A ton of my friends have tried eyelash extensions and it seems like every blogger/vlogger on the internet has them too. I have to admit, I was intrigued. My eyelashes have always been something I’ve been self-conscious about. Despite having dark hair, my eyelashes for whatever reason are lighter and very thin/short/sparse.
The eyelash extensions seemed like the perfect solution. But I was also on the fence in such a big way. I totally think that people should do whatever they want to do. Personally, however, I’m not really into dying hair, getting botox, etc. And this seemed like borderline.
That said, my curiosity got the best of me. I gave it a try. Here’s the pros, cons, and bottom line (from my experience).
Pro (and con): They looked natural. I ONLY wanted natural looking lashes. The spider-leg look is just not for me as it looks completely fake (and distracting). I sat down the with the technician and she walked me through each length. Ultimately I did a mix of the two shortest lengths and chose a “J” curl instead of the “C” curl, which in my opinion looked the most natural. A “C” curl will look like you used an eyelash curler and the “J” has the same shape as your natural lashes. It was exactly what I wanted. I looked like I was born with great eyelashes, not like I had eyelash extensions.
Garrett– who thought I was insane for doing this– didn’t realize I even I had it done. I asked him what he thought and his exact words were, “Well, yeah. They look pretty good. Like you applied mascara evenly.”
Because I went with such a natural look though, it felt like too extravagant of an expense for something so basic.
Pro: Waking up in the morning with great eyelashes is kind of awesome. I wish this is how I looked normally to be honest. My eyes looked brighter and I just overall looked more put together, even without makeup. It was nice having them at the beach the other week too… I didn’t have to worry about makeup or runny mascara!
Con: I don’t know if anyone else has had this problem, but I was having legitimate nightmares about the eyelash extensions. NIGHTMARES. Every. Single. Night. (Still having them since I still have the extensions in!) Some of the dreams are me plucking my eyelashes out one by one– and I wake up pulling on my eyelashes. Some of the dreams have something creepy dropping into my eyes– and I wake up intensely rubbing my eyes. It’s bizarre and probably the biggest reason why I’d hesitate to get them again.
Pro: It looked great.
Con: There’s a long list of “nos” that come along with eyelash extensions and they all seemed to be things I normally do. You can’t use beauty products with oil. You can’t sleep on your stomach. You can’t stand in the shower with the water hitting your face. You can’t rub your eyes.
Con: If they fall out (instead of growing out) your regular eyelash comes off too. I actually think this is kind of normal as I find an eyelash or two normally on my face every now and then. Still it worried me that I’d end up ruining what eyelashes I did have. Verdict’s still out on this.
Con: It takes a while to have the extensions put on. It was really boring. I have since heard that it’s a good idea to download an audiobook or podcast to listen to. Wish I had thought of it for my almost two hour appointment.
Pro: The application does not hurt at all. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it seemed to be. I felt nothing. And I didn’t feel the eyelashes once they were on either.
Con: It’s so expensive!!! After a 10% off first time customer discount and then with a tip, it was just under $200. That alone just seems insane to me. (I realize I still paid it but I instantly felt a strong guilt for spending that.)
Bottom Line: Not worth it. I’d consider it again if I had a big trip or a special event, but not for everyday. I kept having a recurring thought: putting mascara on isn’t that hard.
Has anyone else tried the extensions yet?!
xoxo
They seem to be all the rage, but I'm with you. It's just not worth it! It's so much better (and cheaper) to just invest in a good mascara. But at least you had the courage to at least try it out!
Taylor Anthony // http://www.collegecaffeinated.com
I've been curious about lash and brow extensions, would have loved to see an up close before and after shot of your eyes!
I totally forgot to do a before and after! But you can see what my eyelashes look naturally like here:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fqu95mY-RP0/VkEtkEHcS_I/AAAAAAAAnPc/Qlo_GQ0BcsQ/s1600/Tarte%2BCosmetics%2BEyeshadow.jpg
And then with regular mascara here:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qqfno2YgB4E/VkEthoLmWeI/AAAAAAAAnOw/oqkEWgI9RP4/s1600/Eye%2BMakeup%2BHoliday.jpg
I got mine done yesterday actually. Mine took just over an hour (for full set) and with tip, just over $100. I'm in a different city so I do think it depends on where you live/what kind of salon you go to. I was only told keep them dry for 6-8 hours and given a little brush to use mornings. No warnings about sleep or shower. I slept on my stomach last night and they look exactly the same today. I think that over time they'll fall out faster by doing that but I'm not changing my sleep.
I will have to see how long they last before I decide if I get them done regularly. Mascara does not give me the same look (no matter how many I try, my lashes just clump together).
