It’s been one week and I have yet to apply a coat of mascara. Why? Oh—because mascara is dead. Look what you made me do… I got eyelash extensions! (Ha, like my T-Swift song reference?)
I recently got them after years of wondering what it would be like to wake up with long, lush and dark eyelashes without having to use a mascara wand. I went to Brightwater Spa (located in my neighborhood of Columbia, MD) to get Bella Lashes, and the talented lash expert Shannon Ross applied them. It’s been about a week, so I’m very used to them by now and I couldn’t be happier with them.
The lash extensions process was much easier and more comfortable than I thought it would be. I had heard horror stories about eyelash extensions gone wrong, but I quickly learned that would never happen… as long as you go to the right place.
See before/ after pics of my new eyelash extensions after the jump!
If you’re thinking about getting eyelash extensions, here’s a quick rundown of what to expect:
What’s your lash style?
One of the first questions Shannon will ask you is, what kind of lashes would you like? On a spectrum of natural to Hollywood glam, I personally fell somewhere in between. We decided she would apply a full set and give me lashes that were the same length as my real ones, but darker and curlier.
Be patient.
An appointment for a full set of lash extensions takes approximately 1.5 hours. When you’re consciously thinking about keeping my eyes closed and still, the more difficult it was to keep myself from twitching. The good news is, Shannon was very patient too. She was always transparent about what she was doing and when.
She warned me of any burning sensation I might feel during the process but I have to say, I never felt like my eyes were burning. Everyone handles eyelash extensions very differently, so I feel very lucky that my eyes were not bloodshot red by the end of it (although, that’s a fairly normal side effect too). In all honesty, the best thing to do is just relax and take a nap!
It requires *some* maintenance.
Along with my new look, I received a card with a list of rules, a clean spooley brush and a bottle of eyelash extensions cleanser. The extensions require daily combing. You must not get them wet within the first 24 hours. Don’t go near an oven or extreme areas of heat as it could distort the lashes. You can wear mascara with extensions (trust me, you probably won’t need to) but you must NOT use an eyelash curler and you must always use an oil-free makeup remover. Not following the rules can drastically distort your lashes.
Personally, my lash maintenance has been easy peasy because I’ve opted not to wear mascara, liner or even eyeshadow. Waking up with long, lush lashes has been a dream come true that I don’t feel the need to apply any additional eye makeup.
Eyelash extensions are addicting.
I know this because I’m now just starting to realize how I ever lived without them. The extensions are supposed to last three to four weeks, and from there you can get them filled in (which are slightly shorter one hour appointments). If you don’t go back for fill-in appointment, expect a ton of shedding.
Shannon’s schedule is booked months in advance so I know I’m in good hands. I can’t wait to head back to my fill-in appointment in a couple weeks! I’m thinking about keeping these babies on through the holiday season because that would save me so much time getting ready.
Not sure eyelash extensions are for you? Check out Brightwater’s menu of spa services here. If you have any other questions or concerns about eyelash extensions, hit me up on social media!
Brightwater Spa provided complimentary Eyelash Extensions, but all opinions in this post are my own.
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