Lash lush

Hello!

I've just returned from a wonderful, low pulse holiday at a summerhouse and let me tell you - whoever said you cannot tan with an SPF clearly hasn't spent a week by a sea side with an amazing weather and sunshine. This is truly a wonderful summer, one where you make lots of heartwarming memories.

Source and additional information

Before a busy week starts, I felt like sharing my recent experience with eyelash extensions. My middle sister is a hairdresser and also a very experimental and openminded person, when it comes to changing her appearance - she changes her hair color like it's an accessory and sure enough - if there's a new beauty thing out there - she's probably tried it or she at least knows someone that has first hand. Just now she's trying out keratin hair treatment and just when I was home for my holidays - she had eyelash extensions on. I became curious especially because I can't be bothered using makeup in the summertime with the heat, swimming and other activities, moreover, when my face gets a bit of a sun - I don't even feel the need to cover it with concealers and foundations. So I figured, it could be a great way to take it easy for a while and being able to go makeup free for a while. Not that I have a particular insecurity about my eyelashes and felt like I need them; quite the opposite, it was just something I wanted to try and a way for me to give my face a rest from makeup while giving me that little extra boost of confidence.

Getting eyelash extensions is basically a process where synthetic eyelashes are glued one by one to individual lashes of your own. They wary in length and thickness (8-15 mm length and 0,15 mm, 0,17 mm or 2,00 mm width) and are supposed to naturally fall out together with your own eyelash when it sheds not damaging your eyes, natural eyelashes or health in general. The glue comes in no contact to the skin (unlike fake eyelashes that are glued to the eyelid) and even if natural eyelashes get damaged (falling out due to stress like rubbing etc.) they'll simply grow back to how they were before the extensions.

The procedure happened in my sister's workplace by her colleague and was paid for by my sister who gave it to me as a part of my birthday present, although the prices wary from 10 - 50 LVL for the first time and 10 - 35 LVL for a recovery respectively. I believe 10 LVL was what it would cost me in the particular salon, because I come from a small town in Latvia and it's cheaper than Riga.

I was lying down, told to look up for cotton pads to be placed under my eyes where the lower lashes are and after - to close my eyes. I remained that way until the work was done. (You can see that also in the picture above)

It took less than an hour to complete the procedure, I felt no discomfort (it tickled a bit maybe) and was advised by my sister to wear contact lenses for the procedure, because it stops the eyes from tearing, which it did. After the procedure was done I was given a napkin and a hand fan - but I found no use for it. It was hard to get used to the lashes at first, because I could see them, but I have to say - I also felt quite glamorous and flirty.

My boyfriend was a little surprised at first too, because - I have to be honest - they are quite obvious. Not fake looking, especially thanks to my darker features and brown hair and eyes, but let's face it - hardly anybody has lashes that long and thick, so it wasn't really a subtle look I was rocking.

A good deal of the lashes for my surprise fell out already in the following days. I had a great time not wearing makeup and when I did - it was so fast and easy, because I only did my face. But other than that I also didn't protect them in any particular way - I sleep with my face in the pillow at night, I give bear hugs to my boyfriend, take long showers and cry often. The holiday we had back home and last week in the summerhouse was really nice, because it was so care free, but now I have come to a point where I'm considering taking them all off. The woman at the salon knew it was a one time thing and I'm going back to Denmark, so instead of telling me when to come back for a touchup, she told me how to get rid of the lashes when it's time. I bought castor oil at the local pharmacy (it's supposedly good for your lashes anyway) as it helps dissolving the glue and protects your natural lashes.

The only time I wore makeup on my eyes was last night (also mascara) and it wasn't so hard to remove it afterwards, although, quite obviously, few of the lashes fell out as well.

In general, I'm satisfied and would probably do it again (especially in the summertime  and going on trips), but since I'm back in Denmark, I won't. It had it's good aspects, I loved waking up in the morning at the hotel and not looking like my eyes are gone, because I have no makeup. I loved how easy and low maintenance your look can be for a month. And I loved the glamorous look of full lashes. That being said - there were times I got annoyed. I love to rub my eyes, especially when I'm tired and I couldn't. I could feel the glue at some point of the growing out process, when I was closing my eyes and it was uncomfortable. When the lashes grew a bit I started to also see the glue point and when it gets that high up the lashes start to fall sideways - so I almost had to arrange them in place every now and then. My sister tore them off herself, when she got bored and was complaining that it's hard to get used to your own again after that - that she felt slightly self conscious and frustrated and that it'll take time for her own to grow back fully again. But I also have to say, that I miss using eye makeup - shadows, black liner etc. for a night out, because the lashes I had made for the perfect everyday look - you know, a bit of coverage, a bit of bronzer, a bit of mascara and a lip color, but for going out - part of the fun is the dressing up and getting ready. I did sport a red lip one night and dragged the attention to that, but in general I love to highlight my eyes, so I have missed that.

Few other things I'd like to mention. Depending on the place you have chosen, the first procedure can take up to two hours, including consultation - to determine what's the look your going for etc. Secondly, this particular option is not available for people who for some reason have no lashes of their own, whether it's illness, scaring etc. Thirdly, before the procedure I was reading that the natural cycle of lashes is 3 months, which is the longest you can expect the extensions to last, although the touch up therapy is required every 4 weeks or so, which I have found to be deceiving. After 3 months I'd had no eyelash extensions left - I'm sure, so they hardly last a month if one is not particularly careful. However, it is not advised to swim 48 hours after the procedure, because the glue is drying and I didn't follow that. I was in a pool the same day, because it was my birthday and we were at a SPA, so maybe it was my own fault. However, I really didn't want to be limited by vain things like that, so I was determined to live my own life and see, how long they'll last and what'll happen. It is also advised to be as careful as possible - the more you'll avoid physical impact (saunas, skiing down the mountain with a wind in your face etc.), the longer the extensions will last. Don't rub your eyes, don't use thick and oily creams on the top eyelid, be careful when removing makeup, if you're using a mascara - make sure it's water based and by no means water resistant.

Finally, here are some visual information on what to expect and how it looks after a while. I got them July 10th and the last picture was taken this morning, just a few hours ago.

Hope this was somewhat helpful or interesting, let me know if anyone reading this has tried or considered trying eyelash extensions and how was your experience. Would you do it again?

Have a great week and I'll talk to you soon!

Renate ❤