A small drop of black adhesive is placed on a stone. Tweezers are used to isolate an individual tab. The artificial eyelash extension is dipped in a medical grade adhesive and then placed over the natural eyelash. This process is repeated for a maximum of 2 hours until the desired lash fullness is received.
Eyelash extensions are semi-permanent eyelashes that are glued by hand to natural lashes, says Andra Marin, artistic director and expert eyelash stylist at Courtney Akai Lash Boutique in New York. Unlike strappy eyelashes, eyelash extensions are individually glued to natural hair, so they are highly customizable and look real. Unlike false eyelashes, where striped or individual lashes are applied to the skin, eyelash extensions adhere directly to the eyelash itself. The result is more lush and dense eyelashes that can even allow you to skip the mascara (gasp).
All your eyelashes are at a different stage at any given time, which means that some of your eyelashes are about to fall out, while others are experiencing a growth period (this is true whether you have eyelash extensions or not). However, there is a very small risk of developing traction alopecia, says Dr. Zaina Al-Mohtaseb, adjunct professor of ophthalmology at Baylor School of Medicine in Houston, where natural eyelashes can fall out as a result of the consistent weight of repeated eyelash extensions. So when eyelash extensions started to become popular, I didn't take a break before booking an appointment.
Keep reading to learn all the basics you'll be happy to know (a bar I'd like to know) before an appointment for eyelash extensions. Eyelash extensions aren't dangerous or bad as long as the technician follows the right methods and uses the right materials. The result was great (I woke up with a strip full of eyelashes and went to work without putting on any makeup), but after a week I started to wake up with my pillowcase covered with eyelashes, extensions and my own natural eyelashes. If you feel that mascara isn't enough and you're okay with the additional maintenance and money that eyelash extensions require, it's definitely worth looking for a specialist and having a consultation, in my opinion.
In reality, there isn't much evidence to show if eyelash extensions actually affect your natural eyelash length or your long-term health. One of the scariest things about eyelash extensions is that the process isn't regulated in some states, such as Alabama, Maryland, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho and Wisconsin. I know that all eyelash extension specialists tell you that they won't damage your natural eyelashes if done correctly, but maybe I only have very weak eyelashes. I would go to the best eyelash technicians and every time my last extension fell out, they would greet me with natural eyelashes that were much shorter than when I started.
Now, however, eyelash extensions give women a flawless everyday look that goes from the flirty “girl next door” to a daring night on the town. If you really care for them (more on that later), eyelash extensions can last six to eight weeks until they fall out naturally, as your eyelashes usually do.
