Thanks to Lash Extensions, I Can Cry at My Own Wedding
A little glue, a little practice, and it's good-bye raccoon eyes
For almost 20 years, I've wanted to wear false eyelashes. They always looked good on other people, but every time I tried to apply them, I’d end up gluing my own eyelashes together.
When I got engaged last year at 50, I promised myself that I’d learn to apply lashes, dammit, before my wedding. Fortunately, I encountered DIY lash extensions one day on Instagram.
Unlike traditional strip lashes, at-home lash extensions are placed under your eyelashes. And because they are applied in small clusters instead of one long strip, they are far lighter, too. Just apply the special lash glue like you would mascara, place each lash cluster under your own, and presto! Eyes that pop!
The lash extension brand I use is Lilac St.; a set of lashes costs $7. Lilac St. and other brands come in multiple lengths – from 8mm to 16mm – so you can customize your lash look by buying a few sets. (It's much easier than choosing lashes that don't come with measurements.) And there are less expensive brands, like Kiss Falscara and Amazon knock-offs, that you can practice with before you upgrade.
One huge selling point for DIY lash extensions is they can be worn for up to one week straight. Most brands use a flexible glue formula, which means that they won’t pull out your natural lashes when you remove them. Plus, they're reusable!
After weeks of gaining experience wearing them, the lash extensions now will be replacing mascara in my wedding makeup routine. Because I know that I will be crying through my entire wedding ceremony.
I never thought I'd be getting married at age 51, and without either of my parents there. Thanks to lash extensions, though, I won't have to worry about raccoon eyes or my mascara running in my wedding photos.
Awesome, I was just chatting with a friend of mine about lash extensions. I quit wearing mascara a few months ago (seems I’ve developed some sort of allergy, yeah menopause) but I’m worried about losing the lashes I have with pro extensions.
And I’m all thumbs when it comes to applying lash strips. Sounds like these are way more forgiving-thanks for the reco, Tracey!
Congrats on your upcoming wedding!