Why Were Fake Eyelashes Created? | The Sun

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FAKE lashes are an everyday beauty accessory for many women today, but it’s left some wondering how, and why, they were invented.

In 2021, a viral meme claimed false lashes were invented by a prostitute to “protect her eyes,” but was later debunked.

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Why were fake eyelashes invented?

While the eyelashes do perform some important functions – mainly keeping your eyes clear of dirt and debris – extending them is purely an aesthetic choice.

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Some experts suggest that longer lashes have been desirable since ancient times due to a link between aging and eyelashes shortening.

Roman author Pliny the Elder only reinforced this desire when he suggested that shortened eyelashes suggested that a woman was sexually overactive.

He claimed that “Eyelashes fell out from excessive sex, and so it was especially important for women to keep their eyelashes long to prove their chastity,” according to Business Insider.

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Others have suggested that it’s because fake lashes make the eyes appear larger, long accepted as a significant measure of female beauty.

Who invented fake eyelashes?

Reports of the first artificial lash extensions surfaced in late 19th century Paris.

However, they were a little more basic and a lot grimmer than their modern equivalents.

One account from 1899 speaks of women having faux hair threaded into the skin with a needle.

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Needless to say, this trend failed to catch on.

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The first patent for modern lash extensions was issued in 1911 to Anna Taylor, a woman from Canada.

Five years later, Hollywood director DW Griffith had his production’s wigmaker create a similar concept out of real hair and spirit gum.

Strip-style extensions were developed further until a major turning point in the 50s.

Are fake eyelashes called umbrellas?

Falsies garnered the nickname “cumbrellas” based on a myth about their origin.

This can be traced back to the claim that they were invented in the 1880s for a racy purpose.

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The claim, which went viral last year, is that a prostitute called Gerda Puridle invented lash extensions to “protect her eyes” during sexy encounters.

However, this idea was debunked by a number of fact-checking services.