Eyelashes define your eyes, so when a few are missing it can make you feel as though your face has lost some of its character. Depending on how thin your lashes are, deftly applied eyeliner or individual falsies can camouflage any problem areas. Both techniques, when used to hide missing lashes, require a little practice but are simple to learn, enabling you to make a feature of your eyes and lashes again.

Choose a dark eyeliner color close to your natural hair color. If you are very fair, use brown or gray. Black looks natural on everyone else and is the best color if you usually use black mascara.

Work eyeliner into your brush, testing it on the back of your hand to check that it draws on an even creamy line without having to press too hard. Gel liner is a thick cream that you work into a brush for a boot-polish texture. Use cake liner by adding a splash of water and mixing like a watercolor paint to a creamy consistency that does not run.

Dot or press eyeliner along your top lash line, between the lashes rather than over the top of them. This fills in the gaps between lashes, giving your eyes instant definition. The in-between positioning also prevents a heavily made-up look. Wear this liner alone if your lashes are sparse or before applying other makeup.

Squeeze a small blob of lash glue onto the back of your non-dominant hand. Wait a few minutes before working with it so that it becomes tacky.

Use tweezers to pick up an individual lash. Dip the base gently into the glue.

Position the lash in place, ideally in one movement. It should adhere to skin as soon as it touches it. The false lashes are fixed between existing lashes, at the roots.

Repeat to fix as many more individual lashes as required. You can use just a couple to bulk up lashes at the ends or to fill in gaps. Or you could build along the whole lash line this way, which looks more natural than using a single strip all the way across.