Want Long Luscious Lashes?

All Things Lashes

There is a strong and transformative power in eyelashes. As one beauty expert noted, “Add a pair of eyelashes to Mickey Mouse and you’ll get Minnie Mouse. Add eyelashes to Bugs Bunny, and you’ll get Lola Bunny. Similarly, the only facial difference between Disney’s incarnation of Robin Hood and his female counterpart Maid Marian was, you guessed it, her fluttery black lashes.” They have long been noted as a major element of a woman’s beauty, with an endless number of quotes dating back centuries touting the esthetic appeal of long, lustrous lashes.

Little wonder, then, that lashes are a huge and lucrative part of the beauty and cosmetics industries. Today, most of us think of long eyelashes as a great way to give our faces a wide-eyed and attractive finish, or even to highlight a set of beautiful, big eyes.

And while there are definite fads and trends in the ways we “do” eye makeup, longer, fuller and thicker eyelashes have been a perennial favorite. In this article, we are going to look at the latest in:

• Lash Serums
• Lash Primers
• Lash Extensions
• Lash Lifts

Our goal is to help you identify the products most likely to give you the lashes you want or improve the lashes you have. If you’re ready, let’s get to it!

Lash Serums – What Are They? Why Use Them? And How to Get the Best Results

So, lash serums are not a cosmetic product but are instead an assortment of products meant to boost lash thickness and length. According to one beauty expert at The Cut, lash serums were “first discovered in the treatment of glaucoma… one of the side effects they saw was that patients would get these longer, more luxurious eyelashes.”

They achieve their results through ingredients like bimatoprost, isopropyl cloprostenate or other prostaglandins that cause hair growth.

As you might guess, not everyone can use all the options. Some must be prescribed by a dermatologist, eye doctor or physician. Other users may not require the potency of such formulas since they already have long and thick lashes but may seek conditioning or other improvements.

Of course, not all are the same, and a savvy shopper must watch out for serums meant to do little more than soften and hydrate the hair, without boosting growth or thickness. That means that it is important to know the best options in functional lash serums.

Related: Eye Makeup Tips for Mature Skin

What Options Are Available in Lash Serums?

An article at Cosmopolitan had this to say of lash serums: An “eyelash serum can increase your lash growth in its growing phase and might even prolong the time until it naturally falls out.” It then went on to note that there is actually only a single FDA approved serum for lash growth (Latisse). The other options are to improve lash health.

So, the first thing to understand is that for authentic lash growth, it all starts with a visit to the doctor’s office. If it is all about lash health, softness, shine and strengthening, you can choose from an array of over the counter and premium brand options that use everything from biotin (vitamin B) to other ingredients to generate results.

As the experts over at Health explain, “more and more brands are releasing over-the-counter formulations that claim to help lengthen lashes. Although you might not necessarily see dramatic results from these OTC serums, they contain nourishing ingredients that strengthen eyelash hairs over time, so they’re stronger and more resilient against breakage.”

Regardless of the option you choose, it is important to remember that all serums require time to generate their results, and it is best to give any product a full month of twice daily applications before gauging its success or failure.

Of course, if any sort of lash serums begin to generate less desirable outcomes, like swelling or redness, discoloration or changes in pigmentation (not to mention hair where you don’t want it), cease use and consult your doctor.

Using most lash serums is as simple as applying them according to package directions and personal need. Most will be applied with a super-fine brush, a typical mascara wand or a swab similar to lip gloss. Some can even be used to improve the condition of the hair of the eyebrow area.

Typically, though, you’ll want to consider these tips for selecting the ideal option in lash serum:

• For damaged lashes and brows, you want a formula high in peptides and amino acid
• For thinner lashes, look to a formula that boasts high collagen levels as this plumps up the hair
• Is your daily makeup routine causing dried out lashes? Then look for a moisturizing lash serum as well as mascara infused with moisturizers

Lash length and/or health not an issue for you? Then, maybe you should learn more about the proper use and benefits of primers.

Lash Primers – What Are They? Why Use Them? And How to Get the Best Results

There is, authentically, a never-ending array of new beauty products entering the market, and the rise of beauty influencers and social media doesn’t make it any easier to figure out which of these newbies is a good one for your beauty arsenal. The word “primer” has appeared in many different categories, including lash primers.

This has led many to wonder if there are actual benefits to a lash primer, and the answer is simple: Yes.

However, it gets a bit more complex when you begin looking at those benefits specifically. For example, lash primers can be used to:

• Support and protect real lash hair
• Keep lashes from clumping when mascara is used
• Add volume or length to the lashes
• As part of a mascara’s application process (often seen in two-headed mascara tubes)

In that light, it becomes pretty clear that anyone who uses mascara daily or who simply wants the loveliest, healthiest lashes may also want to use a bit of lash primer.

Related: Did You Say Instagram-Ready Brows? Yes Please!

What is it exactly? It is similar to paint primer or a preparatory treatment that ensures better contact and bonding between the lash and the mascara used.  As the beauty pros at Cosmopolitan explained, “Lash primers are designed to work like a really good pair of underwear,” designed to give an optimized finish to whatever look you have in mind.

Using a lash primer is one of the simplest things imaginable, and you need only use the wand included in the packaging to apply a coat on upper and lower lashes before applying mascara. It is best to wait a few moments to allow the formula to dry, and even consider a second use of the brush to ensure lashes are not clumping or stuck together before proceeding with mascara.

