I wanted eyelash extensions for a while, finally got them, and now I’m sharing 6 things you really need to know before getting lash extensions!

For a while I had wanted to get eyelash extensions, but I heard a lot of mixed reviews. While some people loved them and swore by them, others said they ruined their natural eyelashes. I finally took the plunge in July and decided to get a full set of eyelash extensions. I asked for the “classic” version, which is supposed to look the most natural. My thought was that I would try them out and see if they would be worth keeping once I had a newborn in the fall. Here’s what I learned…

What you need to know before getting eyelash extensions

Number 1: The initial appointment takes a big chunk of time.

I went in for a 2.5 hour appointment for the set. Guys, it’s SO hard to stay still for 2.5 hours with your eyes closed while you’re awake! I fell asleep at some point and was totally startled when I woke up hah! I asked for a “classic” set, which was billed as being a natural look. When they were done and I looked in the mirror, I was a little taken aback seeing myself with such long lashes! I was amazed, too, when T came home from work that day and asked if I had gotten eyelash extensions. He said from across the kitchen he could tell that my lashes were a lot longer! (Somehow, though, when I get 5 inches cut off my hair he doesn’t notice that. Go figure!)

Number 2: Don’t just go to anyone.

After about a week, most of the lashes had fallen off. I didn’t think this was normal but wondered if maybe I was doing something wrong. I made an appointment for a fill with a different lash salon. (This was mainly because I remembered I had a Groupon for that salon that I had purchased over a year prior.) When I went in, 2 weeks after having the initial lashes put on, I only had a few left on each eye. The new lash specialist assured me that was not normal. She said that the first place I had gone to didn’t use enough glue, and that’s why the lashes were falling off so early.

Number 3: Read the reviews to find someone you can trust!

At this new salon, the specialist took about an hour to put on what was basically a new set of eyelash extensions. She worked really fast! And after 3 weeks, they still looked awesome!

Number 4: Lash extensions are a Commitment with a capital C.

I went every 3-5 weeks to get my extensions filled. Most people go 2-3 weeks from what I’ve been told, but every lash fill took about an hour. Plus, the specialist I went to only worked a few days a week, so getting an appointment with her could be difficult.

Aside from the time, lash extensions are not cheap. My initial set cost only $150 because it was a new lash artist at a friend of a friend’s salon, but those lashes only lasted me about a week. After that, each appointment cost $70-90, depending on how long I was on the table. If you go once a month to have your lashes filled, that’s still over $1,000 per year that you’re spending!

Number 5: Navigating your beauty routine with extensions takes some getting used to.

The biggest difference in my day-to-day with having eyelash extensions is in my everyday beauty routine. Because the lash extensions are darker than my (very light brown) eyelashes, I don’t have to put on a ton of makeup to look awake. My day-to-day makeup routine has changed from 10-15 minutes of makeup to just a swipe of concealer and a bit of blush. That’s a HUGE time savings every morning!

That said, with lash extensions you can’t use anything with oil in it on your face, so I had to change the products I use. You also have to wash your lashes with a special solution and use an eyelash brush to brush them out.

Number 6: How you sleep makes a difference.

I started to notice that my lash extensions were coming off faster on one eye. Turns out that because I sleep on that side of my face, the extensions were making my natural lashes fall out faster. (And since the extensions are glued to your natural lashes, the extensions were gone.) It almost looked like my lashes on the outside corner of my eye were broken because I had baby lashes growing in, and they were much shorter than the rest of my lashes.

The verdict: I’m stopping eyelash extensions

Like I said, I got my first set in July, and I still have them in January. I planned to keep them through the holidays and then let my lashes “rest,” so I’m letting them grow out now. I don’t plan to get them again anytime soon, but…

Will I get lash extensions again?

Will I get them again? Probably. But I’m definitely going to go back to the girl who has been doing them. It’s like finding a good hairstylist: Once you find someone who does a good job and you can trust them, you don’t want to go to anyone else!

Update: It’s been over a year and a half, and I have not yet gone back to my lash extensions. Why I haven’t gotten them again? It’s too much of a commitment. I just don’t have the time (with a toddler!) to go lie down an hour every couple of weeks to have my lashes redone!

photo from one of my maternity shoots!