The Blurb:
This season it’s all about lashes – the bigger the better. I wasn’t surprised to find a fake lash stall at London Fashion Week sporting the new craze of paper lashes; intricately laser-cut strips of lightweight paper adhered to the lash line. If you want something a little more long-term you need what everyone’s talking about – eyelash extensions seen on the likes of Nicole Kidman and Beyoncé. This type of eyelash enhancement is not the same as the strip lashes. The overall look is a lot more natural as the lashes are attached individually to your own lashes with an adhesive that is surgical-grade. Extensions come in various lengths, colours and thicknesses, and can be worn during sleep, showering and swimming. However, excessive exposure to oily products (mascara included) can weaken the glue. The lashes are made out of a synthetic material (mink and human eyelashes can also be used but due to ethical reasons many do not opt for this).
The Process:
The procedure to attach the extensions takes an average of one and a half to two hours for a full set of extensions of roughly 30 to 80 lashes per eye. As I wear glasses, the therapist kept the length of the lashes slightly shorter so they would not brush on my lenses and focused on adding fullness to my lashes. She started by taping my lower lashes down so they wouldn’t stick to the upper lashes when applying the glue and explained that lashes grow in rows (like sharks’ teeth). She then taped up one row of my top lashes. All taped up and feeling rather uncomfortable, the therapist started applying the lashes one at a time, wiggling them onto my lash. The process was very prolonged and at one point I fell asleep but it wasn’t painful at all.
The Result:
When I finally opened my eyes and adjusted to the light I got to look at my new wonderfully luscious, fluttery lashes. As a natural blonde I have been known to say I have invisible lashes and it was such a novelty to wake up without make-up on and have lashes! I’m writing this review three weeks after the treatment and it has lasted pretty well. Some of the lashes have dropped out but I still have a good set. My therapist advised to start applying a little mascara to the lashes as they start getting a bit sparse – the lashes fall out just like your natural lashes do.
