The Details of Eyelash Extensions

I love beauty services and I definitely don’t discriminate. I love getting my nails done, or a monthly massage, but one of my favorite services to receive is getting eyelash extensions. A lot of people I’ve talked to about it imagine the actual service to be painful, or annoying and irritating, but if you find the right provider it should be relaxing and painless! Of course, there are some horror stories (I have survived one and I’ll share about it in this post) but a well-trained and experienced lash artist will make sure you fully enjoy your new lashes, including having the service done. I’ll touch on the perks of having eyelash extensions and all of the facts!

Okay so first: THE PERKS. I’m sure I’m leaving some out, but these are my top 4.

• You never have to put on mascara. Okay, I put it on my bottom lashes, but really, you don’t have to (and really shouldn’t) put mascara on EVER. AGAIN. One less step while getting ready in the morning? Yes please.
• You always look put together. Lashes make you look like you have just a touch of makeup on 24/7, which is great for pictures or when you need to run to the store last minute. So when you run into that friend you haven’t seen since high school while sporting  a messy bun and not a stitch of makeup, you definitely won’t look your worst.
• No more falsies. I mean, I never wore them anyway because holy cow I am seriously handicapped when it comes to applying them. I’m talking, stab-myself-in-the-eye, go to an event looking like I’ve been punched, and still don’t have great looking lashes because I couldn’t get the glue to work. Yes, that HORRIBLE at putting them on. So thanks to extensions, I can avoid that whole debacle and have amazing lashes all the time.
• The service itself. If you love relaxing to some soothing spa sounds and soft music with your eyes closed and no one bothering you for about an hour, you’ll love getting the service. A little me-time every once in a while never hurt anyone!

Okay, now my horror story and major tip that can save you a lot of pain and make your experience SO much better. When I first considered getting lash extensions I thought it would be a good idea to just buy a Groupon for a full set of standard lashes. I mean, it would only cost me about $80 and since I was just trying them out, and not sure if I’d want them long term, that seemed like the wisest decision right? Wrong. OH. MY GOODNESS was I wrong. I went to a girl (who shall remain nameless) solely because of her service price and I definitely got what I paid for. She was extremely hard on my lashes while providing the service and my eyes watered and burned pretty much the entire time. I was NOT relaxed or comfortable and in the process, she managed to glue my natural lashes together, which was super painful. Luckily, I had a really good friend (shout-out to Ellen) who referred me to her lash artist at a Medical Spa. I also discovered I had developed a sensitivity to the glue that was causing my eyes to swell and burn. That was easily rectified by a prescription cream, which could be prescribed at the Spa! Thanks to my friend and incredibly talented lash artist, my natural lashes were saved and I actually got legit lash extensions that looked (and felt) SO much better. Lesson learned: find a legit lash artist (not someone who just learned how to do them in cosmetology school but has no further training or experience), and make the investment for a quality service that doesn’t compromise the integrity of your natural lashes!

And now, The Facts:

• Eyelash extensions come in different sizes. You can discuss with your lash artist which length/size will be right for you. You can pretty much make them as natural or dramatic as you choose!
• There are standard lashes and volume lashes. Standard= 1 false lash glued to every natural lash, Volume is 2 false lashes (attached to each other) glued to every natural lash. Standard lash fills average about $50 every 2-3 weeks. Volume lash fills average about $70 every 2-3 weeks (and look much fluffier than Standard lashes).
• The frequency of maintenance fills depends on how often you lose your natural lashes. In general, we shed our lashes naturally about every 2-3 weeks. (Having allergies or very sensitive/watery eyes can cause more frequent shedding, and therefore more frequent maintenance is required.)
• Lash extensions are great for girls with a lot of lashes who desire longer, darker lashes. If you don’t have a lot of natural lashes, it may not be a good fit for you.
• Lash extensions are very low maintenance, just fluff/brush in the morning and you’re good to go!

Obviously I am seriously passionate about beauty products and services that I think are worthwhile, and I want my friends to know the truth before making an investment! Lashes may not be for you, but I hope that this post made your decision a little easier. The most important thing is to be knowledgeable about the service you’re receiving. And if you’re in the Tulsa area and  need a great lash artist (trust me, you NEED a great lash artist), I’ll hook you up with my girl Cameron. She saved my eyes and keeps me looking my best! And I’ll keep trying beauty services and let you know how they go (it’s for the blog, right?!).

Cait