From mascara to lash tinting, perming, and extensions to eyelash care and maintenance, there are so many topics related to eyelashes that I could literally spend hours discussing them. Who knew those wispy pieces of hair meant to protect your eyes would become the ultimate beauty accessory for millions of women all over the world. I for one have the biggest love-hate relationship with my precious lashes. I spend so much time and money trying to make them absolutely perfect that I literally drive myself to insanity at times. Now if your like me, when it comes to lashes, there is no such thing as too long. The longer and thicker and blacker, the better!! And no one does it better, in my opinion, than Kim Kardashian. That girl just nails it. Nothing frames the eyes and opens up the entire face better than a great set of lashes. They instantly make your eyes look wider and sexier. Just thinking about them gets me excited :). My eyelash obsession dates back to middle school when I’d spend hours in the mirror coating each individual lash to perfection until they were so thick that I looked like I had spiders on my eyes. Not exactly the look I was going for but nonetheless, I knew I was on to something. I’d rush out to try all the latest mascaras that promised the cascading lashes I could only dream about. As the years went on, I discovered false lashes and my days of yearning for that sexy fringe were now a thing of the past. With these gorgeous falsies I could now achieve that perfect look I’d always wanted. With a lot of practice and after glueing my eye together a few times, I finally mastered the art of fake lashes and my life would be forever changed. I just felt different. Prettier, more confident. I felt sexy every time I put them on. The only problem was that wearing falsies every day really took a toll on my natural lashes to the point where they were almost non-existent. And now, here we are in the middle of 2011 and lash enhancers and growth serums are all the rage. So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered I could have those bigger than life lashes all on my own just by adding one more step to my bedtime routine. But little did I know at what expense. This obsession has definitely led me to some less than desirable experiences through the years and after much experimenting, I have learned a few things along the way. I’ve actually had a much healthier relationship with these beauties in the last few months due to my coming to terms with the notion that healthy lashes are more important than long lashes. So with this post, I am going to go over some of the different lash enhancers and share my experiences with you. I will also go over some common lash services that I’ve tried and offer my opinions. Let this serve as a lash guide and I’ll warn you, its not always so pretty….
1.) Talika Lipocils-Used this for a couple months. Definitely saw some growth. It wasn’t super dramatic but my lashes definitely looked thicker and longer than what I started with. Made my eyes a little red and itchy. Did not like the applicator at all but the newest versions, I believe, come with a new and improved applicator that is much more user-friendly. Only used this for a few months before trying something new…
2.) LiLash-Oh my. Where to start. I used Lilash religiously for about a year. After a week I already started to see some growth. After about a month, my lashes were longer and thicker than I had ever dreamed about. Everywhere I went people asked me if I was wearing fake lashes, and of course nothing made me more proud than boasting, “Nope, they’re all mine”. After a few months is when things started going downhill. My eyes were so red and itchy that I was literally applying eye drops every hour to avoid looking as if I’d just come back from smoking Cheech’s entire stash. The skin around my eyes was so dry and irritated that applying eye makeup was becoming a painful chore. And then the peach fuzz on my cheek right below my eye began to sprout due to the product running down the side of my eye as I slept. Now your probably asking why I continued to use LiLash despite all of these issues…….for those long, gorgeous lashes of course!!! I just couldn’t bring myself to giving up those beauties. But eventually my friends convinced me it was either the lashes or my vision, so after much consideration-ha, kiddding!-I decided it was in my best interest to give it up and go back to falsies. Well after about a week of not using it, my eyes started to go back to normal and I could finally put that bottle of eye drops away. And then, the worst thing that could ever happen, happened. One by one, each one of my precious lashes started to drop like flies. Without even barely touching them, they started to fall out in clumps. As I helplessly watched every last lash fall out, the only thing I wanted to do was cry. It took about 4 weeks for literally every single lash to make its way to my garbage can. It was a catastrophe. And I was left with feelings of shock, sadness, and utter confusion. Thank god for my falsies or else I’d never have gotten through it. After several months, they eventually all grew back. Keep reading to find out what was my ultimate savior.
