This article may contain affiliate / compensated links. For full information, please see the disclaimer here.
Ever wondered what it would be like to get eyelash extensions but have been too afraid to go through with it? Well, strap yourselves because I was once you, but I have fully pulled the trigger! Read on for literally everything you need to know before you go, what your experience will be like, after care and how to maintain them!
What To Know Before You Go
1. Your real eyelashes fall out naturally. When talking about my experience to others, a lot of people did not know this. Each of your individual natural eyelashes has its own growth cycle which is roughly 100 days (the time when an eyelash falls out and another grows in it’s place). An eyelash extension is glued onto the end of natural lash. When your natural lash falls out, so does the extension. You’ll need refills every 2-3 weeks to keep them looking good.
2. My biggest regret during this entire process was not doing enough research! There are TONS of different styles of lashes from curly voluminous ones, to straight, colored, etc.
3. There are two main eyelash extension manufacturers: Bella Lash and Neulash. I had my lashes done at the Ageless Skin & Laser Center in Sewell, NJ and they only use Bella Lash after initially using Neulash and seeing that the results did not meet their quality requirements. Doing some post research, I can see why. It was easy to find the wholesale website for Bella Lash, but when I typed ‘Neulash’ into Google, the first thing that came up was ‘neulash recall’ – eek! So, first recommendation is to go to a place that uses Bella Lash for their eyelash extensions and do your research on which style you’d like.
4. Go to someone who is certified. Gina did my extensions (she is professional, fabulous and a true master of her craft!) at Ageless Skin & Laser Center and she mentioned that not only is she certified by Bella Lash, but had also completed additional education courses on top of her certification. Why is this important? Well, it’s easy screw these puppies up. For example, someone uncertified may glue one extension onto multiple lashes. This causes weight support issues such as tugging that can pull out all the real eyelashes out that it is glued onto. Also, things like getting additional glue everywhere can happen. The glue bits can get dislodged and fall in your eyes and can cause unnecessary irritation. Lesson here: make sure you go to someone who is certified.
5. You need to be patient. If you have ADD/ADHD and/or cannot lay with your eyes closed for ~2 hours, getting eyelash extensions will be pure torture for you.
6. You cannot get your eyelash extensions wet 24 hours after you get them done. I learned this the hard way and was traveling to DC the next morning. I used make up remover cloths to gently wash my face but couldn’t get in a nice clean scrub until after the 24 hour mark.
7. Allergies. My number 1 fear about eyelash extensions was whether or not I’d be allergic to glue. For the record, I do not have any current adhesive/latex allergies, but you never know. From what I read, that was pretty much the only harmful thing (that, and going to someone uncertified). But during my appointment I learned that Bella Lash uses a glue that contains ZERO latex. Gina even mentioned that she is very allergic to latex herself but wears Bella Lashes just fine and has had no issues in applying them to others.
Getting Your First Full Set
Entrance and waiting area at Ageless Skin & Laser Center.
I went to Ageless Skin & Laser Center and totally recommend them (and Gina!) for eyelash extensions. To be completely honest, their website and store facade do not do this place justice. I really did not know what to expect when my Uber from the city pulled into a sleepy little strip mall with tinted windows positioned next to a free standing Dunkin’ Donuts. But when I walked inside, I was happily surprised to be greeted by a bright, sophisticated entryway and some really cushy seating in the waiting area. Also, the place was immaculately clean and smelled faintly of eucalyptus. Calming music played in the front welcome area. Overall entrance rating 10/10. I checked in at the front desk and was provided with the following (total CYA) release form. Like honestly, check this out (spoiler alert – the process was not scary at all and I had zero issues):
I came early and hardly had to wait any time before Gina came to greet me and take me back to the eyelash extension room. Yes, there was an actual room dedicated to eyelash extensions. It was decorated with cute little feminine signs comparing eyelashes to a good pair of shoes or something like that. It wasn’t overly large, but had plenty of room – the same size as a waxing room. Gina instructed me to take my shoes off and get in the bed which was a spa table covered with clean sheets, a fluffy comforter and ::drum roll:: a bed heater!
She then gave me my consultation and assured me that there was nothing to be afraid of and that I was in good hands. Because I hadn’t done my research, I was little overwhelmed when she rattled off the different styles, like voluminous, or a cat eye, etc. I settled on something that was a little boost from my current lashes. I noted that I didn’t want to walk into my office job or meet with a client with some Vegas-like lashes.
Gina’s bubbly personality put me at ease – she seemed so excited for my first time in getting them applied. I laid down in the warm bed and closed my eyes – I have to admit that it was a bit strange to lie in a ‘bed’ to have this done, but it did feel really really good. And after the first 5 minutes, I no longer cared.
