Lash Out

While eyelash extensions are playing peek-a-boo on the trend-scape, eyelash perming and tinting are the haute buzzwords soaring the curiosity levels of women, who like to experiment with their look. If celebrities like Julianne Moore, Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift are flaunting them, it is time you said hello to them, too! Only word of advice: be well-versed with what you are getting into.

Any guesses, as to what happened to eyelash extensions? Well, don’t twitch your eyebrows too hard you could end up getting crow’s feet, and that’s not desirable. If you actually could not remember that it was a trend, then it is time for a little bit of memory churning! Eyelash extensions surfaced as this rage that had half of Hollywood’s female actors and top runway models down on their knees, and embracing it instantaneously. Like any other fad that Hollywood and catwalks flaunt, commoners too followed suit, and boom, it spread like wild fire in numerous parts of the privileged world. Somehow, by the time the craze landed in India, its acceptability and popularity plummeted rapidly. Hence, it almost made a blink-and-miss appearance, vanishing from the radar of semi-permanent makeup. So to begin with, extensions are back, and with a bang, and with some ultra chic variations. When I first dropped the words, eyelash tinting and perming, for discussion, the first reaction, heard in my immediate realm of colleagues and friends was, ‘are you kidding me?’ Of course, in return, I did react with the usual ‘I-know-it-all’ pretence, ‘you don’t know?’ But in my heart, I was jumping to say, ‘Yeah buddy, I too was bewildered and wondered ‘what the hell was that?’

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However, staying true to what we do, and as purveyors of beauty and fashion, ‘a trend, is a trend, is a trend’, and we thought it was our bonafide duty to apprise you with all the hows, whys, dos and don’ts of it. And if you get fascinated by the trend and are interested in it, all the best to get it right, and the selfies too, if that’s your calling! So, here’s more on the kind of treatments that you could latch on to, for your lashes.

EXTEND THEM ALL, SEASON ONE!

Perhaps, the first and slightly forgotten generation of eyelash treatments, extensions have been around for some time now, but somehow have not caught up much like other beauty and makeup trends. So what exactly are eyelash extensions, you may ask, if all you know about it is, its name? Of course, the name is self-explanatory, but no harm in getting to the ‘root’ of it. Lash extensions are a process, through which, you can add thickness and length to your natural lashes, that aren’t as thick, dark or long, as you want them to be. And until now, one could only turn to mascaras, to get close to such desired effects.

So in this procedure, professional eyelash experts, technicians or estheticians apply false lashes–to be precise, one hair strand at a time to the lash line, or existing one, using an adhesive that is safe for the eyes. To give you a dose, of reality, this process is truly a lesson in patience and endurance, and could be tediously long, going up three hours, and moving during the process, is prohibited.

BACK AGAIN, CURLED UP AND TINTED

You could call this, the season two or three in the trend of eyelash treatments. So what exactly do the processes of perming and curling entail. “The perming process curls your eyelashes, while the tinting process makes them look darker, like you are wearing mascara but without the trouble of applying and removing it daily,” explains Dr Harshna Bijlani, the Medical Head and Co-founder of Ageless Clinic in Mumbai. She further adds, “In this treatment, your own eyelashes are enhanced and there is no need to stick on fake eyelashes. In the first step, your natural eyelashes are permed using specially formulated solutions. In the second step, your eyelashes are tinted. For the treatment, we use specially formulated imported eyelash tints that are safe and effective. The entire procedure takes about an hour. It is totally painless and comfortable.” The common varieties of tints that are available are brown, black, blue black and very dark black, to name a few.

Coming to more queries that could cross your mind, like where can one get it done, or who are eligible to undergo the process, here are some vital pointers. In India, like nail bars, perhaps, the possibility of an exclusive eyelash treatment centre, is a thing of the future. However, if not several, there are some salons and cosmetic clinics across the country that offer eyelash treatments as one of their advanced services. Since, the possibility of getting a word-of-mouth recommendation could be difficult at this level of the recognition of this trend, a quick Google search or Yellow Pages enquiry, should be able to give some options. A fruitful thing to do would be to verify their credentials by checking online reviews or giving it a shot in asking around, unless you want to be totally hush-hush! And it is always a useful step to do a previsit, preferably to two or three of them, mull over it, compare the upsides and the downsides, and then take your decision. A tip that works, is always put your gut feeling above a flashy, seemingly convincing technician or a marketing person.

