What Are Lash Lifts & How They Transform Lashes

Lashes Are A Frame for Your Eyes

Whether you are rocking a beat face or a natural look the eyelashes always see to draw attention to the eyes and make the world focus on the windows to the soul. It seems like the beauty industry has taken notice because the days of coating your droopy lashes with a coat of mascara are no longer cutting it. Lash strips, clusters, individual extensions and now lash lifts are the most popular ways to enhance your natural set of lashes and sometimes even add a little more to them.

What is a Lash Lift?

Eyelashes are manipulated continuously lengthened, lifted, and thickened to achieve one result: lashes that POP! The lash lift is the newest beauty craze sweeping the lash care world. In the fashion and beauty blogosphere, it looks like more and more women are trying the lash lift during their summer vacations because of its low maintenance results. Trendsetters and trend followers alike have experimented with lash extensions. The addicting service adds everything you need to your natural eyelash without the glue or self-torture involves in the lash strip application process. The natural look of lash extensions is the real draw because they are attached to the root of your natural lash and look like they are coming straight out of your eyelid. However, the unfortunate thing about lash extensions is the shedding process. As the extensions start to shed, we all know that you will struggle with uneven lashes until your next refill appointment, or worse spend more money on camouflaging the transition with lash strips. Lash extensions also seem to hurt your real lashes. The remaining lashes that don’t fall out with the extensions are always short and stubby with little to no movement. Besides the issues that lash extensions have plagued us with, there are times that lash strips seem no better. For hours I have tried to stand in the mirror and master the art of trimming lash strips and fitting them across my upper eyelid. And let’s be honest, I know I have not been the only one to throw my hands up and create clusters to glue pieces of lashes in between my own because the large lash strip would not blend correctly. It seems like the lash lift could be my solution. Lash Lifting involves a perming solution. The popular Keratin lash lift uses a solution made of the natural ingredients: water, keratin, collagen extract, elastin, silk protein, amino acid, raw vitamin B, liquid biotin, coconut oil. Vitamin B6, zinc, and folic acid. This solution is being applied to your natural lashes to give you the semi-permanent lift and curl of a lash extension or strip.

Who Performs the Lash Lift Services?

You should only get your lashes lifted by a trained professional typically found at a lash bar, beauty spa, or salon. Because you are applying a chemical to your lashes and it does involve curling the lashes from the base of your lash you would not want an uncertified technician to get any chemical into your eyes or permanently damage your lashes by pulling them from the root.

How Much Does a Lash Lift Cost?

Lash Lifts can range from $75 to $150 depending on the brand your lash lift provider uses. However, because lash extensions can run you around $200 the lash lift service is less expensive than those mentioned above, and it can last anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks. Depending on your lash cycle most service providers will suggest that you come in after the 8th week to get a touch-up. Even though your permed lashes are treated to be lifted and curled, remember as your lashes shed the new lashes will come in straight and will need the same treatment to curl and lift.

Preparation Options

To prepare for your lash lift refrain from wearing makeup like waterproof mascara and using a curler on your lashes for about three days before your lash lift appointment. You want your lashes to be dry and not irritated so that it is easier for your lashes to take to the perming solution. Other than that there are no big things that you need to do to prepare for your lash lift session, just show up!

Customize Your Lash Look

The fantastic thing about a lash lift is that you can customize how you want your eyelashes to look. When you are talking to your lash artist be completely honest with her about your daily habits when concerning your lashes; the more you tell her, the easier it will be to help you get the lashes you want.

• Do you wear mascara a lot?
• Are you looking for lashes with volume and bulk?
• Do you like your lashes to spread out like a fan?

An easy way to answer these questions would be to use the type of lash strips or individual style that you gravitate towards as a guide to let your lash artist know what you're interested in. From this conversation and your actual eye shape your lash tech will know what size curl to and lift your lashes too. For those interested in more length you may want to apply a growth serum to your lashes. Unfortunately, the lash lift can only lift what you already have. If you want a drastic change in length, you will have to grow your lashes out first naturally.

