I'll admit it, I'm a lash addict. I know there's a whole movement away from falsies at the moment – stick-on and salon ones – but I just prefer my look when I have a bit of definition around my eyes. Being a natural blonde, I have barely-there lashes that only look decent when I apply around four coats of mascara. But, with flaking, smudging and having to apply it every morning, I prefer something a little more permanent when it comes to lashes.

It's for this exact reason that I became hooked on salon eyelash extensions. I had regular infills every 2-3 weeks and spent a minimum of 60 minutes each visit with my eyes shut, with travel time to the salon taking 20 minutes each way. Plus, factoring in the cost of £50 per infill appointment, the salon visits became a drain on my time and my resources – despite how much I loved the results.

Switching to underlashes

Back in January, I decided to make it a New Year's resolution to ditch salon lashes for good to free up some spare time and cash. It sounded so doable but as the last of my individual lashes fell out, I was left with my own barely-there ones that made me feel, well, almost naked. I gave mascara a good go for a few weeks, but I just missed the constant volume and definition that falsies give. Two weeks into the new year, I first came across 'underlashing' – and now, nearly five months later, I'm a convert.

Left, Zoe wearing underlashes, and right, with salon lash extensions

If you haven't heard of it, underlashing is a DIY technique of applying thin lash strips or clusters underneath your upper eyelashes rather than over the top of them. The end result is natural-looking, blended eyelashes with no detectable strip. Though some underlash kits come with one-day glue, much like regular stick-on falsies, many come with a special bonding adhesive that keeps the clusters in place for 7-10 days.

To make lashes last, you ideally want to use a good long-wear bonding blue, a setting solution and a special pair of long-tip tweezers (more on these below). You also want to make sure your natural lashes are clean of all oils and debris before you apply any of the adhesives, and when you're sticking the clusters on, make sure it's on the bottom of your lashes and not on the skin of your eyelid, as this can make them fall off. I'd recommend watching a tutorial on it first as the application can be a little fiddly for the first few goes while you get the hang of it.

Zoe wears underlashes

Time and money savings

Another huge win for applying a full set of underlashes is it takes around 10 minutes, and I don't have to leave my house. I'd estimate I've saved myself 9.5 hours of infill time these past five months and a total money saving of £400.

Of course, the cash saving will depend on the underlash kit you choose to buy, as some are more expensive than others. I also like to reuse my clusters when they're the kind with a slightly thicker lash band that allows for cleaning without them disintegrating, so my savings are higher because I wasn't buying as many clusters.

The DIY kits

Kit costs start from around £20

VELOUR DIY Lash Extension, £35 here

This kit comes with the special applicator tweezers, the adhesive and the clusters. I re-wear these clusters as they're very durable, and I like the curl and the volume they give.

Eylure Underlash Salon Lash Extension Kit – Wispy, £20 here

With five applications worth of clusters, a pair of tweezers and glue, this is a great value kit. I also love these wispy lashes because they're very close to the natural lash style I opted for when I had individual salon lashes. The glue is meant for one-day wear, so I use a longer-lasting bonding adhesive from a different kit with them.

Many kits offer 7-10 days of wear

KISS Falscara Starter Kit, £24.99 here

If you want a starter kit that has it all, KISS is a good one to go for. You get both a bond adhesive and a setting solution to really make the lashes last for up to 10 days, and the clusters come in short, medium and long lengths so you can get a pro-looking lash map.

Lashify Control Kit starting kit, £110 here

If you're willing to invest a little more in your lashes, as I am now that I've gotten very used to the process, Lashify is the brand to visit for the longest lasting adhesives. Arguably the original makers of the DIY lash extension, you'll find every length of lash and type of curl you want from the online shop. When I wear Lashify lashes, I can get 10-14 days of wear from my clusters, which is ideal.

The initial price is a sting, but the kit has everything you need to get going – and the adhesives last me for months. Plus, you can sign up for a subscription to order your perfect lash pick.

By Editor