I agree with applying eyeshadow and mascara first, and putting the adhesive on the falsies, not the lash line. For myself, I have found that putting it on the falsies allows me to get it much closer to if not right on top of my natural lash line so that they blend into my natural lashes and there's no need for eyeliner, which tends to gunk up the lashes faster anyway and together with the lashes is too much makeup for my eyes to handle. For me, I either wear falsies *or* eyeliner to make my eyes pop/look bigger.

As for the Marilyn Monroe-esque effect, I have found it depends on the style of lashes I get and a person's induvidual bone structure as to how falsies will look. In general I've found the thick ones tend to give a more drag queen-esque look (for lack of a better way of putting it), while the sparser, random ones give a more natural yet super-human effect. I tend to go for the "more natural yet super-human" look and have found 2 that work great for my eye shape--Ardell #125 and NYC Glamour [they both have a random length thing going on which helps them look more "natural", and are shorter towards the inside of the eye getting longer towards the outside which really opens the eye, AND both are cheap and can be found in most drug stores, and work better for me than any expensive ones I've bothered to waste my money on].

I agree that experimenting wiht trimming the width of the lashes till you find what works for your eye shape is a good idea, especially since sometimes the lashes can be different widths and apply great to one eye and fugly on the other till you trim it into the right length.

About lash glue, I swear by Ardell Lash Grip Eyelash Adhesive, which isn't too pricey, lasts forever and can be found in practically any drug store. Like any eyelash adhesive give it about 30 seconds to a minute to start to get tacky before you try to put on the falsie, otherwise it won't stick to your lash line. A bit of practice and you'll become a pro at knowing when to put it on. :-)

Unfortunately the itchiness may just be from the falsies, not the glue. Wearing them is something I definately had to get used to, and sometimes they just *are* really itchy when I put them on. It has to do with the application of them and where they're sitting/resting, but if they look good I just put up with it for the night/photo shoot.

Re: glue - I think mine is Ardell. If your lids get itchy, you *could* be allergic, or as already suggested, it could just be the lashes themselves and where they're placed. Maybe you should try just putting a bit of glue on your eyelid by itself and see if you feel any kind of reaction - then at least you'd know which one is the culprit. :-)