A Thousand Lashes...

I was getting my hair colored a few weeks ago, my hair looking very much like a baked potato all wrapped up in pieces of foil. My stylist was chatting with her colleagues while she painted on the bleach, gossiping about their girl crushes on a former salon employee. They went on and on about how gorgeous she was, my stylist commenting on this girl's eyelash extension and how great they looked.

That's when it hit me. I know nothing about eyelash extensions. I don't know anyone who has them. Honestly, the thought of getting fake lashes stuck on to my own freaks me out, so I have not been paying attention to this not-so-new beauty trend.

So...in order to educate myself and you, my fabulous Kiss-and-Makeup readers...here is my lowdown on eyelash extensions:

What is it? Eyelash extensions are semi-permanent, synthetic fibers that give you longer, thicker, natural looking lashes.

How are they applied? Lash extension specialists apply the extensions among your natural lashes one by one. It takes about an hour to get extensions put in; touch ups take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes.

How long do they last? Natural lashes fall out every 60 to 90 days, but the extensions need to be touched up once or twice a month depending on how you care for your lashes and other individual factors.

Can I wear mascara with lash extensions? It's not necessary, but it is ok to wear a water based mascara if you get this treatment done. However, you should not use eyelash curlers if you have lash extensions and you should only apply mascara from the middle up, avoiding the base.

How do I care for the lash extensions? You can't get the lashes wet for the first 24 hours after the procedure. You should avoid saunas, hot steam, getting lashes wet, rubbing your eyes, or pulling at your lashes.

How much does it cost? It depends on where you go and how many extensions you have put in, but plan to spend anywhere between $150 and $300 for the initial extension addition and around $50 for touch-ups.

Hmmm.....I think I'll pass. I'm not all that into extensions, where its hair extensions or lash extensions. I think I'll stick with mascara. Imagine how many tubes of high end mascara you can buy for that $300! Wowza!