My Lash Lift Experience ( +Mini Grande Lash Review!) ❤

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Hello, friends! Here is part two of my updated lash journey: my lash lift experience (and a little grande lash serum review to boot!). If you haven't checked out part one yet, take a peek at the first two posts about my lash extension journey here and here. If you're short on time → TL; DR I've had a great lash lift experience and much prefer them over lash extensions. Read on to hear why I love my lash lifts so much!

The Process:

In my experience, the lash lift process usually isn't too uncomfortable or unpleasant (especially if you have a tendency to doze off like I do... 😛) and is, by far, faster than the lash extension process. Rather than gluing on each individual lash (which can take anywhere between 1-2 hours for a full extension set) lash lifts are sort of a one and done process. Your lash technician will usually start by securing down your bottom lashes. Then, they'll begin the lift process by placing a guide (I think this is either plastic or silicon) on your eyelid and combing your eyelashes to glue them onto the guide. They'll then apply the perming solution, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, and then apply another conditioning solution which also sits for another 5-10 minutes. These time estimates are probably total crap estimates since I've never been able to actually open my eyes to check the time 😛, but usually I'm in and out the door within 30 minutes so it's definitely a quick process overall!

The only part of the process that can get a little uncomfortable is when the perming solution is on your lashes. The solution definitely smells like perming solution (aka horrid) and if the lash technician isn't careful and it gets to close to your eye - that stuff STINGS. Out of the many times I've gotten my lashes lifted this has only happened to me one time, buuuut you better believe I never went to that lash technician again! Generally, a good lash technician will be very careful, will check in with you to make sure everything feels okay, and will use a little fan to air out your lashes if there is any discomfort with the solution.

Before (w/o mascara)

After (w/mascara)

The Look:

When I first started getting lash lifts, my lashes were still pretty weak from having lash extensions. When your lashes are weak or thin, there is a greater chance that the perming solution will fry them rather than actually curl them. This is true when you perm your hair as well, but it's definitely more obvious when it's a tiny little lash! This happened to some of my lashes the first couple of times I received a lash lift, but after several months of using a lash serum, my lashes were much stronger, longer, and healthier. Now, this never happens when I get lash lifts.

Although the look of lash lifts is subtler on their own (I do not get lash tints so I cannot speak to how much of a difference a tint might make), the biggest difference between lash lifts and lash extensions is that you can use mascara on your lifted lashes. This means that you have the freedom to make your lashes as dramatic or as subtle as you want! For me, I find that a lash lift combined with mascara is just as effective in making my lashes pop but with far fewer limitations and much more comfort.

One of my biggest struggles as an asian woman with monolids is that my super straight lashes are difficult to curl. On top of that, it's difficult to get them to stay curled because my monolids will often weigh them down. This makes curling my lashes a huge ordeal with multiple lash curlers and at least 2-3 types of mascara involved. So, having a lash lift means that all I need to do is swipe on a couple of coats of mascara and my lashes are good to go! This saves me tons of time and honestly makes my eyes look just as bright as when I had lash extensions. Currently, my favorite mascaras for complementing my lash lifts are Maybelline The Falsies and Loreal's Lash Paradise. I've tried a slew of other way more expensive mascaras and the combination of these two drugstore mascaras is still the best by a long shot!

Mini Grande Lash Review: I can't talk about my lash lift experience without doing a mini-review of the grande lash serum I've been using because it has been a game changer for me. My lashes were super damaged for several months after I finally decided to ditch lash extensions so I started using the grande lash serum to try to save them! I'd tried a couple of serums beforehand but really only used them half-heartedly because I didn't think they were really going to make a difference. This serum is the first serum I actually used on a regular basis (every night) and by the first month or two of using it, I could tell that my lashes were already starting to fill in. Now, after using it for nearly a year, my lashes are in great condition, super long, and all the damage and gaps in my lashes created by lash extensions are completely gone.

I am extremely happy with the grande lash serum and will 100% continue to use it for as long as I'm putzing around and experimenting with different lash treatments. I think lash serums, in particular, pair extremely well with lash lifts because you need to have strong lashes in order to have something there to lift. I started with the lash serum but I'm now also testing out the lash conditioner as well. The only con for me has been the price point of the serum - it'll set you back $65 for a 3 month supply of the lash serum (In my experience it lasts anywhere between 4-5 months if you forget to apply it every now and then haha 😛) but given the difference it's made in my lashes, it's been worth the price.

