Eyelash Extensions: My Experience

Hello there budget Beauty Stashers! We're back at it again to break down the process of eyelash extensions; are they worth the money, time, upkeep, etc.?

I am all about trying new things that could potentially let me stay in bed for a little longer in the morning... Especially right after Daylight Saving Time changes. I had been considering eyelash extensions for literally years but kept changing my mind (since I already have acrylics, it would add to my regular 3-4 week spending). This past week I finally decided to go for it because why the hell not! 

Well, it was definitely a debacle getting to the appointment... 




I had made my original appointment about a month out at my regular waxing place, and 5 hours before the appointment they called to cancel- no explanation and without anyone else who could possibly do it. If you know me, you know how instantly bummed I was. There wasn't another appointment for weeks and I really had my heart set on getting them this weekend. So I hopped on Yelp and was immediately overwhelmed by the number of places that offered extensions... from nail salons to special "eyelash extension only" mega chains, I finally found Casey's Lashes. Casey's clients wrote raving reviews of her extensions, and I was able to make an appointment via text- which is another level of convenience. She squeezed me in as her last appointment of the night and we were set!

My original lash place told me to allocate 2 hours for the process, so I was prepared to lay on Casey's eyelash-ing bed for a while. I got there and she explain the process and made me comfortable right away. She was done in FORTY MINUTES- talk about lightning hands! I went with the natural set- the length is 12 (idk of what, just 12) and I believe it's a C curl. You can go SUPER dramatic ("Russian" is usually what they're called) or you can go even shorter (they go down to 7s, which is what she usually uses in the inner corner, if at all).

She gave me a spoolie and explained that I should comb my lashes if they get tangled or once a day ish. No water for 24 hours, and to be careful around steam and bbqs (I guess a couple of people had their lashes fried because of the heat... yikes!). Most places recommend fills every 2 weeks, but Casey reassured me that 3-4 weeks for her lashes would be fine- just come in with at least half of them still intact or you might need a full new set.

Top: Eyelash extensions: Natural full set
Bottom: Natural (nonexistent) lashes

The difference was striking, to say the least. I am wearing a tiny bit of eyeliner in the top picture, but I really didn't feel like I needed it. No more hunting for mascara or spending 40 mins on trying to figure out glue on lashes (I'm really bad at them trust me). I did eff up and forgot about the lashes and rubbed my left eye 4 hours later- I've lost 2 lashes but it doesn't look it at all and that was 100% my fault.

Key takeaways from the entire experience:

• If you want low DAILY maintenance, eyelash extensions are the way to go
• They do NOT damage your natural lashes as long as you're not PULLING them off. Lash artists have glue dissolving formulas to protect your natural lashes!
• If the cost is worth it for you (For me, $80 for the natural set, $40 for regular fill not including tip) this is a great investment
• If you wear HEAVY eye makeup everyday, you might want to reconsider. Oil breaks down the glue so your lashes will fall much quicker so you must look for oil free cleansers (I use CeraVe Hydrating Micellar Water ) and I use a pointed q-tip to clean off the eyeliner
• If you want to wear eyeliner- go with powder and NEVER EVER use waterproof anything. The product will build up and make it difficult to clean your eyelashes gently.
• Yes, you can get them wet!!! Just wait 24 hours. gently use oil free cleanser on your eye area- just because you shouldn't touch them too much doesn't mean they don't need to be cleaned.

I am super happy with the results and as long as it doesn't become cost prohibitive, I will most likely continue to get them filled. I love that I can roll out of bed and feel put together. It does make it a little complicated to apply eyeliner (gotta have my wings) but with a good angle brush and powder you got this! If you're in San Diego, CA, I highly recommend Casey. She's professional and you can't beat her prices. She runs her own business and I am all about supporting small, women ran businesses!

Do you have eyelash extensions? Do you like them?