If you follow me on Instagram you’ve already seen my quick posts on my eyelash extensions. I posted them as soon a I got my lashes done the first time and then again the second time around. They are still on my “BEAUTY” story tab if you missed it you can go and check it out now.
A couple months back I was at a family gathering when I noticed my sister in law’s amazing lashes. She’s not one to wear a ton of makeup like I do hence the reason I noticed her lashes right away. I was like, “…wow, I totally love your lashes! What did you do?” Come to find out she had extensions put on. I was so impressed and super excited after our chat that I had to try it out for myself. I made an appointment the next day and couldn’t wait to get them done.
Fast forward two months later and I can give you a good opinion on the matter. Because I didn’t discuss too many details about the treatment with my sister in law I was a little nervous. But once I got to the spa the technician was very nice and helpful in giving me all the information I needed to know. She was sweet and gentle and generally made the whole experience a good one.
the eyelash extension process
From start to finish the process takes a good two hours to complete. The technician highly recommends not wearing contact lenses because of the chemicals used to adhere lashes and they don’t want to take a chance of getting it on the contacts. For my first treatment I wore my contacts because I didn’t know ahead of time not to wear them but I asked to keep them on. When I went in for the second treatment I remembered not to wear my contacts and it was a completely different experience.
- For the first treatment I laid on the bed for a solid two hours. She prepped my eyes by using cleansing pads to remove any makeup residue. She also placed some strips to my upper and lower sections of the eyes in order to keep my lids stable. I don’t know if it was the anticipation of getting them done or the fact that I didn’t feel any discomfort, but I was able to lay for the two hours without any trouble at all. I had my eyes closed while she played calming music in the background and enjoyed having these little feathery things attached to my eyes. I even drifted into a slight nap during the session. I chose a ‘natural’ look for my lashes and we used Mink hair which has a natural feeling and lasts longer than synthetic ones. You can’t get them wet for 24 hours and avoid oily products!
The first photo was taken the day after the first treatment. I have to emphasize that having eye extensions are high maintenance! Although I’m generally good about taking great care of my eyes, having these on means more serious thought on how you apply, remove and maintain your eye makeup. Even if you don’t wear a lot of eye makeup this will make you aware of how to keep your eyes from rubbing, itching and it even affects the way in which you sleep! Yep, sleeping on your side or face down will affect your lashes in that you will loose them quicker. It took me a whole week to adjust to them.
They suggest you don’t apply mascara at all (however, I still use it) and you should abstain from anything oily because it can remove the adhesive thus losing the lashes. When removing eye makeup it can get tricky. I end up with lots of cotton lint and then I have to go back and remove it ever so gently with a q-tip. Washing and cleansing my face was something that felt a little weird at first in the shower. It made me think about what I’ll have to do when I’m at the beach or at the pool and want to take a dive… You have to be very careful when washing your face and not rub them off. I now use makeup removing cleansing wipes. It’s so much easier and I’m able to get it done with minimal lash loss. Another thing is that when I wear my glasses or sunnies the lashes touch the lenses which make them look all twisted and weird. Now I have to continually adjust my glasses and sunnies.
This is a pricey treatment, starting at $100 with a ‘natural’ look and gets more expensive depending on the style you’re looking for. It will easily add up if you fill them every three to four weeks.
In week three you can really begin to see empty spaces between the lashes and some un-eveness. I was beginning to wonder if I wanted to do a fill at this point. I was also wearing mascara to help fill them in.
During the second session it was a very different experience for me. I lost track of time and when I went back for the fill 6 weeks had lapsed and I had to do a full set all over again. Because I didn’t wear my contacts I felt all of the chemicals used and the two hours felt more like four!
- Typically it would take about an hour for a fill if done within the three-four week time frame. I was anxious and just wanted to get it over and done with. We added more lashes than before thus the session was a little more intense and without my contacts on I felt some stinging and a little burning. I became very impatient and tense and my body became sore from laying in one position for so long, (another reason I need to exercise more!) I really didn’t like my second session and if I go back again I will definitely go before the four weeks and I’ll wear my contacts! My eyes were really sore and puffy and incredibly red for the next two days but I LOVED the fuller look!
So, what do I think about the eyelash extension treatment? I’m still on the fence about it. In all honesty, it has it’s pros and cons. I haven’t completely decided if I want to continue the treatment or simply rely on wearing falsies again…
PROS
beautiful full lashes, completely natural looking, convenient, enhances eyes and makeup, great for minimal makeup wearers
CONS
pricey, high maintenance, soreness and redness, not animal friendly (mink), high risk of eye infections
Check out video below for a quick reference on eyelash extensions.
I hope you find this segment educational for your beauty and makeup needs. Let me know if you decide on getting eyelash extensions done. What do you think of this beauty treatment?
