False eyelashes, as a cosmetic product, are most credibly attributed to Canadian inventor Anna Taylor, who received a U.S. patent for “artificial eyelashes” on June 6, 1911. Earlier groundwork and later popularization involved Karl (Charles) Nessler’s early 1900s methods and D.W. Griffith’s 1916 film usage, but the patent credit goes to Taylor.
Key inventor
- Anna Taylor patented artificial eyelashes in 1911, describing a crescent of fabric implanted with tiny hairs—an early form of strip lashes akin to modern falsies.
Earlier groundwork
- In 1902, Karl (Charles) Nessler patented a process related to manufacturing artificial hair features and is reported to have created and sold artificial lashes in the early 20th century, laying technical groundwork before Taylor’s patent.
Hollywood popularization
- Director D.W. Griffith famously used glued-on gauze and human hair lashes for a 1916 film to achieve dramatic on-screen eyes; while often credited in lore, this was not the first invention and post-dates Taylor’s patent.
