Lifestyle•Product Reviews•Random Musings•real life•Real talk
Why I Quit Getting Lash Extensions
September 18, 2019I know this is not a groundbreaking life-changing type of post but it was something that I got so many inquiries about on Instagram when I talked about it that I thought it would be a well-received blog post. This is the reason why I quit getting the lash extensions. Eyelash extensions are the new hot thing right up there with hand-tied hair extensions. I had been getting lash extensions for over three years and finally found my “go-to” girl who did a phenomenal job. I could pretty much go once a month and they looked perfect for a solid three weeks. Being a mom it gave me back a solid 15 minutes of my morning get the ready to time and to me, that was huge considering the fact my makeup takes me less than 5 minutes (pretty much swipe whatever is leftover from my makeup brushes) and out the door. I felt put together even when I rolled out of bed late. When I was sleep deprived it made me look a tiny bit more awake. It was just an overall easier time feeling like I wasn’t a walking zombie.
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So what made me stop you ask? Quite a few reasons actually.
The Cost
It was such frivolous money guys. I was spending over a $100 a month to have someone glue extensions onto my lashes. That is $1200 a year! When you think about it, it’s really excessive. I have actually used part of that fund to buy an on-demand workout app which I feel like is money better well spent. Plus, I was so sick of finding those lash clumps all around the house. In my sheets, the bathroom floor, the sink. It was really gross. It just felt like a little too much to spend every single month when a tube of Latisse costs that much and lasts me three months.
It Was “Too Much” for Everyday
I am a Nurse Practitioner by day and y’all when I would first get them done, I would literally feel my patients staring at me like is this girl really trying to tell me about my kid’s heart defect and she looks like she is ready to have Glamour shots right now? I even had some cut me off in the middle of my education to ask me if my lashes were fake. I mean they looked so pretty but they were obviously really fake. Like there is no way they were natural. It was so easy to get ready and go out just add a tiny bit of liner and red lipstick and I was done but for every day, I just felt like it was too much. Honestly, with all that said doesn’t it just feel like we are adding so much fluff onto ourselves? Lash extensions, hair extensions, fake tanner, lip injections, etc, etc. Can we go back to a little more fresh-faced and real around here? I’m just overall the pressure to look so over the top all the time.
It Started to Freak me out
If you have had lashes put on you know when you leave there your eyes are red and inflamed. Like that can’t be good for your eyes right? What kind of chemical fumes is seeping into my eyeballs? I had a terrible vision growing up and had two rounds of Lasix in order for me to stop having to wear contacts. I never want to do anything to compromise my vision. I know it’s only for a short amount of time once a month but it just started to bother me what toxins I was allowed near my most precious assets.
I Hated Coordinating to Someone Else’s Schedule
I am a busy working momma and I never know my schedule really in advance. I was terrible about booking my appointments early and before I knew it, it was time to get a fill and there was no availability for two weeks or I was having to go on a weekend when it was precious time away from my kiddo. It just felt frivolous after a while having a day off to run errands and get my lashes done. Maybe I’m just getting really low maintenance now but I hate having to coordinate with someone else’s schedule when my time off is very precious and few and far between.
My Natural Lashes Were Wrecked
Now I know they say it doesn’t make your lashes fall out and your own natural lash cycle allows for shedding every month, that’s not what I’m talking about. Perhaps it was because I had them on for so long but my lashes were tiny little nubs when I let the extensions fall out. I didn’t lose the number of lashes I actually had but they were so short! I think because the volume lashes were so heavy on them that they didn’t allow my own lashes to grow long and strong. I used to put Latisse on when I had them but then I found it made the lashes fall out quicker having the liquid by the lash line where the glue was.
When I let them grow out I couldn’t even get mascara on them for a solid month. There was no lash to grab with the wand. It took so much patience but I finally after three months have lashes that look good again with mascara. That was telling enough for me to never go back.
