As you’ve probably noticed already, I was born with naturally thin & short eyelashes. Cause for permanent sorrow since I always chose to accentuate my eyes when I was wearing makeup.
And that doesn’t happen too often nowadays, but that’s ok, I’m comfortable with who I naturally am. It took me a while, but that’s another episode we’ll (maybe) get into one day. After trying too many mascaras, too many castor oil masks and cosmetic regenerators on my eyelashes, I finally got to the big question: Should I get Lashes Extensions or stick only to my eyelashes curler? Since some of you are also contemplating the same question, scroll down to see the pros&cons and the eyelashes math!
We all know how an eyelash curler works and although there are scientific ways to curl better, longer, the mechanical eyelash curler has its limitations. And we understand that when we buy our $7 eyelash curler (feel free to belt out more, like the $16 compact eyelash curler from Laura Mercier, but you know it won’t buy you longer lasting curls).
Tips for best eyelashes curling results with the mechanical eyelash curler:
• Heat your eyelash curler with the hair dryer and then curl your eyelashes. Be careful with the temperature, though, the eyes are really sensitive and they may tolerate less heat than, say, your fingertips!
• Opt out mascara or wait for the mascara to dry completely before curling your eyelashes. After you’ve curled the eyelashes, you’ll notice that applying your usual mascara un-curls them in a blink. Don’t fight it, you won’t get anywhere. Wait for the mascara to dry and then curl and you might get the right results (especially if you use a waterproof mascara)
• Coat your eyelashes in Vaseline before curling them. Be careful not to apply excess Vaseline, though, it’s not an easy feeling and it will look slightly odd too… However, the Vaseline before curling really works and the extra shine can mimic the mascara look.
See also: How my life got easier and better when I changed my clothing size!
Personally, I rarely use an eyelash curler because I found it’s way too much stress on my eyelashes. I know they grow back, but the thought of going eyelash-bald was unbearable – that’s how many of my eyelashes would fall off after the mechanical curling…
When I first heard about eyelash extensions, I thought I finally had a ticket for Eyelash Heaven! Looking more into the subject, though, I became more reluctant to actually getting eyelashes extensions. Because:
• Eyelash Extensions cost between $80-200 for a first set, carefully choose your salon!
• Eyelash Extensions will last you 3-4 weeks and then you need regular $30-70 touch-ups
• Not all Eyelash Extensions are alike: you can choose between mink, silk and synthetic and from 6mm to 17mm length, various thickness and color.
• Eyelash Extensions are glued to your natural lashes with a special product containing formaldehyde, a widely known human carcinogen.
• Eyelash Extensions need 2-3 hours to apply and sleeping on your back for the many nights after, plus 24 hours of no-water after you get your extensions.
• Eyelash Extensions should not be coated in mascara or they will fall off faster
• Eyelash Extensions will get you addicted!
Now for the math – my favorite mascara is around $30 a bottle (Lancome) and it should be tossed away every 6 months even if it’s not empty. So for a year, that’s like $60 worth of mascara. Add an average of $10 for a good eyelash curler, another $30 or so for an eyeliner (or a Khol crayon) for contouring and you’ll only spend around $100 for one year worth of eyelash makeup enhancing products.
See also: 5 Reasons why using foundation is wrong for you!
Compared that to say, an average of $100 for the first set of eyelash extensions and then additional touchups of $30 every month and you get a total of $100 + $330 = $430 more or less for eyelash extensions & care for one year. $330 more than what you would normally spend for eyelash makeup (plus sleeping on your back for one year).
I’m still not ready for the extensions: are you?
5 comments
No. Thus, ‘NO’ to extensions for me. Since I am a ginger I have blond eyelashes, long and thick although since I’m getting older they may have thinned? I always used mascara Lancôme’s waterproof brown and looooooong ago their waterproof green. Alas since the green has long gone and the brown not that ago long as well I’d began to use mascara less and less until I totally quit. Reason? Laziness, because to get blond eyelashes right with mascara takes more time than when your lashes have a color. Also, I used to let my eyelashes dye in Summer. Quit that too some time ago. I do own the Tweezerman eyelashes curler but never has used it until today. Bought it because I saw since I’d quit to use mascara the curl disappeared.
I don’t really get it why false eyelashes are an option and foundation is wrong? Remember your article? ;) Although I do not use it, just sometimes a bit of CC cream. What’s right, what’s wrong? Each to their own is right for me. I”m happy with my choices, blond eyelashes, oh, the victory and a bit CC cream and Touche Éclat, and a natural color of Clinique’s Chubby Stick when I go outside. Walking around carefree with blond eyelashes is really something for me. It really feels victorious!
Foundations seems so much to my eyes… I was luckily blessed with (mostly) a blemish-free skin and my too-many moles aside (and my obvious white areas here and there), there’s isn’t much I can complain about and cover up. I used to never leave the house without my Illuminator’s touchups and my matching foundation. Mascara, eyeliner, blush and lip balm ensued and I was ready to tackle the ‘everyday’. I now gave up every other product except the mascara and my faithful grey khol. I use these for so long, I didn’t even bother to check out if innovations were available.
Your point is valid, yes – what’s right, what’s wrong? who’s to say that mascara is good and foundation is bad? That piece was written with a friend in mind – she constantly puts so much foundation on her face, you could easily build a wall with everything she scrubs off at night. And she’s young, beautiful, her face is gorgeous and radiant, in no need of coverups… But today? oh, today it’s all about contouring and using different shades of foundation to conceal that, highlight this, it’s all so complicated, no wonder the thought alone of foundation started itching me and a daily blowout seems a waste of precious time. Like you, I discovered the unbelievable freedom of being makeup free. It’s like fighting a life-long battle with everyone and coming out first, heads up, your true colors on!
I used to pigment my depigmented skin in Photoshop. Until I asked myself what was that: I am who I am, why should I ‘correct’ it? I am as correct as I will ever get :)) sometimes, when I take pictures, I forget about putting on makeup (mascara&brows crayon) and sometimes only add those on my computer. Maybe that’s how I started flirting with extensions: I have friends who get them and regularly go for touch-ups and every day they look like freshly out of the makeup booth. Good thing I don’t have friends who get plastic surgery, right?
Depends on the foundation, mine have always been light transparent foundations. Don’t even use them on a daily basis and never have.
But what’s wrong with eyelashes extensions if it makes you happy? I find it a bit scary plus I find it expensive. What’s wrong with plastic surgery if it makes you happy? Times have changed if I had the money who knows what I might have enhanced right now?
Ha, I remember the days I did false eyelashes with the black cat eyes when I was real young and the quality of the false lashes and glue were not that great. Mind you the dramas! Pfff….glad I’m over that, in those days I couldn’t, wouldn’t and did not dare to leave the house with my own blond/reddish eyelashes. I felt like pig, a skinny ginger pig. Times have changed……:)
Fair enough!
you honestly think you would’ve changed things about you? (I grew up wanting a rhinoplasty, so I really came a long way – it’s not that it makes me happy or not, I just feel I would cheat on myself. And I wouldn’t be comfortable with that.) You know, I never had the courage to try fake eyelash clusters because I didn’t trust that glue? lol I used to walk around the beauty aisle and drool all over the clusters and then move on, daydreaming about fluttering eyelashes haha!
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