They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, so why not give them some beautiful drapes? Eyelash extensions have been trending in the beauty world for years ever since they first came on the market. Eyelash extensions can give you a flirty, effortless look to your face and majorly cuts down on your prep time in the morning. If you’re considering adding some drama with these flirty fancies, make sure you know what you’re in for.

Eyelash extensions are semi-permanent false lashes glued on top of your own natural ones by a trained technician. Lashes can be made of mink, sable, faux mink, silk, cashmere or synthetic acrylic. The lashes are applied to individual hairs, making every set fully customisable depending on the clients requirements. A typical appointment takes between 1.5-3 hours to complete.

Extension styles are typically broken down into two main categories: classic and volume. Classic is when an individual false lash is applied to an individual natural lash, leaving the most realistic final look. Volume curls offer much more drama as 2-6 lashes bonded together are applied to an individual natural lash. You’ll also have to consider what type of curl you’d like your lashes to have. You can choose between a J curl, B curl, C curl or D curl. The curl you choose should mimic the curl of your natural lashes. Lashes vary in length from 8-14mm, and multiple lengths can be used per set.

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Eyelash extensions typically cost between R350 – R800 depending on the salon / technician you use. Refills are cheaper, typically coming in at R200-R450 per fill.

Eyelash extensions typically last 5-6 weeks, but you can get refills from as early as 2 weeks after your initial appointment to main fullness. As your own lashes naturally shed, your extensions with fall out along with them.

There are some that believe that lash extensions cause traction alopecia as the lashes can put weight on your own, but the chance is very slim. This would typically only happen after years of consistent lash extensions and bad aftercare.

Pre-appointment:

• Pre appointment, make sure to remove any makeup in your eye area.
• Ask your technician what ingredients are in the lash adhesive they will be using. Glues that contain formaldehyde will irritate your eye, so best steer clear of that! Instead, look out for ingredients like butyl cyanoacrylate and octyl cyanoacrylate, which are much more gentle on the eye.

Post appointment:

• Make sure to avoid getting water on your eyes for the first 12-24 hours after your appointment to allow the glue enough time to set.
• Use oil-free cleansers to clean your eye area.
• Gently brush your lashes with a spoolie brush twice daily
• Don’t apply mascara to your extensions

Feature image: Pexels

Your wedding look is one of the most important parts of your big day, and you want to look your absolute best. That’s why choosing the right look, and the right makeup artist, are so essential. Sometimes, you’re not exactly sure what you want or what would work for you. Your makeup artist should be the one to give advice, help you try out different styles and ultimately just get you.

We chatted to Rachelle Froneman, Makeup Expert and Retail Manager for Eastgate Partnered Free Standing MAC Cosmetics to get the inside scoop on how to get the best from your makeup artist, so they can make you shine.

Q: What is trending in wedding makeup in 2020?

A: Fresh face, soft and romantic colors that enhance your natural beauty. Choosing a classic look for your wedding will never go out of style.

Q: How do you help a bride decide on her wedding look?

A: I always ask the bride about her theme and style for the wedding first. Then we can create a look for her, choosing either a lip focus or an eye focus. It’s great when brides come with a reference of a makeup look they like and then we can customize it to her skin tone, eye shape and face shape.

Q: What part of doing a client’s makeup is the hardest for artists?

A: When the client is unsure of what she wants, it feels like a guessing game and can sometimes get frustrating for both the client and the artist.

Q: What do brides do that makes your job harder?

A: Telling us what to do in every aspect of the makeup application. It makes the artist feel like the bride would rather just do it themselves!

Q: What are things brides should keep in mind when hiring a makeup artist?

Cancelling at the last minute makes things really hard on everyone. Also keep in mind that you booked your artist for a specific time frame to be able to finish the makeup and asking them to also just “quickly” do the cousin’s makeup too and the aunt and three other bridesmaids for free, is not cool. Makeup is a skill that artists study and practice for years, and it would be unfair to expect the artists to do more than you pay for.

Q: What is your favorite part of doing makeup for a wedding?

The end result! Seeing everything come together and the look on the bride’s face. It really is a glow like no other.

Q: And your least favourite part? Why?

Cleaning make up brushes…it looks like a makeup explosion in your kit.

Q: Any interesting requests you have had?

Nothing funny or weird, but brides always want you to drink champagne with them and celebrate! And most times the bride wants to take you home with them to be their personal makeup artist, which is quite a compliment.

Here are some looks created by Rachelle:

Image: Pexels