LML: Love My Lashes

Since 2010, I have been addicted to Lash Extensions, and over the past two years I have learned a lot about what works for me and what doesn't when it comes to this cosmetic indulgence.

Ugh, this is me in all my natural beauty! No lashes. Pre-Lash Affair 

My lashes are short and naturally blonde but my eyes are my best feature so I like to make them pop with luscious lashes. After being contacted by Lash Affair in Edmonton to try their Mink Lashes, I decided to explore my Lash options and try something other than the semi lashes I was used to wearing.

Courtney, the owner of Lash Affair, was extremely professional in her application of the Mink Lashes, answering all of my questions and information about their other products and services. Lash Affair is strictly a Lash studio and currently a home-based business in southwest Edmonton but Courtney says they will be opening a retail space this summer to better serve their clients.

This is post-Lash Affair. Clearly a HUGE difference, very natural looking.

I'm used to lash extensions being full, thick and having that WOW factor but I didn't get that with the Mink Lashes. Instead, I got a naturally embellished look that went unnoticed by Big Daddy but when I pointed it out, he was far more impressed with the lashes than I thought he would be.

He liked the natural look of the lashes and preferred that I didn't look like Kim Kardashian (I actually rolled my eyes just now, writing that comparison, because we all know I am clearly her twin). He said the semis were "too much" and that the Mink lashes were much nicer, and far more classy than the semis. HA! I snicker every time I mention semis and Big Daddy in the same sentence. 

Mink Lashes after 3 Weeks

What I liked about the Mink Lashes from Lash Affair is the natural feel of the lashes and the fact that they are so light-weight that it doesn't feel like you're wearing extensions. Quite the opposite, really. I've had these lashes for almost 3 weeks now and, despite the lack of WOW factor, I am impressed with the durability of these lashes. I was unsure for the first week, thinking they were delicate and fragile but they have withstood two viewings of the Titanic 3D movie release, a stress-related full-on meltdown that had me sobbing for about three hours (it wasn't pretty), and a night of overindulging in some rum-based cocktails (falling asleep on your face is a no-no with lash extensions).

The fact that I have such short sparse lashes to begin with makes individual lashes less dramatic on me because the lashes are being attached to what I already have. Quite honestly, I prefer to have healthy lashes once they fall out instead of the naked, bald eyes I ended up with when the semis came out.

Semi-lashes. The black liner is the adhesive not eyeliner.

What you should know

When semi-lashes fall out, they take clumps of your lashes with them. It's not pretty. I ended up with practically no lashes left after I decided not to get them filled. Have you ever had gel nails for a special event then weeks later they started popping off only to expose the unhealthy nails you covered up in the first place? But actually they were worse off because when the nail popped off, your nail beds were ripped and soft from the product? Yeh. Well. It's a similar scenario with semi lashes. The application of semis is gluing the cluster of lashes on to a group of your lashes for strength. When that cluster grows out with your lashes, it takes that clump of lashes with it PLUS any additional new lashes that grow into the lash extension. That is the biggest reason you need to get the filled or taken off professionally.

Individual lash extensions fall out with individual lashes. It's much healthier for your existing lashes What I've noticed over the last 3 weeks is that although my lashes never looked as full or thick as they did with the semis, I'm not concerned that I will look lashless when these extensions completely come out.

Mink Lashes are not cheap. A full set is $225 so depending on your budget,  you may want to consider a synthetic set which is $110.

Know what is being put on your eyes. Ask your lash tech what  adhesive is being used.

Get the sealant. Lash Affair has a little retail shelf full of Lash Lover goodies including C-2 Sealer which you can use to prolong the life of your extensions.

Lash extensions last 4-6 weeks IF you take care of them. That means, no getting them wet during the first 24 hours, beware of steam (get facials before or at the end cycle of your lashes, trust me on this), and don't sleep on your face. Click here for a full list of before/after care instructions.

Oh, the other thing I loved about these Mink Lashes is that they were fixable. Let me explain. If, by some chance you passed out fell asleep on your face after one too many Pina Coladas a tough day at the office, the lash extensions weren't irreversibly damaged unlike the semis. The semi lashes were completely set and if they were accidentally smooshed or I got hugged too roughly by Lola, my 6-year-old mini me, then they became twisted and looked weird. Also, for some inexplicable reason they always ended up looking frayed, like someone had come in the middle of the night and snipped away at them with shears.

FIERCE conclusion: Lash Affair is definitely a treat. Courtney is quite proud of the fact that they are the official Octane Lash Preferred Partner for 2012 (Oiler's Cheerleaders for those in the don't know). It's definitely the most upscale Lash salon I've been to in Edmonton (I've been to 4 all together now) as far as service, atmosphere and price goes. I am looking forward to when they open their retail space because I think it will take them to the next level of customer service.

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