and let it turn tacky. If the band is longer than your eye, trim it to fit, especially for smaller eyes. Wipe any old liner off the magnets first.
Are magnetic lashes worth it?
For anyone who wants false lashes more than a few times a year, yes. One pair gives 30+ wears, goes on in about a minute and comes off in seconds, with no glue to buy, time or react to. Against glue-on strips that is far more wears per pair; against extensions it is the look without the appointments.
Are magnetic lashes hard to put on?
There is a short learning curve, usually two or three goes, and it is all in the liner. After that most people are done in a minute. A magnetic lash that lands slightly off can be lifted and placed again, which glue never allows.
Who should not use magnetic lashes?
Anyone who will not draw any liner (clear band lashes on a clear adhesive liner suit them better), anyone who wants days of wear without a nightly step (press-on clusters), and anyone unwilling to prep very oily lids. Remove magnetic lashes and liner before an MRI.
Do magnetic lashes damage your natural lashes?
Liner lashes do not touch your natural lashes; the band sits on the lid. Sandwich magnetic lashes that clamp your natural lashes are the ones that pinch and pull.
Give them three mornings
That is how long the liner takes to learn. After that, it is a minute a day and one pair for months.
Related reading
- Clip-on magnetic lashes vs magnetic eyeliner lashes: which is better?
- 7 magnetic lash myths, and what is actually true
- Are magnetic eyelashes safe to wear every day?
- How to apply magnetic eyelashes, step by step
- Cheap magnetic lashes: how to spot a generic re-brand
- Which lash system is right for you?
- US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 73.2250, Iron oxides. Cornell LII. Lists iron oxides as safe for colouring cosmetics, including cosmetics applied to the area of the eye.
- Kim YJ, Chung JK. Bilateral eyelid contact dermatitis and toxic conjunctivitis due to acrylate-containing glue. Annals of Dermatology, 2014. PMC4135122.
This article is general cosmetic guidance about magnetic lashes. It is not medical advice. If you notice redness, swelling or irritation, remove the lashes and liner and speak to your optometrist or GP.
