How to make eyelashes for headlights with your own hands: manufacturing options

Hi all! I can say with confidence that eyelashes for headlights are a very cheap, but quite effective way to change and improve the appearance of your car.

Eyelashes will at least make the front of your car stand out from the crowd. And although these elements are compact in size, such headlight tuning allows you to modify your visual perception with surprising power. Don't underestimate these small elements.

It is logical to install eyelashes on the headlights. Moreover, you can do this with your own hands. Today I will try to tell you how the elements are made, what they are made of and how to do everything without outside help. At the sight we have 3 options.

A little about eyelashes

Eyelashes are small pads made of various materials that fit tightly to the surface of the optics and partially cover part of the headlight body. Where do you think, logically, eyelashes are installed? That's right, from above.

Even in the photo they look great. Of course, when the installation is carried out according to all the rules and in compliance with the basic recommendations. And it is important to understand that eyelashes have more than just one function. Yes, the main purpose is decorative, since they are used as elements to visually change the car. But in addition, eyelashes can protect from minor mechanical damage, various negative atmospheric influences, etc. They should not be considered a full-fledged shield, but they cope with their small protective task with dignity.

Whether to install them or not is up to each individual. I consider their versatility to be an important advantage of such decor with partial protective properties. Eyelashes are relevant for almost any car, regardless of the make, model, generation or year of manufacture.

That is, with the right approach, the decor will look equally advantageous on any car:

• for VAZ 2101;
• Nissan Almera;
• Hyundai Solaris;
• Mitsubishi Lancer;
• Ford Focus;
• Chevrolet Niva;
• Kia Optima;
• Toyota Avensis;
• Honda Pilot;
• UAZ Patriot, etc.

The task is not difficult, but not everyone is ready to take it on with their own hands.

I advise you to try the simplest method of installing eyelashes. If you like the result and want to improve it, move on to more complex methods. Video instructions will further help you with this.

Kinds

Manufacturers of automobile accessories offer three types of eyelashes for headlights, the differences of which lie in their purpose and characteristics.

1. Protective. Their main task, as the name suggests, is protection from mechanical damage. To make protective eyelashes, transparent thermoplastic is used, onto which the eyelash pattern fits perfectly.
2. Chrome plated. They are designed to create a harmonious design of the car's exterior. If the car already has chrome parts, then such eyelashes will serve as a good addition to them.
3. Plastic - without exaggeration, they can be called the most common linings. As a rule, they are universal and affordable.

However, often the car owner does not like industrially manufactured linings either because of their appearance or because of poor quality. That’s why many people prefer to make eyelashes with their own hands. It costs no more than buying factory products.

Types presented on the Russian market: video

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ThQgiDYAQi0

Craftsmen use several methods to make eyelashes. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, each owner chooses the option that best suits his requirements and needs.

Using Film

Making eyelashes from film is considered the simplest and most affordable option. You just need to buy self-adhesive tape, the price of which will not exceed a couple of hundred rubles for a large roll, and use the tools at hand.

Prepare a set of:

• self-adhesive film;
• scissors;
• stationery knife;
• degreaser;
• clean cotton cloth;
• paper;
• pencil;
• good lighting;
• Have a good mood;
• nice music.

This will be enough to make eyelashes. If everything is ready, just take it and make the preparation.

Don't be afraid to experiment with shapes and sizes. It is better to use films as a pass-through material in order to select the optimal parameters of the eyelashes, and only then use higher quality materials to make long-lasting tuning.

Despite all their advantages, films look cheaper than other materials, last no more than 3 months, tear off, peel off and are difficult to match exactly to the color of the body.

But if you decide to use films, the work is performed in the following sequence:

• Attaching a sheet of paper to the headlight, use a pencil to draw the outlines of the future decor;
• Provide a small overlap on the engine compartment of the headlight and the area adjacent to the radiator grille;
• Cut out a sketch from paper taking into account the overlap;
• Using the stencil, cut out a piece of self-adhesive film;
• To make a blank for the second headlight, simply flip the first stencil over and that's it;
• Use a degreaser to remove all contaminants;
• Remove the protective film and apply it to the headlight;
• Smooth the surface, removing excess air.

That's it, the eyelashes are ready. In total, such tuning will cost 100-200 rubles.

But again, this is an option for beginners and those who are not sure whether they should even do eyelashes on their car.

Adhesive tape

Today you can find any colors and textures of self-adhesive film to make eyelashes for headlights from it.

The easiest way to make eyelashes is to use “self-adhesive”. To work with the film, no special skills or tools are required, it is cheap, you don’t have to paint it, you can choose any color, you don’t need to remove the headlights, and the entire process of making eyelashes will take you no more than 40 minutes.

It would seem that these are continuous advantages, but they are also disadvantages at the same time. The film is inexpensive, but it looks cheap on the car, does not require painting - and does not exactly match the body color, it is easy to use - and therefore anyone can do the same.

