If you want the short version: I LOVE THEM. Run, don’t walk, to get some for yourself!

Hey Friends! So you’ve probably heard about eyelash extensions since they seem to be getting more and more popular. Wondering what they are all about? This post is for you!

Well first off, who doesn’t want longer, fuller eyelashes? Mascara is my number 1 most used makeup product. If I am going to use anything, it will 100% be mascara. I wrote a post a while back about an eyelash growth serum that does work great, but unfortunately is not very good for you. When I started hearing about Eyelash Extensions I was super intrigued, but backed off because of a couple reasons. One is that there aren’t many places that offer them, or at least I couldn’t find many in Grand Rapids. Two, the price can be intimidating. Three, I had no idea what the heck they were and didn’t know if they would be worth it, if my skin would react, etc.

I started having friends give them a try, and everyone had rave reviews so I started doing a little more research. When Jaime reached out to me about giving them a try I was in, and after one appointment I was SOLD. Guys, I am hooked!!! Jaime recently moved to Grand Rapids and is killer at eyelash extensions!  She has generously offered $50 off your first set to blog readers who mention my name! Woot woot!! Get yourself some!

 

|Message Jaime Here to set up an appointment|

 

 

So what are they?

 

They are exactly what they sound like, hair extensions…only for your eyelashes. They are individual lashes (not a strip of lashes, like what you would buy in a store) that are glued to the base of your existing lashes (not eyelid). These stay on until your eyelashes fall out. Your natural eyelashes fall out over the course of a few weeks (always, this is regardless of if you have extensions or not) so your extensions will fall out naturally with these. Then you can return and have more placed to fill in the gaps.

The process:

 

My first set took a couple hours while Jaime put each extension on. She offers two different styles, classic and volume. Classic is a little more subtle, volume is more of a statement. Jaime mixed the two for me and I loved it! I was so impressed by Jaime’s patience and attention to detail. They were all placed so perfectly! It is recommended that you go in every 2-3 weeks for a fill, but I actually waited till about 3.5 weeks for mine. I loved the way they became more subtle over the 3 weeks as a few fell out. At 2 weeks my extensions still looked great, but I probably wouldn’t go longer than 3.5 in the future. My fill appointment only took about an hour and half.

Caring for extensions:

 

The trickiest part about extensions for me was not rubbing my eyes! I also happened to get a cold while on my first set, so that could have been part of it. That being said, once I broke the habit of rubbing my eyes it stopped being a problem! With extentions you don’t have to wear any mascara (!!!) but can continue wearing any other makeup (including eyeliner) as you would usually! I loved this because it took so much less time to get ready in the mornings! Because of how dark the extensions are, I actually haven’t been wearing much eyeliner either! I throw a little mascara on my bottom lashes then add bronzer, blush, eyebrows, and lipstick then I’m out the door!

The only thing to be careful of is not using any oil around your eyes. If you use coconut oil or an oil-based makeup remover to take off your eye makeup, that will break down the glue and the extensions will fall off faster. You’ll want to swap that out for either something oil-free, or a hot washcloth. (I am obsessed with this guy! It works so well!). In addition to this Jaime gives you a brush to brush out your eyelashes each day, which does feel a little funny (ha!), but keeps them looking great!

Overall, they are the bomb. I loved them at weddings when I am holding a camera up to my face in the heat all day. No more runny mascara/eyeliner, thank you very much! They may be the perfect thing to try if you have a special occasion coming up, or just want to beat the winter blues we are headed into! Be sure to follow Jaime, and use my name to get $50 off your first appointment!