It's no secret you can lift just about any body part these days: eyes, face, chest, butt -- if you can name it, you can lift it. Most of these procedures hold no appeal for me -- at least for the time being (who knows what the future and effects of gravity hold). But when an email about lash lifts hit my inbox, I immediately perked up.
I'm #blessed enough to have long lashes (thanks, Mom and Dad). The problem is, they're stick-straight, so without a few coats of mascara and an eyelash curler, they don't look all that impressive. (First-world lash woes, I know.) To complicate things, an old family legend about an aunt who once accidentally lopped off her fringe with an eyelash curler always makes me think twice before putting that menacing-looking clamp to my eyeballs.
A lash lift, which SugarLash enticingly describes as "a push-up bra for your lashes," would give my lashes that curl and lift, sans scary eyelash curler. Even more tempting, SugarLash promised the treatment would be done in under an hour, would last up to eight weeks and required little-to-no upkeep. Needless to say I enthusiastically agreed to be SugarLash's guinea pig.
Images: Selene Huang
I'm #blessed enough to have long lashes (thanks, Mom and Dad). The problem is, they're stick-straight, so without a few coats of mascara and an eyelash curler, they don't look all that impressive. (First-world lash woes, I know.) To complicate things, an old family legend about an aunt who once accidentally lopped off her fringe with an eyelash curler always makes me think twice before putting that menacing-looking clamp to my eyeballs.
A lash lift, which SugarLash enticingly describes as "a push-up bra for your lashes," would give my lashes that curl and lift, sans scary eyelash curler. Even more tempting, SugarLash promised the treatment would be done in under an hour, would last up to eight weeks and required little-to-no upkeep. Needless to say I enthusiastically agreed to be SugarLash's guinea pig.
Images: Selene Huang
It turns out that long, straight lashes like mine are ideal for this treatment, according to Courtney Buhler, the founder of Sugar Lash. People with really short lashes, on the other hand, aren't great candidates for a lift. If you have a stubby fringe, Courtney recommends using a growth serum and waiting eight to 12 weeks before getting a lift.
On Courtney's orders, I washed my lashes thoroughly with an oil-free makeup remover. Then, I got to kick back and close my eyes for about 45 minutes, while Courtney worked her magic.
She started by applying a gel pad under my eye with a skin-safe adhesive to protect my lower lashes. I'll admit, this felt a little weird, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Then, she applied the same adhesive to my top lids, which felt warm and tingly (think: a menthol-like sensation), which felt strange, but didn't freak me out.
Next, Courtney adhered a silicone shield to my upper lid. This shield is essentially the mold for your lash curl. There are several sizes, and your technician will pick the one that's best for your lashes. For me, Courtney selected the largest shield, which would produce the most dramatic results. (Go big or go home, right?) I should mention that the lash lift process is a bit different from a lash perm. A lash perm involves a sticky cotton curling rod.
She started by applying a gel pad under my eye with a skin-safe adhesive to protect my lower lashes. I'll admit, this felt a little weird, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Then, she applied the same adhesive to my top lids, which felt warm and tingly (think: a menthol-like sensation), which felt strange, but didn't freak me out.
Next, Courtney adhered a silicone shield to my upper lid. This shield is essentially the mold for your lash curl. There are several sizes, and your technician will pick the one that's best for your lashes. For me, Courtney selected the largest shield, which would produce the most dramatic results. (Go big or go home, right?) I should mention that the lash lift process is a bit different from a lash perm. A lash perm involves a sticky cotton curling rod.
Then, she brushed my lashes back over the shield and treated them with the lifting cream, which needed to sit for about 10 minutes (longer or shorter depending on how soft or course the lashes are). The lifting cream didn't feel like anything, but its strong old-school-perm scent gave me '90s flashbacks.
After applying the lifting cream, she locked the curl in place with a setting lotion, which required another five to 10 minutes of downtime (which I was more than happy to fill by chatting about terrible reality shows). Then she removed the solution with what looked like a lip gloss applicator.
After applying the lifting cream, she locked the curl in place with a setting lotion, which required another five to 10 minutes of downtime (which I was more than happy to fill by chatting about terrible reality shows). Then she removed the solution with what looked like a lip gloss applicator.
Because the tips of my eyelashes are blonde (aka nearly transparent), Courtney decided to tint my lashes as well. This isn't officially part of the lash lift process, but these two treatments are often done in tandem. And if you have blonde or partially blonde lashes like myself, I'd recommend adding a tint to get the most out of your lift.
To finish up, she applied oil, which helped her remove the shields, while conditioning my eyelashes, and then sent me to the bathroom with some oil to remove any lingering adhesive.
To finish up, she applied oil, which helped her remove the shields, while conditioning my eyelashes, and then sent me to the bathroom with some oil to remove any lingering adhesive.