How to Get the Best out of your Eyelash Extension Experience

So after a year or two of debating whether or not to take the plunge, I finally got them and oh man am I happy I did!!!!! I LOVE MY EYELASH EXTENSIONS!!!!!

Seriously, they make me so happy. I want to shout it from the roof tops. Gone are the days of fussing with mascara, eyelash curlers, and fake strip lashes! I can now wake up and walk out the door without putting anything on my eyes (This was not possible before if you are wondering). They are the perfect solution for anyone who refuses to leave the house without mascara on. And talk about saving time on my daily makeup routine!! My extensions have cut my getting ready time in half! And for anyone who knows me this is a very big deal!!

The key to good eyelash extensions though is a very skilled and experienced lash technician. Eyelash extensions can go very wrong and ruin your natural lashes if your technician doesn't know what they are doing. We've all seen those horrible pictures of botched lash extensions and I don't know about you, but those pics are what kept me from doing them for so long. But the right person can transform your lashes into Kim Kardashian status in just a couple hours. I have been lucky enough to find that person here in Boston and I seriously don't know what I'd do without her. When I move back to LA, it's going to be so hard to find a replacement! For those of you in the Boston area, her name is Cynthia and she is the owner at Lash L'Amour. She does such an amazing job and is great at listening to exactly what you like and then executing it. She really knows her stuff and has been doing it for years so she is great at telling you what will look best and what size, curl shape, etc will work on you.

The first time you go in, the lash technician will go over how dramatic you want your lashes to be and what type of style you are going for-cat eye, natural, wispy, etc. Depending on how dramatic you want them and where you go, the full set can range from $150-$500 and will take about 2 hours or so. I love mine super full and dramatic so I paid $355. Now this is just Cynthia's prices. She also has a handful of other great technicians that are cheaper in price. I then go in every 2 weeks for a fill. Each fill is $100. This might sound pricey to some but for me it is so worth it. The time it saves me getting ready is enough to convince me to come back time and time again! And each time she does the fill, it is basically like getting a new set on. She takes off any lashes that are grown out and replaces them with new lashes and then she fills in any gaps where lashes may have fallen out. I honestly will only lose about 5-10 lashes on each eye by the time I go in for my fill. I could probably wait longer but I just like keeping them super full and perfect looking at all times. But she takes her time and really makes sure they look amazing each time. Generally, they say a fill only takes about 30 minutes to an hour but she usually spends like an hour and a half on mine because she knows how picky I can be ;)

I've had my extensions for a few months now and have definitely learned a few tips to get the best out of your eyelash extension experience...

1. Research, Research, Research before you choose a lash technician

Read yelp reviews, ask other people who've had them done for referrals, look at tons of before and after pictures. Look to see how long they have been doing them. Obviously the more people they've worked on, the more comfortable they are and the better they are at them. Generally, I've found that people who specialize in lash extensions and don't just offer it as one of their many services, are much more experienced and skilled. DO NOT purchase them on deal sites such as Living Social, Groupon, etc!! Usually when they use these sites, it is because they have a new (read: inexperienced) lash technician who needs to build up their clientele. And they won't spend as much time and attention on you because they will be bombarded with a bunch of new clients trying to get an appointment in.

2. Get a consultation and ask a ton of questions before deciding to get them done

If they seem annoyed that you are asking so many questions, high tail it out of there. I'd be annoyed that someone expects me to drop $300-400 before knowing everything about the procedure. If you usually wear fake lashes, bring them with you so that you can show the technician the general shape and size lashes you usually wear. Ask about the different types of lashes and what is the difference between them. Also let them know how long you like your lashes to be and how curly you like them. (FYI I use the faux mink lashes with a C curl and mostly the 14 & 15mm ones)

3. Experiment with different lengths and styles to find what you like best

If the first time you get it done, you aren't thrilled with the results-don't write off lash extensions for good. With just a few tweaks, you will probably learn to love them! Each time I went in for a fill, we would use different lengths and try out different styles (when I say styles-think about when you are looking at all the different types of fake lashes, some are super dramatic and thick, some have super long lashes on the outside and then gradually get smaller as you move closer to the inner eye, some are the same general length throughout the entire strip). It took a few times before I was completely satisfied with the result. Poor Cynthia, I can be super picky!! But eventually I found exactly what I wanted and am now thrilled with them! If you are wondering, I like them super full but generally the same length all over with longer ones poking up throughout my lash line. And bring pictures if you are having problems verbalizing what you like.

4. Be gentle with them 

Try to not play with them as much as possible and for heaven's sake, DO NOT pick at them or pull them off!!!  Sometimes there is one crazy lash that seems to be going in a strange direction and I will use a tweezers to pull the fake lash off. But a word of caution, this CAN HURT and will most likely ruin your natural lash but sometimes I just can't help it because it looks strange. Use a disposable mascara wand to comb through them and tame them if they are looking a little unruly. (And FYI-the longer lashes are the ones that tend to turn and fall out, so the shorter ones will definitely look better longer).

5. Only use Non-waterproof Mascara

If you're like me and need the extra little drama when you go out, you can use a little mascara only on the ends of the lashes but make sure it is non-waterproof. No need for some fancy expensive mascara, I still use my trusty L'oreal Voluminous.

6. Clean them very carefully

If you are wearing liner or shadow, use a cotton swab soaked in oil free makeup remover-I like the Almay oil-free liquid makeup remover- and gently place it at the base of your lashes and twirl the cotton swab outwards, removing the makeup but not rubbing against the extensions. It is very important that the swab be super soaked in the remover so that no dry fuzzy pieces of the cotton get caught in the lashes. When cleaning the actual lashes, use your fingers with a bit of oil-free makeup remover on them and very gently rub the ends to get the mascara off. In the shower, be careful not to have the water running over them constantly. It is ok to get them wet but I would still try to limit the amount of time they are exposed to water. When you get out of the shower use your finger to pat the lashes upward and sort of fan them out so they are all going the same direction. Use the mascara spoolie if needed to comb them out.

7. Use a Lash Enhancer/Growth Serum to keep lashes strong & sturdy

 

I went back to using my LiLash but I only use it 2-3 times a week. This keeps them strong and able to hold the weight of the extension. It also allows new lashes to constantly be coming in so they are always full. Remember- the healthier your natural lashes are, the better your extensions will look!! Be realistic-You will never have super full, dramatic lashes if you have only a few sparse natural lashes. Each individual extension is glued to one lash. They do make fake lashes that have two lashes sprouting out from it to add fullness to super sparse lashes but if you don't have healthy enough lashes, those will fall off from being too heavy. The lash technician can only work with what you are giving her and can only do so much. She isn't a magician and won't make more lashes magically appear. So get them healthy before you go in!  But also be careful to not go overboard on the lash enhancer as well because if they are growing too fast, your extensions will grow out at a much faster rate and you will have to go in more often for fills-which means more $$$.

Well I hope this helps if you are thinking about getting eyelash extensions! And I hope you love them just as much as I do!!!

Go see Cynthia at Lash L'Amour if you are in the Boston Area. She is amazing at what she does and I promise you'll be thrilled with the results. She really cares about her clients and will go above and beyond to make sure you are satisfied.

Thanks for reading!!

xo Courtney

P.S. This is not a paid endorsement for Cynthia or Lash L'Amour. I just found her by luck and am absolutely in love with the eyelash extensions she does on me, that I pay for with my hard earned money :)