Eyelash Enhancement Options

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Lush, dramatic lashes! They’re all the rage now with beauty treatments, and over eight different techniques found in salons give beautiful options. Depending on your commitment and budget, eyelash enhancements come with a variety of pros and cons, so it’s a good idea to understand the basics to make the best decision once it’s time to book the appointment!

From extensions to lifts and tints, there’s a lot to learn about eyelash enhancement options. Whether you’re looking for something more dramatic or you want to work with what you have and just give your lashes a little boost, you’ll find it in a professional salon. Here are the most common eyelash treatments:

Extensions
Unlike a set of false lashes, which are glued just above the lash line, extensions are synthetic lashes attached to your real eyelashes with an adhesive. Meticulously, lash-by-lash, professional lash artists use individual lashes to create the look you want. From full and dramatic to randomly placed in a way to enhance the eye, eyelash extensions offer a natural, beautiful and lush look.
What’s the downside? Mostly the price, which ranges from $100 to $300 depending on the style you like. Eyelashes, like other hair, does have a natural shedding process every 30 days, so extensions need to be maintained and re-filled on a regular schedule to keep the look fresh and natural. Over time, extensions have a higher commitment level than alternative treatments.

Lifts
If your lashes are stick straight, you’d be surprised how much difference a curl makes to your overall look. Instead of reaching for the eyelash curler and mascara every day, a lash lift is a great alternative with a smaller price tag.

Lifts are very similar to perms in that lashes are affixed to silicone tubes and a chemical solution is gently brushed over the lashes. After a few minutes, the solution is wiped away and lashes are permed and feature a natural curl much like you’d obtain with a curler. Some salons go one step further and offer a tinting formula to darken lashes during the process, which makes even more of a difference and cuts down on the number of steps to complete in a daily beauty routine. For those who want a natural, fresh look, lash lifts are recommended.

Though it might be tempting to purchase a lash-perming kit online and do the process at home, don’t! It’s recommended to have the treatment done by an esthetician or lash professional for safety reasons. Plus, it’s a bit hard to work on your own lashes!

Tinting
Lucky enough to have a great set of natural lashes? If you want to enhance them just a bit, tinting is a good way to give lashes a noticeable boost without the upkeep of other treatments. Tinting is similar to adding color to hair or brows; a color solution is applied to lashes and allowed to set for a certain amount of time before rinsing. Tinting also cuts down on a morning beauty routine, since tints are semi-permanent and last four to six weeks depending on the lashes.

Lash Serums
Another way to enhance the look of lashes is through a professional-grade lash serum or conditioner. Sold at medical spas or with licensed estheticians, lash serum and conditioners require a daily application to the lash line, where the concentration of nutrients gets into the follicles to promote growth and fullness. If you have sparse lashes or want to fill them out before trying a lift or tint, a lash serum could be the way to go.

Do you notice a lot of lash fallout? Various serums also help strengthen lashes and follicles to keep them from falling out before their natural cycle. Since there is a shedding cycle for lashes, a serum or conditioner is an effective option for nourishing lashes through each phase of the growth cycle.

Caring for Lashes
No matter which eyelash enhancement treatment is used, there are recommended care tips to improve longevity and keep lashes in a healthy condition. When using eyelash extensions, daily washing is essential to keep cell buildup from clogging pores around the lash line. Washing lashes also keeps them in good condition and improves the overall look of the eyes. Another point to consider with extensions? Avoid applying mascara to them; it’s far too clumpy and diminishes the look and integrity of the synthetic lash.

Do your research when narrowing down the options for lash professionals. Make sure safe ingredients are being used and the hygiene of the salon is top notch. As the eye region is very delicate and vulnerable, you want to be sure professionals are well trained, experienced and offer the newest trends and tools available. ■

Sources: instyle.com, cosmopolitan.com and allaboutvision.com.