Aimzster
Dianna GWant flirtatiously long lashes?
September 13th 2007 01:19
It seems mascaras just aren’t doing the trick these days. More and more women (and in some cases, men) are bypassing the beauty counters to book themselves for an eyelash extensions or eyelash transplants.
For around $4000 an eye (please wait while I pull out $8000 from my ass), the eyelash transplant involves pulling hair follicles from the back of your scalp and sewing them into your eyelids. The procedure takes about 1.5 to 2 hours and is performed under a local anaesthetic with a recovery time of 4 to 5 days. Obviously, the hair on your head grows so you would need to trim your lashes often unless you want to grow them straight down to your nose to get tangled with your nose hairs. Experts do warn that if the hair ‘grows in the wrong direction’, this could lead to ulcers and even blindness but, they assure us, at least they won’t fall off. At least!
The eyelash extensions, on the other hand, are semi-permanent and are steadily gaining in popularity in Australia since late 2006 with one studio in Melbourne booked out weeks in advance. The procedure is pain-free and lasts up to two hours. The extensions come in various lengths and colours and are applied to the lashes one by one by tweezers and a bonding agent. You can wear them in the shower and in the pool, just as long as you only wear water-based mascaras as oil-based (ie waterproof) mascaras apparently shorten the life of the extensions. For around $180, they are considerably less than the eyelash transplants and the likes of Beyonce, Madonna and JLO have been known to step out on the red carpet, batting them for the cameras. But, as mentioned, they are semi-permanent and they last only up to 2 months with in-fills at around $8 per lash strongly recommended every 2-4 weeks. Sounds very high maintenance, if you ask me. Take my cousin for example who recently had this procedure. Yes, her mum happened to be my mum’s sister and I know the event of my mum lining up my sisters and I at the bottom of the staircase to cut off our lashes under the idea that trimming them would make them grow quicker also happened in my cousin’s household. Unfortunately for her, my auntie wasn’t so adept at cutting and managed to cut off a small part of her lid. Anyway, dear cuz has now developed an eye irritation and is constantly pulling on her extensions in frustration, threatening to do as her mum once did – cut them off.
While I would never entertain the idea of eyelash extensions or transplants, I might consider the creams they have these days that promote eyelash growth, such as the Lipocils Eyelash Conditioning Gel by Talika. The gel is “clinically proven and guaranteed to stimulate the growth of lashes, as it conditions and beautifies existing lashes”. I read that the product has an 80% success rate with women having longer, fuller lashes in 28 days after applying them to clean lashes twice daily.
But then again, I might just stick to my old-fashioned eyelash curler and super-length mascara.
My, what long lashes you have!
The eyelash extensions, on the other hand, are semi-permanent and are steadily gaining in popularity in Australia since late 2006 with one studio in Melbourne booked out weeks in advance. The procedure is pain-free and lasts up to two hours. The extensions come in various lengths and colours and are applied to the lashes one by one by tweezers and a bonding agent. You can wear them in the shower and in the pool, just as long as you only wear water-based mascaras as oil-based (ie waterproof) mascaras apparently shorten the life of the extensions. For around $180, they are considerably less than the eyelash transplants and the likes of Beyonce, Madonna and JLO have been known to step out on the red carpet, batting them for the cameras. But, as mentioned, they are semi-permanent and they last only up to 2 months with in-fills at around $8 per lash strongly recommended every 2-4 weeks. Sounds very high maintenance, if you ask me. Take my cousin for example who recently had this procedure. Yes, her mum happened to be my mum’s sister and I know the event of my mum lining up my sisters and I at the bottom of the staircase to cut off our lashes under the idea that trimming them would make them grow quicker also happened in my cousin’s household. Unfortunately for her, my auntie wasn’t so adept at cutting and managed to cut off a small part of her lid. Anyway, dear cuz has now developed an eye irritation and is constantly pulling on her extensions in frustration, threatening to do as her mum once did – cut them off.
But then again, I might just stick to my old-fashioned eyelash curler and super-length mascara.
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Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Fantastic post, Aimzster!
Michaelie
Comment by Lara M
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Comment by katyzzz
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These are long lengths to go to. I'd rather work on my personality.
Bit tough if you don't have one. (no, not you, Aimz)
katyzzz
Comment by Aimzster
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Lara, well I can't believe there are such things as breast and butt implants! What will they come up with next?
Katyzzz, hehehe...
Comment by Trina
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P.S. They have implants for anything these days, including pectorals for men to make their chests look big and muscly... I think I read that somewhere...
Comment by D. Armenta
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I use the home-applied extensions when onstage (US$4.95 for a full set of individual lashes that you apply to your own lashes, like in the salons)..takes a very steady hand, tweezers and a magnifying mirror, but definitely worth it for me.
I have long curly lashes --but they're blond. Playing drums is hard work and between the tropical heat here and the buckets of perspiration generated by playing, even waterproof mascara ends running down my face!
My extensions --admittedly a pain in the bum to apply correctly till you get the hang of it--last about 2-3 weeks till I have to do fill-in maintenance. Now that I've got the application down pat, I love having them.
Also-they look natural. I just apply a darker shade of brown lashes over my blond ones and you can't tell the difference (unlike the full sets of false lashes that you glue to your eyelid--those look very drag-queen-ish)
I'd say if you're a crafter or the type who can do close-up, painstaking work these are worth a try..
Comment by Nina
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Comment by KylieW
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I have seen the false eyelashes that you can put on - in single or a bunch of a few eyelashes (rather than full sets) and have considered trying those. I had to wear the full set of fale eyelashes for my tap dancing concerts each year. And used to love them....even though I looked like a total drag queen!
I don't think we have the ones that D. was referring to in Australia (which sucks, cos I'd give them a go!).
But maybe I'll try the individual false ones some time.
In the meantime, I'll stick with my eyelash curler and mascara. It does okay
Comment by Aimzster
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PS. Pectorals for men? Why am I not surprised? They have penis extensions, don't they?
D, Kylie's right. I don't think we have them in Australia. But for only US$4.95, I might try them out if they ever arrive here.
Nina, I find Loreal & Maybeline mascaras are generally pretty good. Which ones have you tried?
Kylie, I've never tried the false lashes. Knowing me, I would have put myself in an embarrassing situation with them (I can just imagine them peeling off and landing above my upper lip).
Comment by Nina
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Comment by Always Eighteen
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