Perfect Lashes, Fabulash Mornings
STEPHANIE NG ZOE YEE discovers why many people use eyelash extensions to rock the #nomakeup look, and how the convenience and confidence boost attracts more people to hop onto this beauty trend.
Photo on the left: Miss Chang doing eyelash extensions for her clients on a retractable chair instead of a typical flat lash bed. Photo on the right: A before (top) picture and after (bottom) picture of eyelash extensions showcasing how extensions enhance the look of the eye.
PHOTO CREDITS: MISS DANA CHANG
Miss Sharlene Loh, regularly gets lash extensions because they “create depth, and make your eyes look very big”. She says that she feels “very naked and very bare” without eyelash extensions.
According to an article by The Lash Academy International, there are more people who do eyelash extensions for special occasions. With Christmas coming up, more lash technicians are seeing more customers and some lash salons are becoming fully booked.
Miss Dana Chang, who owns LushLab and has a certification from Singapore Lash Centre, runs a thriving business. She says that she does not usually “recommend dramatic [lashes] because the trend now is a little bit more natural”.
There are different kinds of eyelash extension styles from natural to dramatic Kim K and Cat Eye lashes which range from $40-$300 depending on the lash salon and chosen lash style. The type of extension requires the expertise and experience of the lash technician.
Miss Chang says, “I would need to see what fits [their] eye and face shape, not all lashes suit everyone and that everyone has unique and different eyes.”
For Miss Loh who is a nursing student in a polytechnic, having eyelash extensions saves her time in looking professional.
“By having the extensions on, it saves a step in my make-up routine. It became a convenience [in] my life,” she says.
However, maintenance is key for the extensions to last up to two months.
Miss Chang advises those with eyelash extensions to brush dry lashes twice a day, not to put makeup near the area, and not to let water touch the lashes while showering.
If the lashes are not well maintained, the chances of “dirt getting stuck in the roots of the lashes caus[ing] an eye infection or growth” is much higher, says Miss Chang.
A brochure shows tips for people with eyelash extensions to follow.
ILLUSTRATION CREDITS: MISS CHANG
Getting eyelash extensions is a generally painless process according to Miss Loh. But this is not the case for Miss Sophie Inez who shared her bad experience with a lash technician.
“She used plastic tape that’s not for the eyes at all, and then poured the glue mixture right in the middle of my forehead,” Miss Inez says.
By this time, Miss Inez knew something was wrong because this was not her first time doing extensions, and because the “glue smelled like super glue and it stung even through the mask”.
Miss Inez suffered from eye inflammation and no longer goes back to the same salon, although she still continues to have eyelash extensions.
To find a reliable lash salon, Miss Loh shared that on top of “look[ing] at reviews, people should go two times to see if the lash technician’s work is consistent”. Miss Chang added that customers should find salons that show the final price because “it is not very ethical to clickbait customers with false prices”.
Dr Phoon Yishan, Medical Director and Consultant at Radium Aesthetics, believes that “proportion and nature is key” and that everyone can still be “gorgeous in their own unique way”.
“Lash extensions can be a beautiful adjunct to anti-ageing and enhancing one’s looks. But not too over done to the point of having lashes so thick and long they block one’s vision, or create a gust of wind whenever they blink!”