Eyelash Extensions: All You Need To Know
Eyelash extensions are a hot new beauty trend that’s growing in popularity in Tempe, Arizona, as well as everywhere else. A quick Google search proves that more and
more salons are offering the service, and that you can find out well outside the fashion capitals of New York City and California. It’s impossible to turn on the TV these days without noticing that almost every celebrity has them, showing off long, beautiful eyelashes that don’t require the work and hassle of eyelash curlers, mascara, and strips of messy glue. Adele, Katy Perry, and Kristin Chenoweth all use eyelash extensions, along with many other women who regularly walk the red carpet. The great news is that these days it’s easy to get this beautiful look at a salon near you, at a very reasonable cost.
What are the benefits of getting eyelash extensions?
Eyelash extensions save you time because you don’t have to apply makeup to create the illusion of long full lashes – they look amazing every day naturally! You will never come home and forget to remove nasty mascara or wake up in the morning looking like a raccoon. You’ll save so much money, because you won’t have to buy mascara or makeup remover ever again. Getting professional eyelash extensions also means you don’t have to deal with the hassle of attempting to apply fake heavy eyelash strips by yourself at home with the nasty clumpy glue. The kind of fake eyelashes you can buy at your local pharmacy create a big mess and don’t look nearly as good as professional eyelash extensions. They don’t last as long either. Professionally applied eyelash extensions can last up to two months. They do have to be filled in every three to six weeks or so depending on the glue used and technique. This is because your body is continuing to grow your own natural eyelashes, shedding and pushing your eyelash extensions down and eventually causing them to fall away completely. During a fill-in, cosmetologists or aestheticians will replace any of the extensions that have fallen out and been replaced with new natural eyelashes. It’s possible to keep eyelash extensions for several years and look amazing the entire time with regular fill-ins.
What exactly are eyelash extensions and how do they work?
Eyelash extensions are synthetic eyelashes created from a fiber, usually a silk blend, nylon, or even natural mink that is glued to each of your individual eyelashes by a professional cosmetologist. The process takes skill and training, but it’s definitely safe. When you go to the salon, an eyelash technician will dip a synthetic eyelash into an adhesive, then using tweezers, she will select one of your natural eyelashes to place the synthetic one onto, waiting a few seconds for the glue to bond them together. Then, this process is repeated until your natural eyelashes are all covered. People have between forty and one hundred eyelashes per eye, so the whole procedure usually takes about two hours depending on skill of the technician and the desired fullness.
If it’s your first time trying eyelash extensions, you may choose to only get a partial or half set of extensions. This is a good way to test whether the procedure is a good fit for you, and it doesn’t look bad at all! A partial set of extensions is applied only to the lashes on the outside of the eye, or perhaps only to the upper set of eyelashes. This technique can be used to create a beautiful “cat-eye” effect, with long lashes sweeping out and drawing attention to your beautiful eyes by making them look larger. Partial extensions may mean that your eyelashes will not look as full as a complete set would look, and they may not last quite as long because more of your natural eyelashes are uncovered and will be more noticeable when they shed.
Will eyelash extensions make your eyelashes fall out?
Many people worry about getting eyelash extensions because they’re afraid that the extensions will permanently damage their natural eyelashes. Have no fear! Eyelash extensions have no effect on the process of your natural eyelashes growing and shedding, and they will have no impact on the health of your eyelashes, or any of the rest of your hair or body. Your natural lashes will be fine and won’t fall out or thin. When your eyelash extensions eventually shed, you will be left with the same full set of beautiful natural lashes that you started with.
What do you need to do to take care of and maintain your eyelash extensions?
Eyelash extensions are supposed to make your beauty routine much easier, and if you’re going in to your salon to get touch-ups every three to four weeks, there’s really not a whole lot you need to do to maintain your beautiful new lashes. You won’t need to apply mascara, although if you choose to, use only a little bit of oil free only on the edges of the lash extensions, not near your eye wear it could clump and cause irritation or damage or mess with the adhesive used to apply the extension to your natural lash. It is still okay to use eye makeup, like eyeshadow and eyeliner, while you have eyelash extensions. Products that do not contain oil are safest to use. Oil-based products will loosen the glue that holds your eyelash extensions onto your natural eyelashes, and may cause the extensions to fall off. Unfortunately, many of the cosmetics we use without thinking about it include oil, so you’re going to have to take a look at the packaging on all your makeup. It’s a safe bet that anything involving the phrase “waterproof” is primarily oil-based, so stay away from those long-lasting makeups if you’re working near your new eyelash extensions. Stick with water-based and gel products when it comes to mascara and eyeliner.
It’s also important to keep your new eyelash extensions dry for the first day or two so that the adhesive has time to fully set. That means avoiding water and swimming pools, but also saunas, steam rooms, and tanning beds. You can use a very gentle blow dryer to dry them if they do get wet, but using a very hot blow dryer can cause problems, so use a cool setting if your hair dryer includes one.
If your eyelashes start to clump together or look odd, or like they’re pointing in the wrong direction, you can use a dry mascara wand to gently comb through your lashes and separate them. The important thing is not to try to pull out a wayward eyelash extension on your own, as doing so might cause you to accidentally pull out a whole clump of eyelashes or damage the extensions or your own natural lashes. As tempting as it may be to try to use your fingers to fix the problem, just don’t do it unless you want to waste all of the time and money you’ve spent getting those beautiful new eyelash extensions applied.
How can you find a great salon to get your first eyelash extensions?
So, you’ve made the big decision to try eyelash extensions for the first time! Now what? It’s worth it to do some research to make sure that the salon you plan to use is truly staffed by someone who knows what they’re doing in the eyelash department. Eyelash extension products and services are not regulated in most of the United States, so you need to be aware of the reputation of the salon you’re going into. Have a look around to make sure that the environment and tools that will be used are neat and clean, and be sure that the salon techs are licensed or certified. You can probably trust your gut instinct: if the employees of the salon are friendly and able to answer your questions, you will likely get better service than if they are simply pushy about trying to make a sale. Hair2o salon is a perfect place to get your lashes done with the techs 10 year experience. Remember, this procedure takes a couple of hours and will have you coming back every few weeks for touch-ups, so choose professionals you can trust to take good care of you.
Let your eyelash technician know if you are aware that you have an allergy to adhesives or any other ingredient in makeup or cosmetics. There is nothing inherently unsafe about eyelash extensions or the adhesive used to apply them which is medical grade at Hair2o salon, but some women with sensitive skin or allergies may react poorly.
The most important thing to remember is that deciding to get eyelash extensions does involve some commitment. They’re called “semi-permanent” extensions for a reason, and you’ll have to be willing to come back to the salon every three to four weeks for fill-ins, as well as being careful about what makeup you apply and being very gentle with your eyelashes through daily life. Some women even say that they try to sleep on their back so that they don’t mess up their extensions while drifting into dreamland. Still, most women find that the confidence they receive from naturally full and beautiful eyelashes without all the hassle of dealing with mascara and eyelash curlers is well worth the investment and time and money. And many people, celebrity or otherwise, try eyelash extensions once and never want to go back to their old ways. It’s a hot new trend for a reason, and certainly worth a try. Your eyes will thank you!