I was completely hooked on lash extensions the second I sat up from that inaugural two-hour application session and the stylist handed me a mirror. They were so long, so thick and so beautiful. I felt impossibly glamorous and immediately signed up for a membership plan. That, my friends, was the beginning of a year-long love/hate love affair with my Marilyn-sized lashes.

They earned me compliments wherever I went — at the gym, in my Uber, standing in line at Chipotle, walking down the street, amongst my circle of friends. Early on, I remember a friend staring at my lashes and just saying, "I can't believe how good they look." Same, girl.

But like all things, I learned that eyelash extensions had their fair share of cons in addition to all the benefits. First of all, maintaining them requires a lot of costly and timely upkeep with one-hour visits every two and a half weeks. After crunching some numbers, I realized I was spending about $200 and three hours per month on this luxury, or $2400 and 36 hours a year. Yikes!

Second, even if you take utmost care of your lashes by going to a reputable salon, using approved cleansers, skipping oil-laden moisturizers (which weaken the adhesive), and brushing them every day (yes, they do get tangled), extensions inevitably take a toll on your natural lashes.

About six or seven months in, I noticed that my own lashes were becoming pretty brittle, and when an extension would fall off (as they naturally do) it would reveal a stubby, thin baby lash in its place. My stylist recommended that I give my lashes a break from extensions for about a month, but I didn't listen. Just as the year mark approached, though, I made the tough decision to cease my membership and go back to the ol' mascara wand. I did not take this decision lightly, either — there was a pro/con list and everything.

Walking out of that removal session I was honestly embarrassed at the state of my lashes. They were short, sparse and thin because they were damaged. They felt even more so after having worn the super long, shadow-casting lashes for so long. I immediately begin seeking out ways to recover my eyelashes from the damage.

Cover image via Imaxtree

First thing's first: I invested in a set of glue-free falsies that I could wear every day while my lashes were growing out. I went through about four different brands before I found my favorite: the One Two Lash Uptown Lash, $69. Others I tried were too bulky, too hard to apply, or wouldn't get close enough to the lash line, but these clicked on easily and looked almost exactly like my extensions. Fun fact: they cost the same amount as one appointment.

Though I was wearing the falsies almost daily for the first two to three weeks, I did sometimes opt for mascara. I reverted back to one of my old time favorites, CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara by LashBlast, $8, along with Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara, $25, for special occasions. I also recently incorporated Milk Makeup Kush High Volume Mascara, $24, into the mix, which is formulated with ultra-nourishing CBD oil to strengthen and bolster lashes. It also contains miniature heart-shaped fibers that dramatically extend lash length and maximize volume.

Another effective step I took was incorporating a lash growth serum into my routine immediately after my extensions were removed. I wasn't interested in getting a prescription for Latisse, so I sought out products that were potent, had excellent reviews and were available over the counter. After some research, I opted for Lashfood Phyto-Medic Eyelash Enhancer, $78, which ended up being an excellent choice. It's formulated with medicinal herb extracts, an amino acid called arginine, lavender water and soy protein.

Within a month of doing religious nightly applications, I noticed a serious increase in my lash length. Two months in, my lashes were definitely longer than they were even before getting extensions. I'm not exactly sure how the product works so well, but it does — the 10k hearts and string of positive reviews on Sephora offers further proof of that!

Along the way, I discovered that cleansing properly was a key part of recovering your lashes. It turns out that lingering makeup residue can actually contribute to their brittleness because it dries them out. Removing every last speck of product is super important.

After some hits and misses, I eventually established a set cleansing routine that begins with Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser, $36, which is loaded with antioxidant-rich ingredients like kale, spinach and green tea and does an excellent job of gently removing makeup. For good measure, I follow up with a soft, reusable cotton pad soaked in Bioderma Sensibio H2O, $14.90, which is a micellar water that effectively removes all traces of product without the need to rub or scrub your lashes (also super damaging).

It's been about six months since I got my eyelash extension removed and I'm proud to say that they're in better condition now than they've ever been. I currently reserve the magnetic falsies for special occasions, consistently remove all traces of makeup from my face and eyes and continue to apply the Lashfood serum nightly. The Milk Makeup Kush mascara, which only launched about a month ago, is also my current go-to for its ability to dramatically enhance my current lashes while doubling down on nutrition.

Tl;dr? Get your eyelash extensions professionally removed, invest in a lash grown serum immediately, use magnetic falsies to help assuage the loss of your lusciously long lashes and make sure you're cleansing super well.