The Procedure

The total time it takes to complete the lash lifting process is about 1 hour. After your initial consultation and the selection of the curl size, the lash tech will start with cleaning your lashes, hence why you may want to already come in with a clean face and no makeup. After your lashes have are clean the tech will separate your lashes (the bottom from the top) and tape down your lower lashes. Typically the lower lashes are not treated. The upper lashes are then combed out, detangled, and separated. Then a silicone shield is placed on top of your eyelid. The shield sticks to your eyelid with an adhesive that is similar to the glue used to apply lashes so if you have an allergy be sure to let your tech know so that they can plan accordingly. Once the shield is on to your lid, the lash tech will apply another layer of adhesive to the top of the shield. Next, the technician will comb your top lashes upward to stick to the shield. This is to get them in place to take their shape and where eye safe perming solution is applied. The perming solution is applied onto your lashes with a brush and stays on for about 6 to 12 minutes depending on the person. The length of time it takes for your perming solution to take effect really depends on your hair type. You can use the hair on your hair as a reference for the amount of perming time you will need to endure. If your hair is typically hard to curl and you have to curl it around the curling iron multiple times, you will definitely be on the 12-minute end of the spectrum. This is something that you should communicate to your lash tech during your consultation portion of the appointment so that they know they are in for a longer appointment. Sometimes the lash tech will have to remove the perming solution after the first 12 minutes and reapply for a second treatment in order to get your curl to form correctly. This is not abnormal. If you are wondering what the perming solution is actually doing and you are a little nervous about the word “perm” let me put your mind at ease. The perming solution is a softener and helps to soften the bond of your lashes to make it moldable and ready to change its shape. Following the perm, the lash tech will brush off the perming solution and then add the setting solution to harden the lashes. The solution restructures the bond so that your curl holds. After the setting solution is applied, the tech will put a nourishing lotion that doubles as a keratin treatment on the lashes. The lotion contains keratin, sodium PCA, aloe vera, grapeseed oil, glycerin, and a humectant to add moisture back into the lashes.

Lash Tinting for the Extra POP

Depending on whether or not you wear mascara on a daily basis you may want to ask your lash tech to really darken your lashes and create an illusion of more volume and length. If you are on vacay mode and you do not want to wear mascara you can add a lash tint to the lift service as well. The typical lash strand starts off dark at the base and lightens to an almost see through existence as the lash gets longer. The lash tinting process consists of adding a dyeing solution to your lower and upper lashes to make them darker from root to tip and look even more separated after the tech has combed through them. The lash tech can tint your lashes before adding the nourishing lotion to your lashes. The tint can stay on from anywhere between 10 to 20 minutes depending on how dark your lashes are. My suggestion would be to get the top lashes lifted, and the bottom lashes tinted to be more defined and really make your eyes POP!

After The Lift

The first 24 hours after the lash lift are the most important. You don’t want to do anything that could jeopardize the curl locking in so please take heed to the instructions below. 24 Hours After DO NOT:

• Get your lashes wet
• Expose them to steam
• Expose them to any time of moisture or humidity
• Apply Mascara
• Agitate the eyelid with eye makeup; you could affect the shape

Maintenance Tips: The Lash Lift vs. Lash Extensions

The result of the lash lift is significantly lower maintenance than the effects of lash extensions. While lash extensions cause you to be more cautious sleeping, washing your face, and wearing makeup the results of the lash lift is the complete opposite. Because the lashes curled are your own lashes, you do not have to worry about the lashes coming off as you complete your day to day activities. This makes the lash lift results extremely low maintenance. The only thing experts suggest: Apply a conditioning oil to the lashes nightly! The same oils that you use on your skin and hair are the same oils you can use to condition your lashes. Grapeseed oil or coconut oil is the perfect moisturizing agent to add to your lashes at night to keep them nourished. Think about it like the aftercare for your hair after you have colored it. Once your hair has processed you need to make sure you keep it moisturized to ensure it looks its best. It is the same with processed lashes.

Wearing Mascara

The great thing about the whole lash lift process is that you can still wear mascara, especially if you are opting out of the lash tinting service. You may be wondering why you would want to after paying for the lash lift. Think about wearing mascara before a lash lift. After using mascara, the lash that is straight and jutting out of your eyelid will get thicker, darker, and longer. However, when you are applying mascara to a lash that is curled up, and you can now see the lash will have all of those properties and be more visible. I repeat, you can wear mascara.

Loving the Lift

A quick hour and a lash lift and tint will give you the lashes you have been dreaming of. With the lash lift procedure emerging fewer women are opting to do the strip lash set or lash extensions when going on vacation because it is such an easy way to do less and have more time to relax. If you are looking for a lash spa that does the lash lift service, you can find one on Google. Just remember to call them to ensure that their technicians are certified before you make your appointment. If you do decide to try this new procedure, please be sure to leave us a comment below dishing on on the details and results!