The downside to lash primers is the astonishing number of formulations available. Every season it seems an entirely new batch hits the market and boasts of superior formulations and better results.

How to choose? Look for formulations that promise the kinds of results desired, whether that is deep conditioning, supporting the application of a specific product, or anything else. Also, note that most apply in a white hue that goes sheer as it dries and bonds to the lash.

Maybe you are not eager to experience a daily need for prepping lashes with another, added, step in the daily routine? Then, lash extensions could be for you.

Lash Extensions – What Are They? Why Use Them? And How to Get the Best Results

Whether you are tired of applying fake eyelashes as part of the daily makeup routine, using a lash curler, or dealing with lashes at all, but you still want the wide-eyed, lovely look that good lashes bring, lash extensions might be for you.

What are they? As their name implies, they are artificial lashes added to your existing ones to increase length, fullness and appearance. As the beauty experts of Huffington Post explained, “There are three types of lash extensions: synthetic, silk and mink. Size availability ranges from 6mm to 17mm.” This means that you can choose materials and generate precisely the results you want.

Related: Mascara and False Lashes – Defined

How are they applied? They are actually applied individually using a semi-permanent type of non-irritating glue. This prevents irritation to the eye, hair or skin as well as preserving the health of the natural lash.

It is not a 100% protection against adverse reactions, but that is relatively rare.

They can be chosen in full or half sets. The full set is upper and lower lids while the half is generally seen as a filler to give healthy, natural lashes a lush and fuller look. A good treatment provider will make suggestions about what might work best with your natural lashes and natural appearance. As an example, someone with very short and/or thin lashes will not want to go with a full set immediately as it will be too radical of a change and difficult to become comfortable with.

A full set will take around two hours to apply, and need an ongoing level of maintenance, including “touch up” treatments once a month.

The Process

Getting lash extensions should include a discussion with your technician about your goals and the look you want. They will have to assess the health of your lashes, the shape of your face and the natural appearance of your eyes. They should review your options for materials and explain how they vary (“synthetic lashes tend to look glossier and more dramatic than softer, lighter silk lashes,” according to one expert).

You are then put in a treatment chair and the lower lashes are protected with specialized pads. Your eyes are closed the entire time and a technician will apply the lash extension to each natural lash.

Afterward, you must avoid wetting the eyes for 24 hours and then give them a quick brush with an empty mascara wand daily.

Why go to the trouble when false lashes are an option? As the experts at Cosmopolitan pointed out, “Unlike gluing a strip of temporary, fake lashes onto your lash line, semi-permanent lashes are applied by a technician who hand-glues the extensions on top of your natural lashes… Because lash extensions don’t come in a strip, they are super customizable and actually look real.”

As is the case with many treatments, though, you need to consider several key factors:

• Work only with a skilled and experienced technician
• Opt for a technician who promises to use only butylcyanoacrylate and octylcyanoacrylate based glues
• Be sure you have choices in materials before booking an appointment
• Be prepared for refills and/or touch-ups on a fairly frequent basis
• Discuss the dos and don’ts of living with them with your technician, as they can give you the best advice for the type of lash and the glue used
• Work only with licensed professionals

And one of the most significant factors is cost. Many are unaware of the ongoing cost of lash extensions. It is not just the cost of the starter set (which can range from $120 to $200 and much more). Replacing them every few weeks can also run at the $100 mark, and many are tricked into getting “clusters” to cut costs, which is unhealthy and fails to yield the desired look.

There are no known side effects and many people have used them for a decade or more without incident.

Maybe you have thick lashes and just want them to point upward without the use of a curler? Then a lash lift might be your solution.

Lash Lifts – What Are They? Why Use Them? And How to Get the Best Results

If none of the options already discussed appeal, it could be that a lash lift is the right answer to your lash woes. As the beauty pros at Cosmopolitan explain, lash lifts are “an alternative to lash extensions and falsies for a curled lash effect. While some lash lifts use perm and ammonia solutions, YUMILashes is a keratin treatment that enhances your natural lashes by lifting the hairs and curling them.”

Most people interested are good candidates, and this is ideal for someone with straight or downward lashes that need only that nudge upward. It is, as the experts at Elle explain, “like a perm for your lashes… lash lifts set the shape of your natural lashes using a chemical solution.”

You will want to work with an expert lash artist to review your goals and ensure you are a good candidate for the treatment. They will also ask about your daily makeup routine and whether you wear mascara each day. They look at your natural brow line and your eye shape and help you make the right call.

Treatment involves cleaning the lashes and using a silicone shield on the upper lid. The solution is applied to your lashes, which are then combed upward and fixed into the desired shape. The solution is in place for less than 15 minutes, setting solution is applied, and you are done! It takes around an hour and lasts for up to two months. Costing from $75 to $100 per session, it can be the most affordable way to make the most of natural lashes, plus you can enhance the effect with mascara!

Get busy getting your best lashes with these simple and widely available lash treatment solutions.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Lipstick

More Great EyeLashe Resources:

What Is the Point of Long Eyelashes?

The 12 Best Eyelash Serums for Long-as-Hell Lashes

Everything You Need To Know About Eyelash Extensions