Shtennikova Evgenia/Shutterstock
Lash extensions are a trend that has been rapidly gaining popularity nationwide. Mascara is amazing and all, but it can only do so much. After months of contemplation and carefully researching the pros and cons, I decided to bite the bullet and do it.
I went to a place in midtown Manhattan called EYElovelash. It was small but clean and normal looking. They had a booklet of various lash lengths and sizes as well as materials (synthetic vs. mink) and curl shape. The women helping me suggested that since it was my first time, I ought to go for the natural look. One of my main hesitations in trying lash extensions in the first place had been fear that they would look fake or trashy. I have seen overdone lash extensions and they look great if you are a stripper, but for a normal life, it’s not a good look.
After selecting my lash length and shape I was led into a large room filled with beds some of which were occupied by women lying still with their eyes closed. Before sitting down, she asked me if I needed to use the restroom or anything before we start. This was my first clue as to how long it was going to take.
After I got settled in and she was beginning, I asked as an afterthought how long this was going to take.
“An hour to an hour and a half,” the woman replied.
Of all days to forget your headphones.
To be fair, getting your nails done can take just as long if not even longer. The primary difference is that with lash extensions you must be dead still and your eyes are literally taped shut – opening them can rip out your lashes. Seeing as it was too late to turn back that point I decided to suck it up and settled in for the long haul. It doesn’t hurt or anything but does feel sort of weird, almost like a butterfly kiss on your eye. I have never been a fan of other people going in or near my eye for any reason and the women doing my lashes complained several times that I was twitchy. Finally, just as I was reaching the point where I couldn’t take it anymore, I was done and my lashes looked great. They are long and fluttery with zero mascara clumps and just enough drama.
Two weeks in, my lashes are still going strong. The only thing I have been struggling with is the no mascara rule. I love mascara and feel like my look is incomplete without it. Admittedly, in spite of being warned against it, for the first week or so I used mascara anyway. It wasn’t until about a week in when I in an attempt to brush through my lashes accidentally ripped three or four of them out! You can imagine my horror. Since this incident, I have been significantly more cautious and have (for the most part) refrained from applying mascara on top.
Another thing they tell you not to do (which I flat out ignored) is to use pencil eyeliner – only liquid allowed. The justification behind this being that it is easier to get liquid eyeliner off. Clearly they have not discovered Stila whatever eyeliner which is amazing and legit does not budge for days if you leave it on. To combat this issue I have basically been wiping off makeup from the bottom of my eyes and the rest of my face but leaving the eyeliner on top relatively untouched. Im not really sure if this is considered bad for you or whatever but the alternative is
