For those with lighter-coloured or stubbornly straight lashes, all the beauty admin can feel endless, whether you're curling, applying mascara and lifting at home or going to the salon for regular lash-lifting treatments.
So, we have exciting news: UKLash has officially launched its new Lash Lift Gel, which promises to lift and curl lashes in seconds and darken your lashes over time. In the run-up to launch, the GH team has been testing its lofty claims (instant lifting, long-term tinting). And in a beauty market where it can sometimes feel as though everything has been done before, it genuinely feels new. I can’t think of another product I’ve tried quite like it. Here’s how it works.
The UKLash Lash Lift Gel at a glance
Unlike the UKLash lash serum, which lengthens lashes over time, this curling gel works instantly and is ideal for anyone who hates wearing mascara everyday. The lightweight gel sits somewhere between a lash treatment and a lifting primer, holding lashes in place for an instantly lifted, defined effect, while vitamin E, glycerin and Hexapeptide-1 condition and hydrate over time.
The formula can be worn alone for a soft, minimal-makeup look, or underneath mascara to give lashes more shape and staying power, plus the caramel pigment gradually adds a darker tint to fairer lashes over time.
So, how did our team of testers get on with their samples of this uplifting new launch?
‘It's ridiculously easy to apply’ – Kim Hawley, senior health and fitness tester
“As I’ve got older, mascara has become non-negotiable. Without it, I have a definite newborn-baby-bird quality about me, and as someone who doesn’t wear loads of makeup, it does a lot of the heavy lifting. My lashes have also become finer and more fragile, so some mascaras now feel like far too much – too thick, too heavy, too much product. I was intrigued to see how UKLash fared.
The first thing I loved was the wand. It’s long, curved and – crucially – doesn’t emerge from the tube drowning in mascara. Anyone who has spent a bleary morning scraping excess product off a brand-new wand will understand the joy. It’s ridiculously easy to apply. No clumps, no smudges, no frantic cotton-bud clean-up. One coat gives a lovely fluttery, defined look, and you can build it easily if you want more oomph. It’s particularly good on the lower lashes, which is usually where things go rogue for me, adding definition without leaving black smudges underneath my eyes.
If I’m going out-out, I can layer a mascara over the top for more drama, but day to day, I prefer it on its own. My lashes look lifted, separated and defined, but still like my lashes rather than six tiny paintbrushes glued to my eyelids. It can’t smudge and obviously comes off with almost no effort at night, which frankly feels like witchcraft. I haven’t used it long enough to judge the lash-tinting claims, but I’ve already swapped out my mascara for this every morning.”
‘My lashes felt so soft’ – Vicky Deacon, deputy chief sub-editor
“Several run-ins with chemotherapy and (let’s be honest) getting older have left my eyelashes a shadow of their former selves. Once so long and dark that I rarely needed to wear mascara, they’re now almost invisible without it. But full-on mascara can look a bit much for no-makeup days, so when I heard about UKLash’s new tinted Lash Lift Gel, which promises to condition, lift and curl lashes while gradually tinting them over time, it sounded like just what I needed.
The gel is packaged exactly like a mascara, but the long, slender, curved brush is an absolute game changer. It easily reaches even the tiniest, finest lashes, and because it picks up the barest amount of product, there’s no clumping – hurrah! The gel itself has a thinner consistency than mascara and is tinted mid-brown. It dried quickly on my lashes, with a natural look at first but building to give a deeper colour. My lashes were instantly lifted, with a slight curl, looking darker and more defined but without the claggy, sticky feel you often get from mascara – they still felt soft. This is perfect for everyday wear, but if you want a more dramatic effect, you can just apply your usual mascara on top of it.
The lash gel lasted all day with no smudging or need to reapply, and it was very easy to remove. It's too soon to say how well it tints my lashes, but I’m already sold and will be using it every day, so watch this space...”
‘My eyes look instantly more open’ – Florence Reeves-White, senior beauty writer
“I hate wearing mascara, so when I first flicked this lash lifting gel through my lashes, I audibly gasped. How could something that felt so light and non-claggy, curl and tease my lashes into the perfect rounded shape? I tried it again to test whether it was a fluke and was thrilled to find it wasn't. I often find mascara overstimulating – I’m always conscious that it’s there, except when I rub my eye with tiredness and completely forget, smearing it all over my face, usually in public when I don’t have access to a mirror.
The gel's applicator is so good at separating each lash, and I’m not sure what sorcery it’s laced with but my eyes look instantly more open and my strands seem darker, too. The instant lifting effect lasts all day, and if I scratch my eye without thinking, there’s no pigment to smudge into my face. Oh, and if I forget to do a full facial cleanse at the end of a long, busy day (who, me?! I would never!) then it’s not the end of the world – there are no streak marks on my cheeks or crusty black crumbs under my eyes come morning. Just mysteriously curly lashes that look like they belong to someone else.
My only issue with it is because of my short lashes – I often use the UKLash Tubing Mascara (brown, always) to elongate them, so for a full night out look where I’m using eyeshadow, I do like to have that added length instead. However, for everyday use in the office, or in heatwaves when things are close and sweaty, I’m so grateful for a product I can reach for that makes me look more awake, without stressing me out sensorially. I’m genuinely never wearing mascara to work again.”
GHI expert analysis of the ingredients list
“Lash Lift has all the classic ingredients of a mascara that lifts, hold and smooth lashes,” explains Juliet Heaton, senior beauty tester at the Good Housekeeping Institute. “But what I was particularly impressed with when looking at the product's INCI list was the number of ingredients that contribute to softening the lashes and improving their condition overall.”
“This includes botanical ingredients such as Trifolium Pratense (Clover) Extract and Vigna Radiata (Mung Bean) Seed Extract, which both have additional antioxidant benefits to protect against oxidative stress,” she explains. “Additionally, Acetyl Hexpeptide-1 also supports the condition and therefore overall appearance of the lashes long-term.”
The verdict on UKLash's Lash Lift Gel
This is one of those rare launches that actually earns its place in our makeup bags. All three of us noticed an immediate lift and cleaner separation, but the real selling point was how little makeup it felt like we were wearing: no crunchy lashes, no sticky weight, no panda-eyes if you forget to take your makeup off or if it rains.
The slim, curved wand won us all over, catching even tiny lower lashes without getting product everywhere, and the gel held its shape all day, from blowing steam off our morning coffees to our heads hitting the pillow at bedtime. We need a little longer to judge the gradual tinting claims, but for making straight, fine or reluctant lashes look noticeably more awake in about 10-20 seconds, this is the only formula we’ve found up to the job.
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
