Lash It Out

A few months before I gave birth to baby #2, I decided to get eyelash extensions.

This was an entirely impulsive decision. I’m not normally someone who does a lot of beauty treatments – I don’t get my hair colored,  don’t get facials (but I’m always vowing to start), and my haircut frequency has greatly suffered in the last few years. But randomly, one day I woke up and decided I wanted eyelash extensions.

I think it had something to do with feeling enormous and being sick of all the same maternity clothes and thus wanting some small way to feel better about myself. So I went out and got extensions and for the last few months, have been addicted to them. I went every three weeks to touch them up, and engaged in ridiculous contortions to try to avoid getting oil on them when washing my face at night. But it was worth it. I loved them. I haven’t had to wear eye makeup at all since getting them. Like when I gave birth? I wore NO makeup, and this was after hours in the hospital, labor…I definitely did not look like this when I gave birth to #1.

Then, a few weeks ago, I took them off.

The result was kind of frightening. My eyelashes were quite damaged, very sparse, short, thin…really scary. I wished I had never gotten extensions to begin with. Whenever I looked in a mirror, I had the same thought…I’m HIDEOUS! But then like with a bad boyfriend, I thought about my good memories with my extensions, and thought maybe it was worth it after all.

To try and fix them, I purchased a few serums. I had used some serums before, but years ago, and found them to be quite effective. So after conducting a survey amongst friends and beauty addicts, I bought a tube of Grandelash MD, and another friend sent me a tube of  Revitalash (which isn’t able to be purchased in California…some sort of pending lawsuit over one of its ingredients, which apparently is very effective, which of course just made me want it all the more!).

Then, the night before I started using them, I realized that you aren’t supposed to use either while breastfeeding…agh!!

So now I’ve ordered Plume, which is apparently pregnancy/breastfeeding friendly, and I’ll report how it goes.

In the meantime, I’ve been using castor oil…I haven’t noticed much but at least my eyes are moisturized.

Anyway – a few of my tips of lash extensions:

1. Check reviews and this isn’t something you skimp on. Lashes are important. A bad lash job in my opinion is way worse than a bad haircut. If you get a bad haircut, you can wear hats and ponytails and get a cute little bob. If you get a bad lash job, you might lose the mall and look like a fish.

2. Extensions often can damage your lashes, and the longer you get them, the more damage is possible. Before I got my extensions, the technician kept assuring me that if I ever took them off I might be under the impression that extensions damaged my natural eyelashes, which was untrue. It was only because I had gotten used to my beautiful long minky lashes, she said, that I would think my normal lashes were spare. I think this is kind of bull. Yeah a great technician can be way easier on your lashes than a bad one, and the . But gluing strips of fake hair to your real ones, and adding that weight, has to add some stress to the follicle. Just my unscientific opinion.

3. Give your eyes a break once a in a while. This is hard to do. I understand. It feels like having to drink an ugly potion after you’ve been enjoying yourself in the happy world of pretty eyes. But you need it, it’s good for your eyes to get a little vacation, and you can always get extensions after a few weeks again.

As for me…I think I’m done with extensions…for now…but I might try again later.

What about you? Have you ever tried extensions?