3.) Mavala Double-Lash-I used this after my Lilash tragedy in an attempt to make my poor lashes grow in a bit quicker. The lady at the beauty store highly recommended it and said it was one of the first eyelash enhancers created. It definitely helped and really made my lashes stronger. I used it for about 2 months and it never irritated my eyes. No redness, dryness, or creepy cheek hair growth. I definitely felt like it made my lashes come in quicker but they were definitely no where near the length or thickness they had once been with Lilash. I started using this more sporadically rather than every night once my lashes came in, and soon after, these lashes also started to slowly fall out. I was beyond confused but I don’t blame Mavala, I feel like my lashes were just still adjusting to the Lilash drama. But regardless, I swore off lash enhancers and went au natural.
4.) VASELINE-My savior!!!!! My friend who has the most perfect, longest lashes I’d ever seen always swore by this cheap beauty trick to achieve her fringe. I figured I had nothing to lose so I began taking off my eye makeup with vaseline and also coated my lashes and the base of my lashes with this fabulous medicine cabinet staple. Wow! My lashes slowly began filling in and then it was like they kept coming and before I knew it, I had a gorgeous, thick set of healthy lashes!! They were definitely not as long as the Lilash had made them but they were strong and sturdy. It’s been about 3 months and I have experienced little to no lash fallout. I continue to wear my falsies whenever I go out or just wanna feel extra sexy and I haven’t experienced any breakage whatsoever. I truly believe my lashes are healthier and fuller than they’ve ever been and to think I had the answer stored away in my bathroom closet the entire time!! Oh vaseline…how I love thee :)
Lash Services
1.) Lash Tint-Love it! If you are a blonde or have light lashes, this is the best solution ever. I get mine tinted jet black and I couldn’t be happier. I love waking up to dark, defined lashes. Also great for when you go swimming and want a little definition but don’t wanna bother with waterproof mascara. Perfect for women on the go! Usually between $20-$30. Lasts for several months. I’ve also heard when you tint your lashes, it opens up the hair cuticle, allowing lash enhancers (if you wanna take that route) to penetrate and work even faster. If your in the LA area, check out Skin Camp. Christy Camp performs lash tints as well as a myriad of other beauty services from the comfort of her own home. $25 for a lash tint. She is the best!! #310-753-3442
2.) Lash Perm-I liked this but didn’t love it. It is meant to give you a nice curl that lasts for several months. It definitely gave me a perfect curl that didn’t budge or straighten, even after swimming and using all my crazy lash products. Definitely make sure they use a bigger rod so it isn’t a super tight curl. Although my curl was very natural and pretty, I felt like it made them look shorter. And obviously length is very important in my book. I would have liked it if it was only curled at the base but the ends seemed to curl backwards a bit, which is what made them appear shorter. But this is a great option for someone who cannot for the life of them get their lashes to stay curled and who doesn’t mind losing a little length. Just make sure the curl isn’t too tight or else your lashes will end up looking like a jheri curl. Eek!
3.) False Lashes (Strips or individuals)-These are honestly my favorite option when it comes to achieving those perfect eyelashes. Whether you want long and wispy, super thick, or even rhinestones, there are hundreds of styles to choose from. Use a strip for a more dramatic look or individuals for a more natural look. The options are endless. And now you can get special glue that will make them stay on for days. This is also the cheapest option for getting those ooh-la-la lashes. Experiment and have fun with them!
(I wish I could comment on lash extensions but I’ve never actually gotten them. But believe me, I will write up a long, detailed review once I do!!)
Alright this is all I’m going to offer on lashes for now. Congratulations if you’ve actually read this entire post, ha. Just remember to be very careful when trying out the newest products on the market! Just because they are available doesn’t mean they’re safe!! For now I am sleeping soundly knowing my lashes are healthier and stronger than ever!
Thanks for reading!!
xo Courtney
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