Listen up, because apparently eyelash extensions are now cancelled. By now, you’ve probably heard of ‘lash lifts’, a new innovative cosmetic technology that’s taking beauty clinics by storm. When you compare them to traditional eyelash extensions, lash lifts routinely see better reviews, which hail them as the cheaper, sturdier and healthier alternative.
But what exactly is this revolutionary technology, and should you ditch the eyelash extensions so soon?
What does the “lift” in “lash lift” really mean?
Regardless of whether or not you’ve ever had lash treatments or whether you’ve been a fan of eyelash extensions in the past, lash lifts are definitely something you should at least look into if you’re after long luscious lashes. Here’s a quick primer on what you can expect from this novel new beauty treatment.
Let’s Start Simple – What Is A Lash Lift?
Lash lifts are like perms for your eyelashes. All the magic starts when your beautician coats your lashes with a special perming liquid and leaves it to set for several minutes.
How Should I Prepare For A Lash Lift?
All you need to do is to come in with a clean face! Beauticians need to make sure that your lashes are free of dirt and make-up before they start, so it’s best to avoid putting anything on your face before this appointment.
Also, the entire process of ‘lifting’ your lashes, from start to finish, may take around an hour—so it’s best you schedule this appointment on one of your lazy afternoons. Finally, it’s advised that you enter the salon with a specific purpose in mind for your lash lift. Are you doing this because you want natural-looking curls (lash lift and curl) or are you going all out (lash lift and tint)?
It should be kept in mind that a full lash lift and tint may take a bit longer and there may be a few more aftercare options you’ll need to consider, but otherwise, the difference is minimal and how far you want to take the lift depends entirely on your personal preferences.
Back Up – An Estimated Session Is An Hour Long?!
It might seem like a long time, but there’s a lot to do. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s going to happen:
First, you’ll get settled into the treatment bed by your therapist. She’ll wrap some towels and blankets around you to make sure you’re comfortable throughout the experience. Just lay back and relax—you can even take a nap throughout the entire session if you need one, it’s that comfortable!
Initial Preparation
Next, your eyelids are washed and wiped down by your beautician. A sticky cotton pad is placed on your bottom lashes, to keep them away from the perm lotion (if they accidentally get swept up like your top lashes, imagine how uncomfortable bottom lashes pointing north would be!) and a rubber cylinder is placed on your eyelid. This is the base they’ll use to curl your lashes around.
Painting The Lashes
Once everything’s in place, the beautician gets to work painting your lashes with the gooey keratin formula. She’ll be pressing and sculpting them around the rubber base. Remember to keep your eyes closed!
It may sound super uncomfortable, but you won’t really feel much apart from some occasional soft tugs on your lashes. It’s similar to mascara wand tugging, except a bit more insistent. The only intimidating factor here is that you do need to keep your eyes closed for the entire process, because the perming lotion may sting.
Once the paste has settled in, the beautician cleans up the eye area and checks if there are any inconsistencies. Then they’ll place eyelash tint! They’ll paint on the dye the same way they painted on perm lotion, and let that soak in as well.
After letting all this magic work, they’ll clean everything off and finish it up with some moisturizing oil to help hydrate your awesome new lashes. And you’re all set!
Eyelash Aftercare
The first 24 hours after your lash lift are super important. To maximise your treatment, you need to avoid using any form of eye makeup or encountering any sort of moisture or humidity to make sure that they last as long as possible. How long exactly will a lash lift last? Anywhere between four to six weeks.
While it’s still cheaper than eyelash extensions, the prices can still sting, which along with the extensive procedure is one of the few downsides to getting this treatment. Despite all that though, to me, lash lifts are definitely worth the trouble!
You’ll save money on mascara, cut down on the eye make-up, and your lashes will eventually just drop back to their original position so there’s none of that dramatic drop-out period you’d have to struggle with when getting eyelash extensions.
As you can see from the before and after pics, lashes frame your eyes and giving them a little extra volume can do wonders for your face. You can expect loads of compliments on how fresh-faced you now look—and you can get that small zing of accomplishment knowing that you nailed your look today with zero effort!
Lash Lifts Near Me?
Now that you know what a standard lash lift procedure is like, you’re probably itching to get it done! From here, you can either consider taking up the challenge yourself or finding the right beautician to do it for you.
Please keep in mind that there are several ways a lash lift can go wrong and cause one or more of the following side effects:
- Blisters
- Rash
- Redness
- Dry Eye
- Watery Eyes
- Inflammation
- Brittle Lash Hair
The right beautician will know how to care for your eye area throughout the treatment as well as prescribe aftercare solutions for your lashes. This can help minimize the risk of any lash lift side effects. With that said, here’s a quick overview of the brands that offer the safest and most effective lash lift products:
Elleebana
Elleebana sells lash lift kits and conducts training sessions to beauty professionals. They’re definitely a leader in the worldwide beauty space, and their lash lift products—which promise results in just 20 to 30 minutes!—are available all over Australia.
Yumi
Yumi Lashes are also a well-loved brand—on their website, they promise a “uniquely flexible technique that combines eyelash enhancement and dying”. They also sell the products and conduct the training courses necessary to ensure a safe lash lift procedure in salons, and this year they’ll be training in and around cities like Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra.
Remember to ask your beautician about the lash lift products they’ve sourced from!
Here are some of the top lash lift services around Australia to look out for, according to their immensely positive Google reviews:
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Ooh La La Lash Boutique
Ooh La La was Adelaide’s first and original provider of lash lifts, and they have remained dominant in the industry as one of the best. Due to their top industry practices and careful service, they have never given a single customer any side effect with lash lifts since they started offering the procedure last 2013!
2. Tan Lash and Beauty
This Perth-based salon is certified by Elleebana and uses the brand’s lash lift products to fully deliver on the promise of giving you the perfect lash lift procedure. They’ve got a solid online system, and you can book an appointment as close as an hour or two before.
3. Wink Lash Studio
Perky lashes in 45 minutes? Now that’s a steal! This Brisbane-based beauty studio offers lash lifts at a shorter waiting time than the usual, which is a great option if you’re in a hurry. They also offer lash straightening procedures, in case you’ve just come back from another salon with a botched lash lift.
4. Lash Envy
The Lash Envy studio in Melbourne doesn’t just offer lash lifts, they also sell this eyelash growth serum for that works wonders! Lilash can help you retain those stunning lashes for around 6-10 weeks, depending on your natural lash cycle.
5. Lash Blossom
Sydney’s Lash Blossom Studio may have the most affordable lash lift you can go for. At just 90 dollars, you can go for a session and leave with beautifully curled lashes. What a steal! Pair it with any of their brow procedures to really make the most out of your visit.
And now you’re ready! You’re on your way to ditching those bulky eyelash extensions in favour of a revolutionary and natural looking lash lift. Always keep in mind the three things you need to clarify with beauticians before going for a lift: product, process, and aftercare. This will help you know for sure that they are trained to give the service and that they are using products safe for your delicate eye area.
Regardless if you plan on going for a quick curl or for the complete package with tint, you’re sure to stun your friends and family with a cleaner, more defined set of lashes. They’ll frame your eyes in all the right ways and consistently take your everyday look to a whole new level.
Maybe magnetic lashes are your thing? Here’s how to apply them.
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