The quality of the salon or clinic, and its level of hygiene are pivotal; as be warned you are dealing with the most sensitive part of your face. You don’t want eye irritation, allergies, or God forbid, eye damage in your want of longer or stylised eyelashes. Secondly, you must enquire about the esthetician or cosmetologist who will carry out the procedure. Don’t be hesitant in asking about the person’s training background, and a possible physical copy of their certification.

Another serious word of caution here; you might see videos of processes of eyelash treatments and tutorials, inundating the Internet. However, come what may, do not try a DIY, as dealing with sharp tools, so close to the eyeball, could actually be highly dangerous. Also, if you are looking at tinting them, do not try to colour them at home or in a parlour that uses normal hair dye, as they could cause permanent eye damage.

Before you set out and, seek a pre-visit or appointment, no matter how fashionable you are, and how swift you are with subscribing to new trends, knowing a tad more would simply make you sail through the decision making, and process better.

WHO THE PEOPLE?

This procedure is available to anyone who wants to have luscious looking lashes and budgets vary with different places.

LONG AND STRONG?

Your natural lashes fall out every two to three months. However, just like the hair on your head, you don’t get to know, when an old one has fallen and a new one has grown in its place. False lashes are usually thicker and longer, than your natural lashes, so when they fall, you may notice it more, as a new one won’t grow in its place. If you follow the after-care regime suggested by your esthetician religiously, they would stay longer. Otherwise, they could fall out anywhere from a week to a couple of months along the line.

HOW MUCH TO BEAR?

It does not fall in the category of a painful procedure, but some people show signs of rejections to the process and materials used. The advisable thing is to not suffer any kind of pain or reaction, and avoid continuing with the process. However, if there are mild signs of burning or irritation, a good esthetician, (that you must choose by all means) should be able to guide you with the best possible advice and solution.

MASCARA, ANY MORE, ANYONE?

You already have better and longer ones, but still if mascara has become your life ritual or maybe you want to apply a colour, then sure you could go for them. However, you need some serious skills here; any harsh or hasty application with the brush could make you end up damaging or pulling off your extensions. A wise thing to do is apply it on the tips and not go near the joints. That’s not all. Care needs to exercised while cleaning the lashes, as heavy strokes or any unsuitable makeup removal agent (especially oil-based) could result in the same damage that is caused by applying extensions without caution. Try and use a wipe of a material that won’t leave fibres behind as they could get stuck to the lashes and cause harm.

UNFORTUNATELY, NOT FOR YOU!

This is perhaps not written in the book, but reality always wears a non-glamorous garb. And perhaps the salons and clinics in their bid to increase sale numbers may not caution you on these small but important impasses. If unluckily, you don’t have eyelashes at all, from where will one extend them, or perm or tint them? You might have to look for a more serious surgical procedure to grow them from the root. Ironically, if you are endowed with super curly lashes, joining new ones may not be easy or as effective. Furthermore, if you are a contact lens wearer, as it is, your eyes are dealing with a foreign body on the eyeballs. Be discerning before signing up for double trouble. And if at all, you are going ahead with the procedure, try not to wear contact lenses while getting the procedure done. In fact, whether you use contact lenses or not, it would be worthwhile to visit an eye doctor to get your eyes checked for any existing allergies, and discuss with the practitioner, if the eyes are in a good condition to deal with any such procedures. Though this many not appear like a barrier, but if you are one of those, used to rubbing the eyes too often, then eyelash treatments are not for you!

LAST AND NOT LOST

Let them get your back, as you sleep on it, sideways or face down could lead to damage. Again, don’t rub your eyes too much. Also, be careful while washing your face. Do not immerse lashes in water for longer hours this will actually remove the glue. Avoid running water directly on your lashes, when in the shower. Do not comb the roots of the lashes–this may cause your natural lashes and extensions to fall prematurely. Also, avoid steam or sauna. Do not use a mechanical eyelash curler, as they need a gentle touch.

AS YOU ‘DON’T’ LIKE IT

Chances are, even after all the research and analysis, once you have them on, you do not like the look and feel of it. However, do not try and remove them yourself, and it is advisable to go to a professional to have them removed, as they would know how to remove the fake and not the real ones.

From the January 2016 issue of L’Officiel India.