Batting my Lashes
In August I will be the recipient of an award from the local business newspaper – The Business Examiner. Each year, The Business Examiner, holds a Top 40 Under 40 event celebrating business persons under the age of forty in Tacoma. This year, my business partner and I are among the recipients! The event includes a photoshoot for all the recipients and the resulting images get shown on the website and at the event. So of course we did what any sensible business owners would do when on the receiving end of a MAJOR AWARD (careful, it’s fra-jeel-ay)– we put eyelash extensions on the business account.
Now, for those of you who don’t know, eyelash extensions are individual fake lashes that are applied with careful hands, tweezers and glue to your real eyelashes. The effect is that you have somehow magically grown giant cow length eyelashes. Unlike a standard set of fake eyelashes that glue on to the eyelid above the lashline, these look integrated into your own lashes. Basically, your eyes now look like every mascara commercial on TV.
The Stats: In my neck of the woods they cost about $100 (plus tip) and last about two weeks. At two weeks you can get a “fill” appointment that can cost $50, but wait until three weeks and that will cost more. They take about an hour and fifteen minutes to put in and you must be ok with having your eyelids taped in place and have someone poking around on your lash line.
The Pros: As I said, your eyes now look like a mascara commercial ALL the time. This is great when you just woke up and have no make-up on. Somehow, I look delightfully rumpled instead of my normal slightly dead. Since one of the rules is that you can’t wear mascara on them (impossible to clean without taking them out) there is less make-up time involved in getting ready. And for the most part, people really can’t figure out what you’ve done to look so smashing.
The Cons: My eyes were a bit red and others report a stinging sensation on the first day. For me, I just felt like I had grit in my eyes for the first two days. Also, every once in awhile one of the falsies twisted around and stabbed me in the eyeball. Youch! They do have to be treated GENTLY. If you’re a side sleeper, be prepared to lose a few early after they get ground into your pillow overnight.
Conclusion: If you’re looking at a week with multiple events, particularly ones where you’ll be featured in photos, eyelash extensions might be the way to go. My business partner had the awards photoshoot, a family picture photoshoot and a high-school reunion in the same week – that’s the kind of week that makes the cost and effort worthwhile. I probably didn’t need them for one photoshoot, but I’ve enjoyed batting my giant lashes for a few weeks.
