Now that I’m over 50, I’m always on the lookout for subtle ways to look younger. Forget about the overdone eyes that will never fully shut, or the plumped-up lips that look like you’ve been in a fistfight.
A much easier (and less permanent) way to look younger is to restore the length of your eyelashes. Unfortunately, thinning eyelashes are part of the aging process. And let’s face it – aside from helping to protect our eyes from debris, wind, and sun light – long, thick lashes have always been a sign of beauty and youth. I did some research online about what could be done for thinning lashes, and came across a safe, temporary fix – eyelash extensions!
Eyelash extensions are carefully applied faux-lashes attached to your natural set. Experienced technicians at highly rated lash extension studios, such as Blink Bar and several others in Los Angeles, use a technique that lengthens as well as adds volume and curl to each individual lash. When applied properly, eyelash extensions are actually less damaging to your natural lashes than constant mechanical curling and daily applications of mascara.
Extensions are done lash-by-lash for the best results, and the process takes about 90 minutes to complete on the first visit. Lashes can last up to two months if they are treated with care, but to keep them at their best, it’s suggested they be refreshed once a month.
Blink Bar uses two types of material, depending upon your budget – synthetic mink, (a silk/mink blend) or 100 percent Siberian mink from cruelty-free sources. There were many styles to choose from, and prices ranged from $59 for Kitty Corner (extensions on just the outside of the lashes) to $350 for a full set of Siberian mink lashes, the pick of many celebs.
I chose the “Dolled Up Deliah” style that opens the eyes. The website described them like this: “Perfect for flirting and fluttering, this set of lashes is shorter at the corners of your eyes and longer over the middle, enhancing the illusion of larger, wider, oh-so-innocent eyes.” Yeah, those were the ones for me.
Alas, 90 minutes later, I was looking at my larger, wider, oh-so-innocent eyes! Do I love them? Absolutely – it’s such a small price to pay to look a little younger. It makes a huge difference.