Comfort: Alright, back to the lash lifts! The comfort of having a lash lift is where the massive difference truly is between lash extensions and the lash lift. I feel like with a lash lift, I can wear my contacts/glasses completely normally, smush my face into my pillow, and rub my eyes without having to worry that it's going to completely mess up my lashes. With lash extensions, I always had to be aware of my lashes and try to avoid touching them or else they might loosen and fall!

Durability: Unlike my experience with lash extensions, my lash lifts actually last as long as the lash technicians say they will! Usually it's recommended that you do not come back for another lash lift until after the 5-6 week mark for the health of your lashes and my lash lifts last almost exactly that long. Around the 4 week mark I'll usually start to notice that a couple of lifted lashes have fallen out and straight lashes have grown back in their place but it's a much more gradual process than when a whole extension falls out.

The Cost: My lash lifts cost me about $55 and last me anywhere between 6-8 weeks on average. This means that I really only have to go every 2 ish months - as compared to the insane 3 week time frame between lash extension fills that I used to maintain.

Final Verdict: I think I'm converted to lash lifts for life! Like I've said before, lash extensions are definitely still appropriate for special ocassions like weddings or vacations where you really don't want to be constantly touching up your mascara, but outside of that I can't imagine any situations where I would choose lash extensions over lash lifts.

Have you tried lash lifts or lash extensions? What has been your experience? I'd love to know your thoughts!

My Monolid Lash Extension Experience [Updated]

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Hello, friends! I've shared my lash extension review in the past and thought I'd share a little update since my first review post. Since then, I've had many (maybe too many!) more lash extension experiences and thought I'd share an updated version of my lash extension shenanigans. It's been a love/hate relationship and with all the new lash-related services out there it is so, so difficult to figure out which one is better for your eye shape and frankly your lifestyle!

If you want to read more about the whole lash extension process, check out my first post ( Something New: Eyelash Extensions). This one will be a bit of a rambly add-on that extends on my experiences after that!

A Little Preamble.

I started experimenting with lash extensions in 2017 but really didn't dive headfirst into my lash extension obsession until last year. I think I got lash extensions maybe 2-3 (?) times in 2017 but never thought it was worth doing regularly because of the cost and how uncomfortable they could be at times. I also never thought they were worth the cost because while they did make my eyelashes look longer, the difference wasn't as dramatic as I'd hoped it would be - given the price point. This is largely because with monolids, your eyelids push down your lashes so that no matter how long your extensions, they're still not as noticeable as they would be on someone with a different eye shape.

Lash Obsessed.

Last year, I started getting lash extensions regularly because I received a set of lashes that were super long and beautiful. I could tell that they were actually noticeable (even with my heavy monolids) and absolutely loved how low maintenance my makeup routine became after getting a fresh set of lash extensions. Although at times they were a little uncomfortable and they were still pricey - I felt like I was getting more out of my money when you could actually see them when my eyes were open.

Things Get Icky.

During these 8 months, I got my lashes filled every 2-3 weeks and usually paid somewhere between $55-$80 to get them filled. From what I can tell, that's not too bad of a price point for lash fills, but I started to run across more and more issues as time went on.

It started with minor things. I couldn't really wear my glasses or sunglasses properly because the lashes were so long that they'd interfere with my ability to push my glasses up. I was always wearing my glasses at the very tip of my nose - and as someone who is nearly legally blind, this was an issue.

With all lash extensions, you're also told you can't rub your eyes. Don't get me wrong, I know that you shouldn't rub your eyes all the time but there are certainly times where you really just want to get in there and make sure you've got all your makeup off!

After having these super heavy lash extensions for months, I realized that the glue that was holding them onto my lashes was starting to clump together which (a) looked awful and (b) was painful at times if the glue was angled in a way that caused it to irritate my eye. Having all of that glue stuck up there also started to obstruct my vision so I had the whole lot of them removed to give my eyes a break.

Things Get Ickier

After giving my lashes a bit of a break, I visited a different place to try out a new set of lash extensions (they're addicting - eek!) and learned that my lashes were horribly weak and short, so they were only able to put very short, light extensions on my lashes. I totally understand the need for keeping your lashes healthy, but for me, these short extensions were not worth it at all - frankly, you couldn't even tell that they were even there.

Things get worse though! After a couple of weeks of having lighter extensions on, my eyes started to have a massive allergic reaction. I ended up removing all of the extensions on my own because my eyelids were puffing up in response to the lashes? the glue? who knows?! After removing the extensions, my eyelids continued to puff and also started to peel and pus (yikes). This continued for months. Months y'all. It may be hard to tell that my eyes are puffy in the photos below, but given that I have monolids normally and some of these photos make it look like I have double eyelids....? It's pretty clear that there was some crazy puffing going on.

