If you don’t already have them, you’ve definitely seen them all over social media. Eyelash extensions have been a popular beauty enhancement option for the past few years, and after a long period of debate I finally decided to get them myself about a year ago. Below, I will break down the process of getting eyelash extensions, and debunk a few myths associated with this popular beauty trend.
Where to start? If you’re thinking of getting eyelash extensions yourself, you should first decide what type of look you want to achieve. A classic set will give you a more natural look as if you have mascara on. This look is achieved by gluing one fake lash onto one of your real lashes, in other words, a “one-to-one” process. A full set of classic lashes generally takes around two hours to complete and will need “fills” to replace lost lashes around every three weeks. For a regular set, you can choose different lash lengths to achieve different looks. The look I always choose is “cat-eye,” where the lash technician places lashes in order from shortest on the inner corner to longest at the outer corner of the eye. There are also “hybrid sets” and “volume sets.” Both use volume lashes, which is a clump of three fake lashes that will be applied to one real lash. To achieve a hybrid set, the technician will use both regular lashes and volume lashes on each eye. A hybrid lash set will give more volume to the eye as if you’re wearing a set of fake lashes. For full volume, you can choose to get only volume lashes applied with no regular lashes. This will achieve a full-volume look that is very voluminous and is mostly suited towards people with larger eyes. See the picture below for each lash option described above.
Image credit: hautehousebeauty.com
When it comes to lash extensions, there are a few common concerns most people have when they’re first considering the process:
1. Does it hurt?
No, if you go to a properly-trained technician, there should not be any pain involved in the process.
2. Does it damage your natural lashes?
Once again, if your technician knows how to properly apply the lashes, and if you provide basic care for them, there will be no damage to your natural lash. The extensions should be glued onto a single lash; if one extension is glued to multiple lashes it can disrupt the natural growth cycle of the lashes. You should also maintain the extensions by brushing them out daily to remove any makeup or tangles.
3. Do I still have to wear mascara?
No, when you have a set of lash extensions mascara will actually break down the glue used to adhere them to your natural lash (unless you buy special extension-safe mascara).
Hopefully, this basic information is enough to answer any questions you may have had about the process of eyelash extensions, and what you can expect if you decide to get them yourself. As long as they are properly maintained, lash extensions are a great substitute for mascara and they are especially great if you’re going on vacation and don’t want to bother getting ready!