In addition, the service life of the film on the headlights is limited: the edges of the “self-adhesive” after washing lift up and tear, dirt gets clogged into scratches from stones, and after only 3 months of driving on Russian roads, such tuning will not improve, but will spoil the appearance of the car. Keep in mind that 10 years ago, when stores were not yet overflowing with car accessories, tuning studios were developed only in the capital, and ordering tuning via the Internet was just becoming a reality, eyelashes made from film could cause admiration and a desire to “do the same.” Today it is difficult to surprise anyone with them.

Application of plastic

A more effective and impressive option would be a plastic eyelash. Buying material will not be difficult. Plus, there are a number of studios where you can get your decor done quickly and professionally. Moscow alone has dozens of such tuning studios.

But since the price is high, we do everything ourselves.

To work you will need:

LEDs as the basis for fashionable headlights

There are eyelashes that are mounted in the headlight housing, namely, from LED strip. However, on July 21, 2016, a new law was introduced to tighten measures for installing tuning. Ordinary eyelashes are not prohibited if their presence does not interfere with the supply of light.

LED tuning elements look stylish: it’s a pity that they are prohibited

But the installation of LED eyelashes is a change in the design of lighting fixtures not provided for by the manufacturer (except for those cases where LED eyelashes were installed on exactly the same model, but in a different configuration). For this, according to current legislation, you may face a completely legal deprivation of your driver's license for a period of 6 to 12 months. Is the game worth the candle? You decide.

Tuning does not have to be expensive and labor-intensive. Even without special training, you can create an original part with your own hands in a few hours, which will attract the attention of other car enthusiasts. Tuning your favorite car yourself is always a pleasant and interesting experience that you will remember every day when you look at the transformed car. Stock up on everything you need and try making eyelashes - you won’t regret it!

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• PVC or other plastic about 2-3 mm thick;
• hair dryer (a construction hair dryer is better; a household hair dryer won’t do the job);
• screwdrivers;
• sandpaper (coarse, medium and finishing);
• degreaser (regular alcohol will do);
• clean, lint-free rags;
• sealant;
• or double-sided tape;
• pencil;
• additional tools.

First you will need to remove the headlight, and work with it in a dismantled state. Unlike the use of films, plastic lashes require removal of the optics.

Typically, headlights are held in place by a few bolts at the top and a mount at the bottom. How exactly they are removed depends on the specific car.

After dismantling the element, follow this algorithm:

• cut a piece of plastic, the dimensions of which will cover the surface of the optics with allowances on the sides;
• give the material an approximate shape of the future eyelash;
• attach plastic to the headlight;
• turn on the hairdryer and start heating the material;
• gradually the plastic will become softer and more flexible;
• give the workpiece a shape;
• wait for it to cool down;
• remove the workpiece from the headlight;
• Mark the desired geometry of the eyelash with a pencil, adding an allowance of literally 0.3 mm;
• trim off excess;
• sand the edges;
• degrease the headlight itself and the plastic blank;
• Use sealant or tape to secure the eyelashes.

I recommend that you provide protection for the glass of the headlight itself in advance so as not to damage it during the heating process with a hairdryer. Cover with some thick material and gently move the hairdryer over the surface without touching other areas.

Also, the plastic will then need to be cleaned, primed and painted if it does not exactly match the color of the body.

Benefits of overlays

• the ability to minimize the gap between the hood and the headlights;
• creating an original appearance of the front of the car;
• simplicity and low cost of tuning;

Flaws:

• some difficulties with fastening;
• the likelihood of losing eyelashes when moving at high speeds.

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• fiberglass;
• masking tape;
• brushes;
• epoxy;
• primer;
• rags;
• putty;
• spatulas;
• sander;
• paint (preferably acrylic);
• sandpaper;
• varnish;
• set of tools.

Get ready for quite a long and careful job. But if you put in the effort, the result will fully justify itself.

The essence of the procedure is as follows:

Fiberglass

The most difficult, but effective, beautiful and durable option is to make fiberglass-based eyelashes.

• fiberglass;
• masking tape;
• brushes;
• epoxy;
• primer;
• rags;
• putty;
• spatulas;
• sander;
• paint (preferably acrylic);
• sandpaper;
• varnish;
• set of tools.

Get ready for quite a long and careful job. But if you put in the effort, the result will fully justify itself.

The essence of the procedure is as follows:

• First, the headlight is covered with masking tape so that the resin does not accidentally get on other parts of the optics;
• A shape is selected, a stencil is cut out, and fiberglass blanks are made from it;
• A thin layer of resin (epoxy) is applied to the headlight;
• Now a sheet of fiberglass is applied;
• We press, smooth everything carefully and wait for it to dry;
• After 1-5 hours, depending on how long it takes to dry, we repeat the procedure;
• Remove the workpiece, sand it, sand it, get rid of irregularities;
• Degrease, putty, sand;
• Degrease again, paint and varnish;
• We fix it with sealant, glue or tape.

You can do without dismantling work by performing the entire procedure directly with the headlight installed. But then you will have to think about ensuring that all the elements around the headlight are properly protected.

One more tip. Do not use fiberglass that is too thin, as the resin will simply corrode it.

I think we can stop here. It is only important to remember that tuning should be approached extremely carefully, without exceeding the norms established by law. Eyelashes should not interfere with the passage of headlights. Otherwise, you will face a fine and a requirement to get rid of illegal elements.

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