Eyelash Extensions Tips, My Experience, + Photos
Well y'all this blog post was HIGHLY requested way back last month when I got my eyelash extensions. Eyelash extensions have been blowing up lately and it seems every YouTuber, Blogger, and social media starlet is using them. With a wedding coming up (literally next month which is THE weirdest thing to say), I wanted to give eyelash extensions a try. Now, I didn't even start wearing false eyelashes until this past year and while I don't mind wearing false eyelashes, I think we can all agree that wearing false eyelashes can be a pain in the butt.
After my wedding makeup trial I knew I wanted to give lash extensions a try since it was something my MUA could do. We have so many events leading up to the wedding that I didn't want to deal with having to put false eyelashes on every day for a week! So I gave eyelash extensions a try and thus this post, your complete guide to eyelash extensions, was born.
Disclaimer: I am not an expert on eyelash extensions, contacts, etc. Everything in this post related to eyelash extension tips are based on my experience with them over the course of the last month. I've included a ton of eyelash extension before and after pics for you guys as well so you can get an idea of what exactly you're paying for! All in all, I think that eyelash extensions are worth the money but let's get into the full post!
My Eyelash Extension Experience
The number one question I got about my eyelash extensions was how much do eyelash extensions cost? I'm sure this is going to differ based on where you live and what the person charges but my Classic Eyelash Extensions were $100 with the discount my MUA was running at the time. Each lash is attached to your natural lashes which means that the amount of eyelash extensions you have will vary. I chose to go with the classic eyelash extensions because I wanted something that looked fairly natural and also wouldn't weigh down my eyes too much. While the cost of eyelash extensions may seem like a lot up front, when I compared how much I would enjoy them every day versus something like getting my nails done (which I can do myself if I'm patient enough) I knew that the cost would even out. Last week I went back for my first refill and it cost $45 and they look just as good as the first time!
I was definitely nervous going in to my first lash appointment because I had no idea what to expect. I didn't have any close friends who had tried eyelash extensions before. But I found the experience overall very enjoyable. Partly because my MUA is amazing and I feel like we're the closest of friends anytime I'm with her but also because you just get to lay back and relax for the duration of the appointment. My first lash appointment took about an hour and a half. When was the last time you sat still with your eyes closed for that long? I also avoided looking at any blog posts or videos on bad experiences with eyelash extensions because I knew that would trigger my anxiety if I did. Let me say upfront that I had no issues with the eyelash extensions and did not experience any negative reactions to the eyelash extension or glue.
After the appointment, I really didn't know what to expect so that's a big reason I'm including this "my experience with eyelash extensions" piece within this post. My first appointment was in the evening so I went to bed only a few hours after getting them (I'll talk about this a little more in the tips section). I ended up loosing a few lashes over night which made me panic a little. It's strange to see them come out but don't panic! They will shed with your natural lashes so the length of time they last will be mostly dependent on your natural lash shedding schedule. However, after this initial shedding, I didn't see them come out hardly at all except for here and there which is what should happen naturally. I still have this fear that I'm going to wake up and they'll all be gone though.
Basically, life with eyelash extensions is business as usual. It cuts my getting ready time nearly in half because I don't have to spend five minutes throwing on coat after coat of mascara. I simply clean my eyelid with a q-tip and some micellar water and brush them out with a combination of a lash brush and my fingers. My first round of eyelash extensions lasted nearly a month before they started looking seriously sparse and even in the last few days before my refill appointment I was still getting compliments on them. Most people have even thought they were my natural lashes and not eyelash extensions!
A note on eyelash extensions and contacts
If you didn't know, I wear contacts on a regular basis. I can't see anything without them so if I'm not wearing my glasses, which I wear mostly at night, then I'm wearing contacts. I was a little nervous about how having contacts would affect my eyelash extensions and vice versa but I actually haven't experienced any unusual side effects at all. I had to switch the way I put in my contacts and take them out but other than that they haven't affected the eyelash extensions at all.
My Tips for Eyelash Extensions
Wait 24 Hours before getting them wet - While I didn't get my eyelash extensions wet immediately after getting them, I did sit in the bathroom with hot water running (something I do when my sinus hurt) without thinking of how the steam might affect them. Wait 24 hours before showering or washing your eyelash extensions so that the glue has time to completely set.
Avoid oil-based products - Before my eyelash extension appointment I went to the store to pickup some cleansers that I knew wouldn't be damaging to my eyelash extensions. I ended up grabbing Micellar water which I think has actually been improving my skin in addition to just being really great for my eyelashes. You'll want to pick up an oil-free makeup remover as well if you plan on wearing a full face of makeup. While I don't wear makeup on a day to day basis, with the micellar water, I didn't have any issues removing makeup when I was wearing full face makeup during my bachelorette weekend in Nashville!
Have your appointment earlier in the day - Making my appointment early in the morning was something I did differently the second time around when I got my first eyelash extension refill and I think it made a lot of difference in how quickly my eyelashes started to shed from the first appointment.
Use q-tips to clean them (gently) - I try to clean my eyelids right to the root of the lashes at least once a day or more when I notice that they're starting to feel gunky. I can't explain this to you very well but you'll be able to tell when eyelash extensions start experiencing build up. I simply take my q-tip and dab it with the micellar water and run them along my lash line.
Avoid sleeping on the same side every night - It was super easy to tell, by the 4 week mark, which side I sleep on the most because that was the eye where I lost the most eyelashes. Some people suggest using a satin pillow case or even a satin eye mask but I didn't have time to get either or these things the first time around (and have yet to try them this time around either). Instead, I've been focusing on trying to switch sides either throughout the night or alternate during the week.
Don't rub your eyes - This is probably the hardest part of having eyelash extensions! If you're a contact wearer then you know that rubbing your eyes is just something you do frequently and not being able to actually drives me a little crazy. Just remember that the better you treat your eyelash extensions the longer they will last!
Lastly, here is a week by week look at my eyelash extensions! Overall, I am very pleased with how they held up over the course of the month and, as you can tell in the before and after eyelash extensions picture above, I've already gotten my first refill. I already have plans on filling them again before my birthday (WHICH IS IN 21 DAYS) and right before Justin's grad week and our wedding. I may even experiement with different lash styles for the next one so I know exactly what type of look I want for our wedding!
