Still on the subject of eyelashes.... Lash Growers and Extensions

There are SO many things out there that promise the earth for your hair, looks or skin. 99% of it is just untrue or if it has a grain of truth, the result will be small. 

It's about realistic expectations and not abusing products. 

This guide/review is about Eyelashes. The frame of the eyes, window to the soul. Great looking lashes can really add to a look, be it natural and fresh or sexy and smoky. 

OTC Lash Growers 

These products in beauty stores from $10 to $150 and online DO NOT WORK. Please, I beg you, don't waste your money. The only thing that will grow your lashes fuller, thicker and longer, as promised is FDA approved LATISSE® available by prescriptions (and honestly, costs about the same as some outrageous LASH GROWERS from beauty stores). I have no affiliation with the brand, but I've asked my Aesthetics Doctors locally and the fact has been pounded in books, reputable magazines and on Dr Oz. 

In my experience, women who say the OTC ones work, are often women who have either changed some behavior when they start using it OR destroyed their lashes by wearing glued on fake eyelashes all the time. They simply stop the fakes or change some other behavior (conscious or not), apply one of them (growers) for a while and bingo, new lashes... that would have grown back with a rest from glue or habits change anyway and the nourishing agents in the OTC's do help a little for conditioning but they DO NOT grow lashes longer, thick, stronger. 

When to use an OTC Lash Product ?

If you're concerned about your lashes condition, by all means buy a cheaper nourishing grower and wear at night or throw on something like Buxom Gel Eyeliner for Conditioning Lashes or bareMinerals Big & Bright Eyeliner Pencils which have some conditioning properties, but expect the same from it as you would a conditioner for your hair (you don't expect conditioner to grow your hair do you?), because that's essentially what the OTC products are. If you don't abuse your lashes with fake lash glue or 24/7 waterproof high chemical mascara, then you have perfectly fine natural lashes 'for you'. If you want them longer, thicker and fuller, get LATISSE®
Fakes are fine for special occasions.

The skin has sweat glands and hairs. As the junction between skin and conjunctiva is approached, the hairs change their character to become eyelashes. These are NOT meant to be gummed up with chemical glue every day and WILL fall out or break if they are. Wearing harsh, chemical loaded waterproof mascara will cause a similar problem by drying out those brittle hairs and/or breaking when you try and remove it, especially if you don't clean it off at the end of each day and some of the OTC "growers" are Keratin Loaded and will do the same. NOT GOOD!

The solution?

Try to find more natural Mascaras (Korres, Tarte, Bare Escentuals, Josie Maran or some drugstore brands), don't wear waterproof if you don't need to and clean it off with a gentle but highly effective eye makeup remover like Soothing Eye Make-Up Remover that takes little scrubbing and otherwise LEAVE THEM ALONE. 

Leave fake lashes for special occasions and try the self adhesive ones to avoid the glue (Revlon have excellent self adhesive ones). If you must use glue, make sure it's a Surgical Grade glue like DUO, that's meant for skin and don't use it often. If they really are short, sparse and broken and make you miserable, talk to an Aesthetics Doctor about Latisse to see if it's right for you. 

Lash Extensions ?

I have absolutely nothing good to say about these, the cost, the upkeep, the procedure or the sometimes unlicensed and inexperienced people who apply this technology.
It's expensive, inconvenient, will destroy the lashes you have and the cost is ridiculous. You have to sleep on your back ALL the time, get them re-done every few weeks, the chemicals are horrible and potentially eye damaging and for the life of me, vain as I can be as a female, I'd rather you use fakes everyday with double glue than get these. Not every eyelash extensions practitioner is a charlatan, they are just providing the service and do it properly. It's the service itself that's the problem. I predict we'll see state licensers start to get into this at some point and/or the FDA. Ask anyone who's had it done. Anything that stings THAT MUCH and takes that much care and precaution around your eyes and ongoing maintenance just can't be good. Your hair will grow back if you trash it with extensions [maybe], but not your eyeballs. 

Please let common sense prevail and not try to look like someone on Dancing with the Stars... that's just not real Hope this was helpful.

If you have questions or just want recommendations, drop me an email, comment or facebook note

Ciao!

from Chez
a Bona Fide Glam Junkie