Anna Taylor, a Canadian inventor, is most widely credited with inventing modern fake eyelashes, thanks to her 1911 patent for artificial lashes on a strip. Earlier experiments and related patents existed (like Karl/Charles Nessler’s 1902 patent in the UK), but Taylor’s design is usually treated as the true starting point of the fake eyelashes people recognize today.

Quick Scoop

  • Short answer: Modern fake eyelashes are generally attributed to Anna Taylor , who patented artificial strip lashes in 1911.
  • But also: A few years earlier, hairdresser Karl (Charles) Nessler patented artificial eyelashes and brows in the UK and sold boxed strip lashes in his London salon.
  • Hollywood boost: In 1916, director D. W. Griffith had special lashes made for actress Seena Owen in the film Intolerance , which helped push dramatic lashes into pop‑culture and beauty trends.

How fake eyelashes began

  • In the late 1800s, some beauty “procedures” literally involved sewing hair into the eyelids to create longer lashes, which was painful and risky.
  • Around 1902–1903, Karl Nessler patented a method for making artificial eyelashes and sold early strip-style lashes made from human hair in London.
  • These early versions set the stage for something safer and more wearable, but they were still quite experimental by today’s standards.

Anna Taylor’s 1911 invention

  • In 1911, Canadian inventor Anna Taylor received a U.S. patent for “artificial eyelashes” made of tiny hairs attached to a crescent-shaped strip or fabric, designed to sit along the eyelid.
  • Her design is considered the first truly modern fake eyelash concept because it resembles the strip lashes that later went mass-market.
  • Many beauty historians therefore answer “Who invented fake eyelashes?” with Anna Taylor, even while acknowledging earlier experiments.

Hollywood, glamour, and going mainstream

  • In 1916, director D. W. Griffith asked a wigmaker to create ultra-long lashes for actress Seena Owen in Intolerance by weaving human hair into gauze and gluing it to her eyelids.
  • The dramatic look on screen helped turn fake lashes from an odd beauty experiment into a glamorous accessory associated with film stars.
  • By the 1960s, celebrities like Twiggy popularized bold, spiky lashes, making falsies a mainstream symbol of high-fashion and mod style.

Today’s lash trends

  • In recent years and into 2025, false lashes have evolved into many styles: classic strip lashes, individual extensions, hybrid sets, and natural “wispy” looks.
  • Current trends lean toward softer, more natural-looking lash extensions and textured styles like “angel lashes” and wispy sets, with some clients moving away from heavy “Russian volume” looks.
  • Magnetic lashes and “eco-friendly” lash options are also rising, offering glue-free application and reusable designs that appeal to beginners and sustainability-focused consumers.

TL;DR: The person most commonly credited with inventing fake eyelashes is Anna Taylor , who patented artificial strip lashes in 1911, but earlier pioneers like Karl Nessler and later Hollywood innovators helped turn them into the beauty staple they are today.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.