Eyelash Extensions- Unveiling the Myth

 'You pay peanuts you get monkeys’ James Goldsmith.

Eyelash extensions really have created a whirlwind in the beauty industry in the last few years. When anything hits the market this aggressively lots of organisations will attempt to buy into the concept often with unfavourable results for the consumer.
There are roughly four types of eyelash extensions.

  1. The strip lash or ‘false lash’ this is the most common and inexpensive product. They can be hard to apply, often fall off and are obviously false. They can be great for costume parties and if you like a more over the top look.
  2. The Express lash treatment. This is less expensive than individual lash extensions as the therapist will apply a ‘bundle lash’ (more than one lash) to each natural lash on the client. This is faster and cheaper however can be very destructive for the natural lash as it creates too much weight and the client can end up with mass lash loss, a disastrous result for clients.
  3. Individual lash extensions. This is where an individual extension lash is applied to an individual natural lash. In most cases clients are not individually evaluated and receive the same amount of lashes as other clients where as they will need more or less depending on their organic volume of lashes. Often lashes end up sticking together creating a ‘spiky’ feel when blinking for clients and is both unhygienic and unsightly. It creates a gappy look which then makes the lashes very noticeable not allowing the client the freedom of a natural look.
  4. Premium lash extensions by Natalie. The key difference that Natalie applies to all of her lash treatments is that she honours the Natural Lash cycle. This means her clients can have lash extensions in permanently and not damage their lashes or experience loss of lashes. Natalie allows the baby lashes to grow through meaning her clients always have a lash growth cycle and a full lash line. Natalie is also meticulous at how she separates each and every lash to provide her clients with the most full, natural and glamorous look.

Natalie is currently residing in the speed dials of some of London’s most high flying women. Client’s that seek out only the most skilled individuals such as solicitors, bankers, actresses and models. Women whose appearance needs to be pristine and perfect. It was the demands of her clients that drove Natalie to teach others in her unique skill set as it was becoming apparent that poor services were available in the eyelash services industry and client demand was increasing. It isn’t unexpected to see Natalie’s work gracing covers of magazines, on the TV of an evening and at Red Carpet events.   

Brix Smith-Smart Co-presenter alongside Gok Wan of ‘Gok’s Fashion Fix’
‘I absolutely love my lashes, I have booked Natalie every three weeks from now on-indefinitely!’

‘There has been a massive surge in the ‘beauty kiosk’ often found in shopping centres. Often they are used for threading brows, facial hair and nail services. Recently though lash services seem to be dominating this strain of beauty salon. The beauty kiosk is very much designed to speed through treatments. Ensuring they pack as many clients into an
hour, therapists are encouraged to ‘Get them in and out’. Although many clients feel uncomfortable having their beauty treatments performed in the ‘open air’ they are enticed by the cheaper prices than more private and professional salon environments. These services often come at a greater cost to the client though. Not only do they use the ‘bundle lash’ method the therapists will group natural lashes together and then apply the extensions. This causes three main problems.
1.       This is a lot of weight and volume to bestow upon natural lashes and can cause cosmetic damage resulting in an unsightly appearance and a period of mass lash loss for the client.
2.       The appearance of the lash line is exceptionally ‘gappy’ and not full, natural looking and glamorous. The result is highly
artificial and goes against the principals that Natalie is highly committed to upholding including honouring the natural lash cycle and long term client care.
3.       Many of the lash technicians have now started to use a super strength glue. This glue can be very aggressive on the eye and cause semi-permanent lash loss. The key is to use a glue that is long lasting but primarily gentle on the eye. ‘The client’s well being and natural lashes are of prime importance to me and should be honoured in all lash treatments’ Natalie.

Included are some pictures of lash extensions performed by a ‘beauty kiosk’ in one of London’s largest shopping centres. Evidence of the ‘gappy’ and bundle lashes are clearly obvious. The ‘after’ picture is an example of Natalie’s repair service. The quality , fullness, length, volume and general appearance of Natalie’s work is entirely eclipsing the work of the beauty kiosk.  For the minor financial saving is not worth the severe lash damage. The old adage ‘  You pay peanuts you get monkeys’ James Goldsmith is very appropriate in this case.  ‘Price is what you pay. Value is what you get... ... If you think about that, you'll do things differently’ Warren Buffett.

It isn’t just the beauty kiosk that has fallen short of substandard lash work. The most well known and popular destinations in London for lash services are also falling victim to poor quality lash extension services. Look at these following images of lash extensions performed by some of the most well known and expensive salons. Natalie has received countless phone calls from girls in tears who have walked away from these salons with spiky, gluggy lashes stuck together and going in all different directions. Glue has fallen in clients eyes, lashes have come loose and start piercing clients eyes when blinking. ‘Clients seek out lash extensions to enhance their features and become more beautiful, when they walk away looking a state and feeling uncomfortable and vulnerable they are understandably very upset. I have seen countless clients in this scenario before’. Natalie.