The Pros.

• I'm not going to lie, when I wasn't busy having an allergic reaction to the extensions, I really loved the long wispy lash look. It made getting ready in the morning pretty damn easy and if I ever had to stumble out of the house, I already felt like I was halfway done with the get ready process. I loved them enough to overlook a lot of irritating things about them.

The Cons.

• It's expensive, y'all. I've paid somewhere between $80-$150 for a full set of lashes and anywhere between $40-$80 for a fill.

• For my monolidded asian friends out there: if you live in a predominantly white area, be aware that lash places may not have the right lash extensions for you. Extensions are available in a lot of different types of curls but most places I went to in my super white midwestern city only carry a limited number of curl types that are not necessarily suited to monolid eye shapes. I'm convinced that if I had received eyelash extensions with a different curl shape (e.g., more of a J shape than a C shape) I wouldn't have had as many issues with obstructed vision and extensions hitting my glasses.

• A lot of small nuisances like not being able to use mascara, having the lashes hit my glasses, getting lashes stuck in towels, lashes obstructing my vision.

• Obviously the less than ideal allergic reaction that caused my eyelids to peel for nearly 2 months straight. 😝

• If you have naturally short lashes and you want your lashes to remain healthy, you're not going to be able to get the same drama out of your lashes that you could out of false lashes or even lots of mascara & curling. You could, of course, destroy your lashes (like I did) but clearly that's unsustainable 😅

• The lash extensions never lasted as long as the lash places said they would. They are supposed to last 4-6 weeks with the appropriate care but I swear that most of the time mine were 50% gone by week 2 - even with the appropriate care.

Final Verdict.

Alright, I know I've said a lot of bad things about my lash extension experience, but I haven't sworn off of them entirely. I still think they're a great option for special occasions like going on vacation, a wedding, etc - but it'll no longer be a regular part of my routine. In my experience, it wasn't the best fit for my monolids and they were more of a hassle and more expensive than they're really worth.

Buuuuuuuuut.... part of the reason I'm no longer regularly getting lash extensions is because I've found a new lash routine that I love love love even more and will be sharing soon - so, stay tuned! 🙂

*Updated check out my new lash routine here: My Lash Lift Experience + Mini Grande Lash Review

Ipsy Glam Bag Review | November 2019

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Ipsy Glam Bag is a monthly beauty subscription box that gives you a personalized bag of full-size and sample size beauty and make-up products for $10 a month. All of their products also come in a cute, handy little make-up bag!

Bareminerals: Bounce and Blue Blush in Mauve Sunrise | Full-Size $29

L.O.C.K. Color Boundation in 5 Medium Buff | Full-Size: $14

TheBalm Cosmetics: Mary-Dew Manizer | Full-Size $14.50

IT Cosmetics: Confidence in a Cream | Full-Size $16

Veriphy Skincare: Power Trip Facial Serum | Full-Size $105

Faves:

• IT Cosmetics: Confidence in a Cream - Honestly, in my eyes, IT Cosmetics can do no wrong! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every product I’ve ever tried from IT Cosmetics and just find all of their products extremely effective yet not too heavy or “make-up-y” on the skin (if you know what I mean!). Plus, I’m always pleasantly surprised by their price points for how clean and effective their products feel.

Flops:

• L.O.C.K. Color Boundation - This product was a huge bummer for me because I actually got to pick this product! Ipsy recently started allowing subscribers to pick one product out of every bag and in an attempt to try a new brand, I selected this BB Cream. Unfortunately, this BB Cream was a huge disappointment. The shade was a little dark for me but on top of that, it came across looking like a pretty heavy foundation rather than a light BB cream. I only use a small pea-sized amount of foundation usually and even with that amount, this BB cream looked super cake-y and heavy after half a day. I might keep this in my office make-up bag for emergency touch-ups but other than that, I don’t think I’ll be using this product much.

Shop Products:

Overall, this month’s Ipsy was a bit of a dud for me - especially the product I chose! I love that Ipsy is now allowing subscribers to choose one product for each month, but from here on forward, I’ll plan to choose products from brands I’ve actually heard of. Although Ipsy has a lot of well-known brands in its bag mix, it often throws in brands that are relatively unknown - and unfortunately, might not turn out to be so great. What did you think of your subscription boxes this month? Let me know in the comments!