Should You Get Eyelash Extensions?
Eyelash Extension Basics
The truth is, eyelash extensions can be great but they're not for everyone. You see so many horror stories online about extensions gone wrong and permanent damage to their natural lashes. Honestly though, most of these situations can be avoided with proper care and by going to a professional.
Before even thinking about eyelash extensions, understand that they are a constant investment. You will be spending money every 2-4 weeks for fill-ins on top of the initial cost of a full set. Depending on where you go and how many lashes you lose determines the costs of those appointments. General rule of thumb, the longer you wait to go the more expensive it will be as the more lashes you will have lost.
Many people are out there doing Eyelash Extensions, and while they might be certified to do so it doesn't necessarily mean they're going to do a great job. Cheap doesn't necessarily mean they're terrible at it, or that they're using cheap products, but you should investigate and look for reviews for anywhere you're considering going. Eyelash extensions can cause infections if they are not applied properly in a clean environment.
Facebook is a great resource for finding local salons that provide this service and getting reviews. I personally found the professional I used through facebook and with her reviews and examples and made an appointment. She did not own or work for a Salon but rented a booth at one. Her work was great and I absolutely loved them.
Who Shouldn't Use Eyelash Extensions?
If you have allergies that lead you to rub your eyes, or are sensitive in general and don't think you can keep your hands off, eyelash extensions are probably not a great idea for you. You can rip them off, causing damage to your natural lash. Having cats myself and being slightly bothered by their fur made them extremely uncomfortable for me after some time.
You need to be able to hold still through long appointments consistently. If your eyes are sensitive in general and you're going to twitch at every touch, you're going to drive the professional crazy which just isn't a good situation for either of you. Yes they are supposed to deal with it, but being a good client helps your stylist do their job better. It is a very tedious process that requires they are very precise, so remember that even the best can't work well on a moving target.
Eyelash Extensions should be pretty unnoticeable after a few days of having them. If done properly, they should not interfere with your eyesight or cause any pain. If that is not the case, either reach out to them to have them removed or to look at them and see if they can fix the issue, or if the pain is substantial seek medical help.
Living With Lashes
Having Eyelash Extensions means changing up your routine a bit as well. They need to be cleaned and maintained or they will gunk that can cause infections. In fact a lot of the horror stories you see online with this, are people who did their extensions themselves improperly. Each lash is supposed to be glued to an individual lash, which already sounds basically impossible to do on yourself right? What happens is they get bundles glued to eachother, making it impossible to run a brush through them. This results in your nightly eye gunk getting stuck and building up in there, and well you can imagine the damage that getting that out would cause. Please seek a professional to do your eyelash extensions!
On top of cleaning them daily you will need to go through your makeup and start tossing your oil based stuff and waterproof mascaras. Oil based products will break down the glue on your lashes more quickly while obviously waterproof mascara is just really hard to get off. You should not be rubbing your eyes ever with lash extensions!
But Do They Cause Damage To Your Natural Lash?
Eyelash extensions can easily damage your natural lashes, but as I mentioned before this can be avoided. Starting by only having a professional apply your lashes, and finish with proper care. If you're deciding that you don't want your lashes anymore return to your stylist and have them remove them for you. You do not want to remove your lashes yourself as this is the typical cause of damage. Rubbing your eyes can pull them out and also cause damage which is why I do not suggest them for people who feel they cannot resist the urge to touch.
Naturally our eyelashes are either shorter are far more straight than extensions, so of course the look will be dramatically different when they are removed so keep this in mind if you decide to take them off after. As long as you've cared for them properly and let a professional handle their application you should have no issues with your natural lashes.
Alternatives To Eyelash Extensions
We've been using glue on lashes for quite some time now and that seems to be the easiest, instant alternative. Magnetic Lashes are a thing, and while some beauty gurus say they're great I personally cannot find a pair in my price range that I was able to apply to my liking. I've read that cutting them and placing them by the individual magnets can make it easier to get a more flawless look, but for me I just ended up with them hanging off my lashes awkwardly.
There are tons of lash boosting serums out there now with all different kinds of brands. The way these work is by feeding the hair as it grows so that it's longer and thicker. We are constantly losing lashes while we are also growing new ones, so in other words once you stop using it your lashes will start growing at their normal rate again. They work, but they are not permanent by any means and require consistent use to continue seeing results.
Thank you for reading! I hope this information has helped you make the decision that's right for you!
