I don't consider myself a makeup obsessive, which is why I definitely never thought I'd be a devotee of eyelash extensions. While I appreciate all things complexion-enhancing—like sheer foundations, dewy highlighters, and pretty peach blushes—I break out mascara only on my birthday, when I have a big meeting, or if I’m going to a big event.
So, ahead of my own wedding, it was very out of character for me to make an appointment to get eyelash extensions, especially given the chatter that their popularity is on the decline. It was even more out of character that I absolutely freaking loved them. My first appointment was three weeks before to “try them out.” Within a month, I went back two more times: the day before my flight (about a week out from my wedding day), and right before I left for my honeymoon. Obsession is an understatement.
Here’s the thing I discovered about eyelash extensions: They make you feel more glamorous than you thought possible. It’s addicting. When I got home from my second appointment with my most dramatic set, I looked into the mirror and felt like Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra (note: I do not resemble her in the slightest). They accomplish what mascara can never and will never accomplish, no matter how thick and voluminous the formula is: You look like you were born with the thickest, flutteriest, most perfectly curled lashes. There are no clumps, and they’re perfectly tapered from root to tips. And you look that way 24 hours a day!
The other thing I learned: They're a high-maintenance, time-intensive, and not exactly cheap habit. (For a lower-effort solution, try an eyelash serum instead.) Here’s what to know before you try them.
Show up to your eyelash extensions appointment bare-faced.
That includes not curling your lashes either. “If they’re curled, there’s a crease right by the root, and it’s hard for the lash artist to apply the extensions—it won't be a smooth-finish job,” says Jessica Shin, founder of Flair Beauty & Lash Studio in New York City, where I’ve been going for extensions. Other things to avoid: mascara, waterproof eye makeup, oily skincare, and eye cream. You basically don’t want anything that’ll interfere with the glue. “If you need to work out, go to the gym and take a shower in advance,” Shin advises. “You can’t get them wet for 24 hours post-session because the adhesive has to dry completely.” Tirzah Shirai from L.A.’s Blinkbar even recommends avoiding waterproof eye makeup for up to a week before your appointment. “It leaves an invisible film that will keep the lashes from adhering fully,” she says.
It’s not an in-and-out kind of appointment.
Eyelash extensions take a long time (up to two hours!), especially if you’re going for a refill since they’ll need to remove many existing extensions and clean your lashes before applying a new set. I also learned this tip from personal experience: Maybe consider passing on that second latte because you’ll need to lie very still. I did not before my first appointment and had twitchy-eye syndrome the whole time, much to the dismay of my lash artist.
