Eyelash extensions are a great way to give yourself the ability to go out on the town and save an abundant amount of time from applying eye makeup in the morning. They are customizable, meaning that you can get that “dramatic look” or the “natural look” while still giving a brightening effect to your eyes. However, eyelash extensions have their cons, as most things do. In this post, I’m going to talk about the pros and cons of eyelash extensions, as well as sharing my experience with eyelash extensions and share with you some tips for perfect eyelash extensions.

I got my first set of eyelash extensions in December of 2017. I had seen many other girls getting them and thought they looked super cute. I did a bit of research on them, not sure what to expect in this new trend. I was scared that they would be painful and itchy.

Instagram pages for lash technicians were up and coming at the time, and a friend suggested to me a lash tech in my town, so I decided to check her out. When I checked out her page, I was mesmerized by her work, and yet a little frustrated with the price of them. Being a student in high school with little money and lavish taste can be frustrating. When I saw that I would be paying $80 for a set of extensions, I was sad for my bank account, but willing to do so. I was going on vacation, so I wanted to be able to not wear mascara, especially in the water. I was not wanting to have mascara smudges on my eyes that would turn me into a raccoon, so I decided to make an appointment.

The Process:

When I got to her house, she was very nice and welcoming and walked me through what she would be doing. It took almost two hours and was painless. The only times eyelash extensions are going to be painful is when

1) you’re ripping them out because they’re at a point where there isn’t enough to look natural (not recommended)

2) you get a poke in the eyelid from the tweezers (very rare)

Eyelash extensions are not painful, however they can feel slightly odd when being put on.

She asked me what length I wanted and I said I wanted “sort of natural, but just give me what the majority of your clients get”.

BIG MISTAKE.

When you pick out the length of your lashes, be VERY detailed because what their clients get might not be particularly what you want. Now, as this was my first time getting eyelash extensions, what someone might get was a very dramatic look to me. So, I learned after that I needed to get a shorter length in order to suit my taste and style.

She put cool pads under my eyes and proceeded to stick individual lashes on my eye. We made small talk the entire time, although many people do end up taking a nap as you do start to feel tired from closing your eyes on the bed-like table (which was very comfortable).

This is what the eyelashes looked like. Dramatic, right?

See, I actually quite liked the lashes, but to my mom and sister they made fun of me all night for getting them so long (my mistake). The lashes lasted through my whole vacation, even when we went snorkelling and I got them soaked.

This is my lashes after a week of vacation. Though slightly less full, they held up pretty well.

Although I had a pretty good experience with my eyelash extensions (with an exception to how long they were), I decided that it would be best for me to wait until the next special occasion and get them when I had more money to splurge.

I decided to make a pros and cons list in the process to decide if they were really worth it.

The Pros:

Look: Eyelash extensions can look great on anyone, and can make your eyes pop no matter what length you get.

Time: This was an important one, because any time saved in the morning for me is more time to sleep… and I love sleep

Reliability: If you have a good lash tech, you can be sure that you are going to get bang for your bucks and have long-lasting eyelashes. With this one, you really have to do your research.

Durability: Once again, dependent on your lash technician, but I was able to apply a full face of makeup (foundation concealer, eyeshadow, and eyeliner) without losing lashes, and it was very convenient for me.

Self confidence: Lashes look GREAT and can boost your self confidence!

The Cons:

Price: Some lash technicians can be very pricey, which makes it difficult with upkeep.

Cleanliness: This is important to me, as I value a clean face. Cleaning your lashes can be difficult without a lash shampoo and mites love to cling on to lash extensions. I found it difficult at times to clean them.

Sleeping: If you sleep on your face at night, you will sometimes find a pile of lashes on your pillow in the morning. I have had to adapt to sleeping on my back in order to prevent this.

Appointments: this is moreso if you have a lash tech that works from home, but many lash technicians book up quickly and aren’t easy to make an appointment with. This can be frustrating since you rely on them to fill your lashes.

Itchiness: Sometimes you just want to rub your eyes and unfortunately, lash extensions may not be for you if you touch your eyes a lot.

I still have eyelash extensions now, but I have a different lash lady and I pay a LOT less than what I did before. I like how she does them and her availability is frequently better than what I’ve had in the past. I love my eyelash extensions and I would recommend them to anyone who:

a) likes to sleep in

b) can afford to spend a few extra bucks

c) wants to spend less time on makeup in the morning





My current eyelash extensions

Quick tips for those wanting to get eyelash extensions!

Do your research! make sure you are getting value for your extensions, and not just getting them because you see a low price! Clean your lashes! Use a bit of cleanser and the eyelash brush they give you and brush through your lashes 2-3 times a week Try not to use oils near your eye, as this will cause the lashes to fall off more frequently. Try as much as possible not to sleep on your face! You can use eyelash growth serum with your eyelash extensions. I highly reccomend this, as you may lose some of your real lashes when your extensions fall out. Losing lashes is normal! Just be sure that it isn’t a significant amount, or you should talk to your lash technician. DO NOT try to remove eyelash extensions yourself!! I have made this mistake and have been left with a significantly less amount of eyelashes than I’ve had before. Your lash technician is able to safely remove them with glue remover and will leave you with your natural lashes better than removing them at home. Not a tip, but getting hybrid lashes (a mix of classics and volume lashes) looks great for a noticeable look! 🙂

I hope this information enlightened you, and helps you to decide whether or not eyelash extensions are right for you!

Alyssa 🙂