Why is is that men and children always have the most beautiful, long eyelashes and us women who really want them never seem to be able to achieve the same look no matter how many coats of primer and mascara we put on?!? So not fair! But I'm here to tell you that that voluminous look you are yearning for isn't out of reach thanks to the development of Lash Extensions! ![]() What is this latest Lash Extension trend all about? What’s the big deal? Let’s start with “What are Lash Extensions? “ Lash extensions are single strand false lashes applied one or many at a time to your natural lash to create an enhanced look. Even though they are commonly described as Mink or Silk, they are usually neither. Lash extensions are almost all made out of a PBT fiber that is heat molded into the desired length and curl your want. (Insider Info, all synthetic lash extensions are made and placed on those perfectly straight strips by hand. Whoa! Hats off to those factory workers!) Mink lashes are my Go-to because of their lighter more natural look. Mink lashes often have a matte sheen and taper for the entire length of the lash. This keeps their weight low and makes them the perfect candidate for volume lashing. Silk lashes on the other hand don’t taper as much or as quickly and usually have a glossier finish. These are a more practical choice for Classic lashes. On occasion a lash stylist will use real mink fur for extensions, but they more expressive, they don’t maintain their curl as well and they are a concern for people with animal allergies. Not an ideal choice for general use in a salon. Now that we are clear about their composition, let’s talk about their size, shape and styling. Lash extensions come in several different diameters with the smallest usually around .03 millimeters in diameter all the way up to .25 mm. FYI. I dont recommend getting extensions thicker than .15 mm because the additional weight associated with these larger diameters is likely to be too heavy and therefore cause damage to your natural lashes. The thicker diameter lashes are used for Classic Lashes and applied in a one to one ratio. As the diameter shrinks, the weight decreases and the number of extension your natural lash can hold safely goes up. .03 diameter lashes are used for the most Volume and the style is usually described as Mega Volume. The diameters in between are used to create varying amounts of density to the lash line to create a custom look for each client. Lash extensions are also categorized based on their curl. J and B curl being the least curled and CC and D curls usually being the most curled. Less curl is used for more natural looks and more curl will pump up the drama. Sometimes curls are mixed throughout the lash set to help open the eye or add a little lift to a downward facing eye shape. There is even an L Curl Lash that begins straight and then starts to curl about half way down the shaft. This is a good choices for many Asian eye shapes because their lashes tend to be very straight and often point downward and not outward. L Curl can also be used to create a super edgy and contemporary look for just about anyone daring enough to try! Now I know what you are thinking. Aren't Lash Extension heavy and damaging to your natural lashes? And the answer is "NO"! Expertly applied lashes are not damaging at all. So long as the stylist is applying lashes that are no more than 3-4 mm longer than your natural lash for a standard .15 mm Classic Lash Extension or an equivalent weight in another smaller diameter Lash or Volume fan, you won't hardly even know you are wearing Extensions. Experienced stylists make sure that your natural lash is perfectly isolated before adhering an extension to ensure no lashes are stuck together. This prevents any unnecessary pulling on the roots of your natural lashes as they grow. If lashes are regularly stuck together and are constantly being tugged on, you can experience what is called Traction Alopecia. If this happens, your natural lash may never grow back. It's just not worth it to get cheap, poorly applied lashes if in 6 months you are hardly going to have any lashes left to adhere extension to anyway. Just don't do it! If your natural lashes are only 6 mm long and your stylist is talking about giving you 15mm extensions, RUN! Don't be afraid to ask question about styling, lash health or any other question you may have with your stylist. If they don't seem to be able to give your clear answers, seek out another lash artist that can! Now you can see that there are SO many options available with Lash Extensions to help you achieve a custom look that will accentuate each individual's eye shape. Depending on the look you are going for, an initial application of Extensions can take up to 2 hours or more. On average people lose 3-5 natural lashes per eye per day. Because of this natural lash shedding you will need to come in for Fill appointments approximately every 3 weeks. Fill appointments are quite a bit shorter and usually clock in at about an hour, give or take, depending on the rate your lashes shed and the number of weeks between appointments. Most people love their regular "Lash Naps" and embrace the opportunity to slow down and take a minute for self care. When else do you get to fall asleep and wake up gorgeous? That's what I call beauty sleep! So what are you waiting for? Go get the lashes you've always dreamed of! Still have questions about Lashes? Leave me a comment below and I will get back to you as soon a possible!
12 Comments
10/13/2020 09:28:18 am
I love this article! Very impressive and interesting. It also provided reliable information. I could say that I was able to gain a lot of information. Such a great blog.
Reply
Laura Gibson
10/13/2020 09:50:57 am
I’m so glad you loved the article! If you have anymore questions about lash extension I would love to chat. Feel free to email me at Laura@holladayspa.com
Reply
Laura Gibson
3/31/2021 07:47:15 am
So happy to be able to help! I’m a nerd for my job and always learning so reach out if you have any skincare or lash questions. I know where to find the answers!
Reply
3/31/2021 12:41:29 am
Thanks to the author for sharing such a great post. The article was very well written and providing great info about what are lash extensions all about!! It can be really great for people like me who are looking to get such kind of more knowledge about it.
Reply
Laura Gibson
3/31/2021 07:42:06 am
I am so glad my article was able to give you a little insight in to the eyelash extension universe. If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Reply
Laura Gibson
4/2/2021 10:01:57 am
Thank you, Nadine! I appreciate your kind words!
Reply
4/13/2022 09:03:32 am
What an exquisite article! Your post is very helpful right now. Thank you for sharing this informative one.
Reply
Thanks for helping me understand that lash extension would usually be made from PBT fiber that is molded into the length and curls the customer wants. I plan to get this done before I attend an event next week. So I hope to find a salon with a good reputation to ensure that the outcome would be nice.
Reply
11/14/2022 03:28:02 am
It's great that this article talked that your eye appearance could be enhanced with the help of tinting. My cousin said the other night that she was planning to have eyelash tinting to reach her ideal look for their friend's birthday celebration. She asked if I had thoughts on the best option to consider. I'll tell her she could consult a trusted wax studio to gather information about the process.
Reply
12/2/2022 04:44:27 pm
Thanks so much for talking about the details of why people like faux eyelashes and extensions. My cousin has always liked the look of fuller lashes and she wants to try fake ones. We'll have to look into finding a place to get fake ones that can help us decide which one works best for her.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorLaura Has been an Esthetician since 2003, started working for herself in 2008 and took the leap into business ownership in 2018. She strives to bring you the truth about skincare and take the guess work out of your cosmetic purchases. Archives
January 2022
Categories |