There are so Many Good Alternatives
Once I got my lashes off I got back onto the Latisse train and then ordered the Rodan + Fields Lash Boost. It is expensive but I am going strong with the same tube for two months and there is still plenty left. I do put it on a tiny applicator brush so a little goes a long way along the lash line. My lashes are growing back long and strong with my alternating of those two. I also got the Moxie Lash magnetic eyelashes when I want to extra glam it up going out or shooting pictures. My favorite is the Sassy Lash but I also got the baby lashes for every day. It totally works! I have NEVER been able to get false eyelashes to stick with glue but these are like witchcraft. Insiders tip, shake the bottle well before you use it, let it fully dry (like at least 5 minutes) grab the lashes with tweezers and plunk them down where you want. Try not to readjust too much because it pulls the liner and sticks to the magnets then they don’t stick as well. Then use a light cleaner like Bioderma to clean them when you are done. I am a total convert! I also started using the Thrive Cosmetics mascara (the dang commercials on FB got me). I LOVE that mascara. It curls and lengthens beautifully. I like how it tubes off with warm water and doesn’t leave any raccoon eyes. I do hate you have to buy from them directly but they sometimes have free codes for shipping. I also picked up the blur CC cream and it’s better coverage than the It Cosmetics in my opinion. I also really like that the wand is weighted. It’s worth the price tag.
Takeaways:
I really loved getting lash extensions. They made me feel pretty, put together, and made my mornings easier. I have moved on and my own lashes are strong and long again. I can glam myself up with some extensions and a little extra effort. Would I get them again if I was going on vacation or had a big life event? Heck yes but my days of sustained monthly maintenance are over. Tell me if you have or had lash extensions and what your thoughts or pet peeves are? Have you broken up with them yet? Tell me why! Also, this post felt so OG and awesome to me. I really want to get back into these real-life posts. Ally was one of my favorite original bloggers and she is back. I am so inspired by her how it used to be kinds of posts and I really want to get back there! Anyways <3 you guys! Hope you are having a great week!
I had toyed with the idea of lash extensions for the longest time, but at the end of the day I didn’t have the time for it LOL! xo, Biana –BlovedBoston
So true. You are doing amazing work! Thanks for sharing your wonderful posts. I used eyelash extensions. It was an epic fail. I ended up with about 10 extra lashes on each eye in random places and quickly began my quest for someone who could not only fix them but also up-keep them too. You should also know that I’m fake eyelash challenge in putting them on and often found in the past even while super carefully removing them they also remove some of my own lashes so fake is not an option for me. I have experienced a ton of make-up and cosmetic disappointments, so it’s super exciting to find a winner. Careprost is a miracle in a bottle! You can Google search for “HOTLASH247” ❤️ to find Careprost a waaay…cheaper. I applied careprost morning and night as directed for 5 weeks and already saw incredible results. They say it really shows around 3 months after. My lashes, now 2 more months later are significantly longer! Easily double the length of my before! They are like extensions or false lashes. I now apply once to twice a week to maintain and bought more today just before leaving this review, as it’s too fabulous to go without ever again! Note: I haven’t tried on my brows as the bare spots were micro-bladed before I got my hands on this product.
Its like false nails. I used to wear them for years & they TORE my natural nails up & ended up costing so much for fill-ins & upkeep. Not worth it.
Love this!! (And love this type of content!!) I totally agree and empathize with you about it being too much to upkeep with all the ridiculous pressure to be “perfect” now. I had to check myself last year when I realized what I had internalized all these unrealistic standards (laser hair removal, lash extensions, botox, boob job, fake nails, tan skin, etccccc). God designed us all in his image so we’re perfect as-is, who are we to take on the world’s view of what is attractive or “necessary” to be accepted? It’s ridiculous! I’ve also had doctors with huge fake lashes before and it’s honestly hard to take them seriously (and distracting), so I get what you mean with that too! Glad you have peace about letting it go and hope it frees you up to use those resources of time & money in ways you like a whole lot better! :)
I won a pair on instagram and loved them for weekends but people stared at me at work. And it took forever! They just aren’t worth it. Glad you found some good alternatives!
YAY for this post, I loved it! I also finally quit extensions and feel so free! It took a nasty eye infection for a month to convince me to never go back. All of your reasons are so good! Now I need to try the Thrive mascara – does it really curl?? It’s so hard to find a good curling mascara these days!
So glad you shared this! I just can’t bring myself to try them even though it feels like everyone is doing them. I want to do the Rodan-Fields though!