The lowdown on lash extensions

When I showed the girls in my dad’s house my newly elongated lashes, one of them exclaimed, “Just like Pokwang’s!” referring to the massively entertaining mainstay of “Wowowee.”

“But hers are orange,” they added.

I must admit, there is a very fine line between rocking extra-long fringes like those of a model off the runway, and looking like a straight-on drag queen. I’m all for looking like either, depending on the occasion. But for everyday strolling, I’d choose the former in a heartbeat.

image courtesy of Xtreme Lashes

That said, I’ve been enjoying my set of falsies from i-Lash Extensions Salon (SM Supercenter, Pasig, 497-3918; iLashSalon.multiply.com). True, they’re a bit on the high-maintenance side, but they look great.

If you’re considering your own set of extended fringes, here are some points on how to get them right (or to determine if they’re for you).

Unless you’re off to a children’s party or guesting on TV, leave the orange falsies to the Pokwangs of this world.

Application

Each wisp of synthetic hair is carefully glued to one’s lashes—piece by piece. No wonder it takes a full hour and a half (or more, for thicker frames) to apply. The surgical-grade bonding agent and dexterity of skilled technicians make for a safe and painless procedure, unless you’re ticklish and quick to tear up.

Length

Deciding how long to go is really up to you. I find it futile and a waste of money to go all the way to the salon and ask for “Short, natural, please.”

Why shell out at least P800 for an extension session that would make you look like you just whipped out an eyelash curler and slicked on two coats of Maybelline? Take the (lash) plunge and enjoy the mega-volume that makes having your lids tickled for hours worth it.

Maintenance

This is the most challenging part. How you handle your wisps will make them last the ideal four to six weeks described in the brochure (retouch is recommended every two to four weeks).

The slight skepticism I’ve encountered so far is that glued-on lashes come off with your natural ones. But whether or not you have falsies on, lash shedding is inevitable, considering that the life cycle of a single eyelash (your own) is 60 to 90 days. That means, within that period, you’ll have shed and grown a few hair strands. It’s a different story if you purposely tug and pull them, which brings me to: Never rub your eyes.

Fake lashes or not, scratching your eyes (or touching your face unnecessarily) is a beauty no-no. The only time your fingers should go near your new lashes is after washing and bathing.

While they’re wet, lift and fan them out so they can dry curled and separated. If you are inclined to rub, think of glued-on wisps as the ocular equivalent of the bitter solution applied to the nails of chronic nail-biters: It does the trick of keeping hands away from your face, leaving you with unblemished skin and the perfect set of fabulous fringes.

Now excuse me while I go back to the salon for my retouch.

Mariel Chua is former beauty editor of Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, and Ok! Magazine Philippines. Visit her blog at http://NyMinuteNow.com.

(Original article link here.)