THANK YOU! This seems like the first honest, detailed post on extensions for eyelashes. I am going on a budget, but still wanted to try them, and I know I would be too worried…all the things you mentioned, I would feel. Best post I have read this week on the internet
xxxx Lula Mae aka http://www.on57thand5th.com
My mom gets hers done before every vacation, and she only pays $60! $200 sounds so extreme, her $60 ones look so natural and great and last a while! She swears by them, but just like you, I am hesitant to give them a try!
xo ,
Mary
thedashofclass.com
My mom gets hers done before every vacation, and she only pays $60! $200 sounds so extreme, her $60 ones look so natural and great and last a while! She swears by them, but just like you, I am hesitant to give them a try!
xo ,
Mary
thedashofclass.com
You should try NuLash! I heard about from the Style Scribe! They're pretty amazing!
I'd love to see more photos!
Kari
www,sweetteasweetie.com
I used to get extensions (for years!) I loved it so much… the best part being waking up and feeling pretty (and also… summer + the beach), but ultimately gave it up because the time commitment was really annoying. I have a really hard time sitting still for that long! I love your tip to listen to a podcast, will keep that in mind if I ever do it again! Also agree with you on using oil based removers and sleeping on your stomach – both things I do every night! I also found it really jarring in the shower + while washing my face… if I touched my lashes, it hurt.
That being said, I apply Neulash every morning and night and while it isn't as dramatic (or pretty in the morning), with mascara, my lashes have gotten pretty long!!! You may want to give that a try. I put it on every night after brushing my teeth 🙂
Using extensions will make your eyes look beautiful instantly. But It looks more fascinating having beautiful eyelashes naturally. To grow eyelashes thicker, you can use olive oil and almond oil and to prevent them falling with age you can use lifecell cream. BTW thank you for sharing this with us.
love the post. thanks for sharing it.
http://digitizingzone.com
Have you ever tried Latisse? Granted, my dad prescribes this at his Reconstructive and Cosmetic Plastic Surgery office, but it's a great alternative to fake lashes and extensions. You just rub a little bit of the serum on, and my mom says it works like a charm! I am lucky because my dark, thick lashes hit my eyebrows with mascara, but they can end up spidery like you mentioned so I definitely need to watch out for that when applying mascara. I do think applying mascara can be annoying/time-consuming though, so Latisse could be another option for you! I think dermatologists offer the script too.
xx,
Ash
http://www.ashleyannplan.com
My husband prescribed this too…it works!
I would definitely agree with your comments and caution anyone considering lash extensions. I've had friends with terrible reactions causing the eye area to be red, irritated and swell. My personal experience was they looked great but then was such a commitment. Unlike gel manicure, you have to keep these up and the recovery was months before my real lashes looked normal again.
Many people comment to use a prescription like Latisse or over the counter lash growth serum which is a much better use of your money.
I got eyelash extensions in December 2014 to amp up my holiday look. Naturally, my eyelashes were "fine" – nothing notable, but not short or sparse. I got the lashes and went for a full, but natural length look. I used a Groupon and paid under $100. I loved the results, but the limitations were not compatible with my lifestyle. I couldn't wash my face, rub my eyes, sleep on my side, etc. I even found that sweating at the gym aggravated the lashes and prompted them to fall out!
Eventually, as I was unable to follow all of these guidelines, the lashes started to seriously irritate my eyes and when they came out, they took my real lashes with them! If one or two had fallen out, that would have been fine, but almost all of them did! I lost like 50% of my lashes on my right eye. Once they were all out, I bought some vitamin e oil to put on my lashes at night to nourish the follicles and encourage new growth. Since then my lashes have looked full, dark and healthy, but it did take a few months for them to grow back.
All in all, I would agree that lash extensions are great for special occasions, and for people who do not mind the precautions associated with having them. They are just not suited for my lifestyle, however. I do highly recommend using vitamin e oil though!
I don't know girl, you're into the natural look so no it might not be worth it to you. But I love my lashes to be fluttery as a butterfly. I've seen some beautiful eyelash extensions on people! My only question is how long did the technician say they usually last? Because I could maybe justify spending that much money if they last a month. But anything less… and I'll stick with mascara.
xoxo
Danielle
Afloat On A Full Sea
I've been wanting to get an eyelash extension because I am not blessed with curly lashes. I have lotsa concerns about it too and you wrote most of the on your "cons" but I'd still like to give it a try 🙂
Hi Carly,
Loved this post and it seems so honest which was great to hear. Just curious if you have every tried Lash Tinting? I was in the Benefit store in Westport and saw they do it right there!