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

Work from Home Tips | Be Kind to Yourself!

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With the work from home trend becoming a long term thing and a new normal for many people across the globe, I've seen a lot of articles pop up with tips and tricks for working from home (WFH). Although I am a big believer in the WFH lifestyle, a lot of the guidelines out there about working from home tend to focus overwhelmingly on being productive rather than on maintaining balance. I spend about 90% of my time working from home as a PhD student and I've tried just about every WFH tip out there over the past 3-4 years! Over time, what I've realized is that, for me, one of the best things about being able to work from home is the ability to embrace balance and health - rather than constantly trying to maintain motivation! So, here are my tips for working from home - with a self-compassion spin :)

Relax your routine. While you might aspire to have the same 9-5 type hours as you would working from an office, working from home is a totally new normal that requires time to get used to! I'm fortunate enough to be able to control the hours I work as long as I get my work done which means that, sometimes, if I don't feel motivated in the mornings, I'll work at night - or vice versa. Right now, in the summer, I prefer spending a couple of hours a day outside and swap those for hours spent working in the evening. I realize a lot of people who are working from home are still be tied to a 9-5 style workday so it may not be possible to rearrange your hours a whole lot - but you can still try and relax your routine when it comes to the types of tasks you do or the meetings you take. If you find virtual meetings exhausting maybe try and schedule them for a day/time when you know you'll feel more well-rested or if you normally tackle emails first thing in the morning and simply don't feel ready for them one morning, go with the flow and tackle them at a later time. Oftentimes, I think we have a tendency to want to follow a clear, rigid schedule but our bodies and minds don't always work like that and it's especially important to embrace those ups and downs amidst the changing environment we're now facing.

Work somewhere you want to be. This goes hand in hand with the point above about going with the flow! Overwhelmingly we're told to be stricter with our schedules and to create a space that is designated for work so that we'll be more motivated and productive. While I agree that there are some tasks that require focus and need a dedicated work space, in reality, when I worked in an office, I often still spent time in conference rooms, on couches, or even on outdoor patios changing up my space to try and spice up what can otherwise be a long, boring workday. I do the same thing now while working from home. While it's true that working from your bed probably isn't the best idea - that doesn't mean you have to be chained to a designated work desk! During my work days I usually switch up my location at least 2-3 times. Sometimes, I prefer working at the kitchen table, other times I'm lazing about on the couch or working on the floor - wherever strikes my fancy that day. I find that listening to my own mind and working from where I want to be in the moment usually makes me a happier worker.

Find your music. Working from home during quarantine kind of feels like a never-ending work fest sometimes when there's nowhere to go, you go to sleep after work, and just repeat the whole thing over again. Whenever I'm feeling really blah and frustrated by the monotony, I play music to try to get me out of my funk. It can be whatever motivates you!

Get a bit of sunshine. This one is self-explanatory, but even if you aren't able to go outside (and maybe you don't want to because going outside can be super stressful at this time!) it's still worth it to spend a little bit of time in the sunshine - whether that's over lunch or while you're responding to 1000000 emails :) The sun always does wonders for my mood if I'm feeling down!

Hydrate. Working from home + boredom = LOTS of snacking (at least for me!). To try to curb this, I focus on drinking water (or if I'm feeling fun, a sparkling water + a splash of juice) rather than snacking. This helps to curb all my snacking, gives me something to focus on when I'm bored with my work, and is a whole lot healthier than my old granola bars + chips + anything available in the fridge habit :)

Take care of yourself before you take care of others. This is a piece of advice that I'm still in the process of integrating into my own life because it's hard to remember, yet so important! I have a really bad habit of rolling out of bed and tackling work first thing in the morning, but I've realized that that leaves me extremely frustrated and irritable whenever I run into any work-related roadblocks. Taking care of myself makes me feel better prepared for taking on any stressful roadblocks work might throw at me. P.S. taking care of yourself can mean anything you need. For me, most days involve a workout & a shower plus some time spent tidying up my apartment. Taking care of my space and feeling clean before tackling work both make me feel more capable and ready for the day.

Be kind to yourself. This might seem like a simple statement but it is SO hard to remember! We are harsher on ourselves than we are on anyone else. Remember that you are adjusting to a new normal and it takes time to get used to. Remind yourself that you are NOT a machine so expecting yourself to be motivated and productive all day every day is unrealistic and completely unsustainable. You are always changing, your situation is changing, and you are doing the best that you can - so be kind to yourself ♥

Hope you all are staying healthy out there and practicing self-love ♥

Year in Review | Twenty Nineteen ♥

Happy twenty twenty, everyone! What an incredible year to be alive 💕

I used to be a hardcore journaler growing up but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found less and less time to journal as much as I once did (there’s also probably less of a need for it since I no longer have the teen angst I once did!). Nowadays, journaling for me takes on a lot of different forms. Saving plane tickets, to-do lists, and taking loads of photos are just some of those forms. Today, I decided to take a trip down memory lane to review all the photos I took and the things I experienced in twenty nineteen. I was struck by all the things I’d done that I’d completely forgotten about! Below is my year in photos — the many slow, simple moments as well as the big, very exciting moments in between.

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did a little traveling to visit both new and familiar places

washington, dc

turks & caicos

new york

chicago

minneapolis

boston

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spent much of the year studying and frequenting coffee shops

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watched a childhood friend get married!

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had lots of adventures at home in madison ♥

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spent time with friends & family

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turned 26 - cake by my talented momma :)

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got engaged!!

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and took way too many pictures of cats - if there is such a thing as too many pictures of cats :)

I hope you all enjoyed this little review of my twenty nineteen ♥

thanks so much for reading along with me this year ♥