Busy Mum’s Cheat Sheet – Va va voom Eyelashes!

Let me first start off by saying that this is not a sponsored post nor is this an advertorial. Being a FTWM, I find that I am very strapped for time but I still want to look good hence I thought to share my experience here.

I have what I call the “work face” on weekdays and the “naked face” on weekends. (Though I can immediately think of 2 buddies who would say that I have the “RBF” instead. :p)

Weekdays are where I will have make up on which typically includes eyeliner, eye shadow, blusher and lip gloss as I have many interactions with customers on a daily basis. Weekends are where I would go almost bare face except for the sun-block and the brows.

I don’t know what about you but I go through a daily mad rush in the mornings where I need to prepare the kid’s snack bag (which can be anything from stir-fried tang hoon to cheese prata or to omu rice) and get myself ready to work and get her off scooting to school. Hence my make-up is done in the car which usually results in me making faces in the mirror to the amusement of fellow morning drivers. I love eye make-up because am blessed with double eyelids and I love how eye shadows can make my eyes “pop” a bit more. The removal of eye make-up at the end of the day, however, is another matter altogether, especially water proof mascara.

That’s when I decided to go for eye lash extensions.

:: What it is

Eyelash extensions is where a synthetic lash (could be single to multiple strands) is being attached to your natural lash forming a longer, curlier lash. It can be somewhat technical and this is where your lash technician can advise you on which option to choose. But as a rough guide 2D means that it’s 2 strands added to your lash, 3D means 3 strands and so on and so forth.

This is how a 3D strand looks like (mine) after it has dropped off.

:: The process

When I had my first extension, my lash technician suggested a more natural look for me so that it does not feel too dramatic. This is also the time where you can discuss with yours what “look” you like and your lifestyle ~ if you apply eye makeup often (lashes will need to be longer and fuller to be visible) or if you are pretty much prefer an au naturel look (lashes will then be shorter and less “dolly”).

Thus you will then need to discuss with your technician these things:

1. Length
2. Thickness
3. Whether it is 2D, 3D, 4D, etc
4. The Curl (i.e. the curvature ~ generally the curlier ones give a more dolly look)

Surgical tapes are placed on your eye area to protect and “lift” the eye lid to aid the therapist in gluing the extension to your natural eye lash. A few friends have actually voiced their concerns over the extensions – if it will be too “heavy” and causes balding, that it feels awkward etc.

This is where you need to note one important thing: the right way to do the extension is to attach the synthetic lashes above your root. NOT on the eyelid and certainly NOT on the root. Below are the typical questions that I get from my friends after they saw and like the dolly look. And because I am nice (LOL), I will list them here for you :)

:: Common questions

1) Does it hurt?
No, it does not and should not hurt. As shared above, the extension is on your natural lash, ABOVE your root so it should not hurt at all. Having said that, the glue does emit fumes and there could be feeling of "smarting" but it lasts no longer than a few seconds. I only experienced that perhaps twice / thrice in my 3 sessions. A note of advice: do check out with your lash technician on the type of glue and do highlight to her if you have any skin allergies.

2) How long does it last? 
Generally most websites that I visited prior to doing them will state that the classic lash extension (1 extension : 1 natural lash) lasts about 3 weeks in general. 2D can last about 4 - 5 weeks with 3D about 4 - 6 weeks. Having said that, it also depends on how you look after your lashes - if you sleep face down, then of course the lashes will break off.

3) Is it hard to maintain / care for it?
So far, I have not done anything different since having extensions except to skip mascara and eyeliner. The latter can be used but it needs to be water, not oil-based. Mascara is a no no as apparently, it causes the lashes to get crusty and honestly, you won't need them.

I still wash my face by gently splashing water to rinse off except that I am more gentle in drying my face after wash (I use my index fingers to gently pat my eye lids).

To show you, the top photo is my extensions after 2 weeks with the bottom photo, a refill. The top photo is not as "full" because I did not brush them out and also, some would have dropped by by then. But honestly, it looks pretty decent and it could have lasted another week before a refill.

And here's a side view of the 2-weeks old lashes - as you can see, it still looks very full and has a "lifting" effect :)

4) My lashes are sparse - can I still go for extensions? 
As long as you have lashes, you can go for some form of an extension. Unlike Dumpling who has thick and full eyelashes, mine are thin and sparse! Just see the pic below

And this is the front view of me after the extension! I personally love the "uplifting" effect and how I do not need to use mascara and spend so much time to remove them anymore! (Left photo is taken immediately after my refill while the right photo was taken the following morning.)

5) Do they feel awkward or heavy?
In all honesty no. If you have applied mascara before you will probably know that you can somewhat see the tips of your lashes and this was what I felt. Was it heavy? No, it was very light and "fluffy" and feels nothing like the falsies we stick on as those are much thicker and heavier.

The interesting thing is when I first did mine, I did a 2D extension. However, because I wanted a fuller set (hence more visible), I did a 3D extension in the next session. Interesting, the 3D felt lighter than the 2D and this would be because with 3D, the lashes need to be really thin.


6) Where can I have mine done?
There are many salons in Singapore so do look and ask around and ensure that your technician is properly certified. I did mine at a home salon because she was highly recommended by my (home salon) manicurist, whom I have been lusting over her lashes for some time before asking her for the recommendation. :)

In the event you are situated in the West, here's my lash technician contact.

:: Allure Secrets
Address: 229 Bukit Batok East Ave 3
Facebook page
Website
And here's the page to her charges
(And no, I am not getting any discount or any incentives from "referrals")

EDIT: Just so you know, lash technicians are like our facial therapists / manicurists where their appointments are often filled up very quickly. So, you will usually need at least 2 - 3 weeks of advance booking.

Disclaimer: This is neither a sponsored post nor an advertorial. All opinions expressed are entirely mine and your experience may differ so please discuss with your lash technician on your preferences. 

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