Lashes for Days

A friend posted a picture of their new baby and hashtagged #lashesfordays, and I thought to myself…. "Lucky baby. Ain’t gonna have to worry about fake eyelashes." When it comes to eyelashes, you are either born with a good set or you’re not.  For any person who has experienced lash envy, there are some easy ways to have lashes for days, and I have them right here down below. 

Let's start simple with the most basic tool: mascara. I sat with Annie Finch of Katherine Cosmetics on a winter afternoon, and we talked about the importance of simple beauty. It only takes a couple of things to change the way you feel, and that is what her line of makeup embodies. We decided a good mascara is all it takes. I love Finch’s mascara because she uses ingredients like Ceramide 3 and Aloe B Leaf to keep the lashes moisturized. Mascara is a wonderful piece to add to a lash that is young, full, and in need of just a little boost. My favorite cheaper and less luxurious brand of mascara is Maybelline. They have had a formula since the ‘80s that everyone has been trying to catch up to, and I am still a fan of their technology. Maybelline offers the least amount of clumps and is the quickest to put on.

Next up: fake eyelashes, or in the LA fashionista world, fakies. Sitting across from Fine Magazine's very own Heather Winfield is enough to give anyone complete lash envy. Her lashes were subtle, yet strong and utterly perfect. They create contrast from her skin to her eye and even boost the color in her eyes. There are dos and don’ts with the fakie, and Heather Winfield has mastered the fakie.  

While Heather is a fan of eyelash extensions, her life does not provide the time to sit with her eyes shut for two hours every three weeks. Her favorite brand of fakies is Sheena Sujan. Two sets go for about $10.  

Fakies are wonderful for those that are growing less lashes as the years go on. But what is even more miraculous than fakies is the drug called Latisse. Latisse was originally intended to treat glaucoma. A couple of years back in the drug trials, the older men wanting a solution to their eyesight had to come back more often than not to have their eyelashes trimmed because they were growing in every direction like a rats nest. Can you imagine the party thrown when the developers of the drug realized all they had to do was change the indication for the drug? Southern California ate up inventory within the year. Score!

Latisse works wonders if you want to increase the base of the lash.  It does not create a longer lash, but instead creates a fuller base, which makes a fakie stay on better - not to mention, look better.  Latisse needs to be applied to the lash every night and results are not seen until a full month of usage.  

The last option I researched were eyelash extensions. Since my interest lies in the most natural way to feel beautiful, I sought an expert esthetician with an organic skincare practice. I figured she would supply me with her honest opinion of the safety and efficacy of the extended lash that is painstakingly attached over the course of two hours. That's right, two whole hours to apply your extensions approximately every three weeks. Worth it? People who have them say, definitely. 

Tracey Lontos of My Skin Muse walked me through her education. After having a thriving organic skincare practice, she was hesitant to be a participant of the eyelash extension world. She wore them for 8 months before she introduced them into her business. When an eyelash extension is attached, the adhesive applied to the lash is smaller than a head of a pin. The adhesive is non-toxic and low in fumes, and most importantly the glue is applied to the lash and not the skin.

I learned that one never has the whole set redone but has them filled in every couple of weeks. It is safe to shower with them on, and Lontos gives her clients a travel-sized bottle of baby shampoo to clean the lashes. Heavy oils and serums should not be applied to the eyelids because the oils can decrease the life span of the lashes. 

Overall, it is the attention to detail that can create the sense of beauty within. Yes of course, lashes for days do create attention and a random head turn, but from everything I have learned, it is more about the feeling that comes from within that matters. If you experience lash envy, go out there and play a bit because there are ample options that can fix your envy... and any potential glaucoma.  

Rebecca Underdown is the founder and CEO of Veridatta, based in San Diego.