I’m a no fuss, no muss kind of gal. Though I love being pampered and playing at makeup counters, I’ve come to the sad realization that “ain’t nobody got time for that” with two kids under the age of 4. Just getting the opportunity to swipe mascara on before I head into an interview is a beauty luxury. And believe me when I say, I do NOT have time to apply false eyelashes every morning — I’m lucky if I have enough time to get the kids dressed, fed, off to school and then head to my interviews and professional commitments in a socially acceptable ensemble.
So when I had the opportunity to get eyelash extensions, I definitely jumped at the chance. Think of eyelash extensions as the spa, zen-like, Super Bowl of semipermanent eyelashes — a technician/stylist applies individual eyelash extensions to each of your own, homegrown variety until both eyes are full of gorge lashes. Being a lash virgin, I turned to the experts and went to Amazing Lash Studio.
Amazing Lash Studio is a pristine spot where you will totally feel comfortable transforming your lashes.
Besides the lashes themselves, Amazing Lash Studio sells lots of handy-dandy products, including retractable styling wands, protective lash coating and more.
Anyone’s first full set takes about 1.5 to two hours, so make sure you give yourself enough time to get your glam on (the introductory rate is $79.99). Every lash studio is a little different, but at Amazing Lash Studio, you choose from four looks: Gorgeous (long and thick across the entire lash line), Natural (long and tapered to follow your existing lash line), Cute (longer extensions at the center of your lash line) and Sexy (longer extensions on the outside edge of the eyes).
I wear glasses pretty frequently, so I didn’t want the feeling of windshield wipers every time I blink. I told my stylist to give me a combo of Cute and Natural with medium thickness and medium length. Many first-timers go the conservative route; once you have a membership and are getting these babies applied every few weeks, you may go a little wilder with the sexier, longer choices.
Here’s the card that my stylist, Janelle, filled out based on my consultation. FYI, since my lashes were longer than we both realized, she tweaked this card slightly.
By the way, there are no “before” photos of me in this article. Just picture my pal Gollum, and that’s what I look like when I wake up in the morning (though my teeth are in better shape than his). Image: Complex/New Line Cinema
After you’ve given your request, make sure you let your stylist know of any allergies/sensitivities. I have super-sensitive skin and got a bit nervous when it came to the adhesive (I just pictured my face turning into that Will Smith scene from Hitch when his face swells like a balloon), so I had the allergy-friendly adhesive applied to my lids. Then it’s off to the bathroom, where you give your lashes a little bath with antibacterial soap and prep them for a day at the lash spa.
I entered my private room and prepped for the next two hours of lash loving. Janelle applied each one to each eye, and I just thought about all the things I needed to finish that day relaxed and fell asleep. A little pat on the back to genetics, as I was told that my natural eyelashes were super long and that we would need to tweak my preferences because my lashes are already on fleek. I digress …
Two hours came and went, and when the experience was over, my lashes were stylin’. Lots of my friends noticed right away (my mom even noticed over Skype), and, of course, the hubs took a few days of saying, “What’s different with you?” before realizing the change.
Finding my chill as I lay motionless for two hours while someone messes with my eyelashes and someone else photographs the experience. Easy, right?
The only thing that might be a bit tough for eyelash extension newbies, like myself, to get used to is the care and maintenance afterwards. For the first 48 hours, you cannot get your pretty little lids wet — no hot and steamy showers, no rough face scrubbing, no watching tear-inducing The Notebook or Titanic. Also, try sleeping on your back to avoid squishing these delicate eye framers, and don’t rub your eyes (I never realized how much I touch my eyes until I wasn’t allowed to do it). Once that initial application period ends, I was told to wash my lashes twice a day with an antibacterial soap, comb my lashes with a special brush and avoid oil-based facial products and those with glycol. Geez, these suckers are delicate!
The cool thing about eyelash extensions is that they naturally fall off when your own lashes shed (usually four to eight weeks), so no need to worry about glue removers and such. Amazing Lash suggests scheduling a refill every two to four weeks, depending on your activity level and lifestyle, but the refill process only lasts about an hour. If you’re in love with the look, that’s when a membership to the studio makes sense (contact individual studios, as prices can vary).
Keep in mind that the shape of your eye, the shape of your face, your comfort level and lots of other factors will influence how each style looks on your particular features.
Here’s the after: My lashes are killin’ it … too bad my brows need some TLC. You are not supposed to have on makeup when you arrive for your appointment, hence my cringing at any photo of me that day.
The question I’ve gotten a lot is, would I go back? I’d have to say yes. Because of my busy routine of being a working mom, having one less thing to fidget with in the morning (i.e. applying mascara) is great. Plus, it would be fun to experiment with different styles (“gorgeous” one month, “cute” the next). But I’m not gonna lie — those two hours of silence and pampering pretty much sealed the deal.
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Melanie, our StyleBlueprint Atlanta editor, had such an amazing experience at the Amazing Lash Studio in Atlanta that we wanted to make sure you knew there is a location here in Charlotte, too. Amazing Lash Studio is located in Park Towne Village at 1630 E. Woodlawn Road, Ste. 262, Charlotte, NC 28209. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call (980) 949-0887 or visit the website to book an appointment. And make sure to tell them StyleBlueprint sent you!