Starting with my left eye, Gina placed a hydrating patch under my eye and then taped down my bottom lashes so they didn’t get in the way. This part really felt like nothing. Then, she began apply the eyelash extensions which….also felt like nothing. For the next 45 minutes, she carefully but quickly applied the extensions which really just felt like wind blowing on my lashes if anything at all. Several times I dozed off, only to awkwardly jerk awake. If Gina noticed this, she didn’t let on that she did. She moved on to the right eye – another collagen patch followed by some tape. 90 minutes later, still warm in my cocoon of a bed, Gina let out an ‘Ooooh, we’re done! It looks SO great!’. She then instructed me to hold down the bottom of my eyes and slowly open them, looking at her so she could check the placement. Once she was satisfied, she let me look in the mirror and gave me a little brush for upkeep (more on that below).
When I first looked at them, I expected them to look more dramatic. What I saw looked like I was in a mascara commercial – they were fluffy and very dark. The rest of that day, as the release noted, some glue bits did dislodge and cause some minor irritation. But a few drops of Visine for Contacts cleared it right up. It did feel weird, and honestly took me about a full week to get used to them. It did feel similar to first wearing contacts, where you feel something there but it doesn’t hurt and you eventually get used to it.
Oh, and I totally hit up that Dunkin’ Donuts for both a chocolate cake frosted and a blueberry cake frosted donut. I may had just laid in a bed for almost 2 hours, but I earned it.
Here’s the moment ya’ll have been waiting for!
Before:
After:
After Care/Upkeep
Ageless Skin & Laser Center stands by their claim that their eyelash extensions can last up to 4 weeks. I’m currently at the beginning of week 3 and can attest to this. But, like most things in life, you need to take of them in order to get the best life out of them.
1. You can’t use mascara. Not that there is any need to use it anyway – the lashes are dark enough as it is. But don’t use mascara because you will basically gunk up your lashes and shorten their lifespan.
2. Make-Up Wipes are your new best friend. Try to not to soak the lashes because again, you’ll shorten the life. I find it best to not touch, or scrub too much around the eyelashes – just let them do their thing!
3. Do not use an oil-based cleanser. The oil will eat the glue.
4. Cleanse the lashes after heavy make-up using baby soap or another type of gentle cleanser. Be gentle, and you’re just cleaning the make up gunk that might have gotten stuck to them.
5. Brush your lashes daily. You’ll get a little brush after they’re applied that looks like a mascara brush. I find brushing in the morning and before bed provide the best results. You need to brush them so they don’t get all clumped together, it also helps brush out ones that have just fallen out.
Jumpsuit: World Market (S/M) // Necklace: LOFT // Lips: Too Faced Melted Matte in Queen Bee // Wine Glasses: Amazon
TLDR/Overall Summary
Overall, Ageless Skin & Laser Center and Gina were wonderful and did a great job applying my lashes. I would definitely recommend them if you’re in the Philly/South Jersey area and interested in getting them applied. Also, they’re having a special (now until 7/30/2018) for $50 off eyelash extensions. I had no bad reactions, but there was some irritation from glue dislodging on the first day – Visine worked it’s magic for this.
I do have to be honest and let you guys know that I really wanted to be head over heels in love with these lashes. However – and I should have thought about this before I got them applied – I’m the kind of person that doesn’t like having nail polish applied often because I feel like my nails can’t ‘breathe’ . While I can barely feel the lashes now, I still have the urge to remove them like my falsies to feel completely naked. It’s like taking off your bra at the end of the day – that ‘ahhhh’ moment.
I also should have done my research to pick out a photo of myself with my favorite falsies and say ‘I want lashes like these’. The ones I got were really curly and just not what I expected – but this error was completely my fault because I did not communicate clearly.
I’m not 100% sure I’ll keep up with them. Not because they don’t look great, but because of that ‘never nude’ feeling. I don’t think the maintenance is really a big deal, and if you’re traveling for a few weeks at a time, I think this would be a great option because you won’t wear out a fave pair of falsies or have to constantly take them off/reapply when in transit.
Overall
Good For:
- New/busy moms
- Traveling/Vacation
- If you don’t like constantly applying falsies
- Saving make-up application time
- Rolling out of bed and looking glam
- All ages
Not Ideal For:
- If you don’t like keeping up with things (refills will cost ~$75 and you’ll need them every 2-3 weeks)
- Have sensory issues (i.e. can’t deal with feeling something new around your eyes)
- Can’t lie with your eyes closed for ~2 hours
- The budget conscious
- Like wearing different styles of falsies
Have you had eyelash extensions before? What was your experience like?
