LASH PERFECT

Lashes are big to me. I have had a life long obsession with them to the point where when I got a new colouring in book in my early years, all i did was to draw lashes on all the characters and then discard of it.

I started wearing lashes about 12 years ago, during that time it was only me and the strippers that indulged in such extravagances. 

I used to go through periods of wearing fake lashes, I prefer the Shu Uemura lashes for drama or for a more natural look, just normal Boots ones. What I can't stand though is when girls are wearing about 3 pairs of lashes on each eye, weighing the eye down and making the eyes droopy or even worse; when girls wear the lashes days in a row, and they are dusty on top...euuu. So unhygienic.

Go big or go home

What made me finally stop using lashes was the messy glue that makes them come undone and before I know it I am wearing one of my lashes half down my chin. Not a desired look. And to be honest, I just couldn’t be bothered with all the fuss anymore.

So the other day I decided to go get some permanent lashes done.

A colleague of mine who works in beauty had recommended Browhaus so I checked them out online. Their main business is brows as one can guess from the name. They are located in Spring Street, Soho, in a funky warehouse conversion.

Browhaus is originally from Singapore but now has salons all over the world, even in Covent Garden in London which is great for when I return.

Spring Street location

I booked in for Lash in Bloom (as you might have guessed by now, I don’t like natural looking lashes) and asked for the most full on dramatic lashes, hoping to replicate the effect I always want from mascaras and am always disappointed with not achieving. They will do your lashes to your exact specification, natural, full, curly, long, however you want them! They are naturally curved, shiny and glossy and creates an irresistible addition to your eyes.

The process isn't that difficult, but it is pretty time consuming.  Your lower eyelashes are taped down (to avoid them getting stuck to the glue they use on the upper lashes), and individual lashes are glued to your own lashes. I get easily bored and impatient when doing beauty treatments, be it manicures or even a blow dry, so I was extremely bored to tears lying there with my eyes closed. It felt like it took forever and I really had to fight the urge of getting up with one eye done and walk out.

Booooring

After what felt like 5 years (1 hour), I was done. My beautician told me not to wear mascara as I don’t need it with the lashes. Whatever. So I went home and smothered them in my Lancome Hypnose Noir mascara. They looked divine.

What you do need to take in to account though is your cleansing routine, only use oil free eye make up removers, and avoid soaking the lashes - although I have done just that and I still have pretty much all of them left.

They say to not use mascara.  Anything oil or wax-based on the lashes will soften the bonds of the glue, and cause your new lashes to fall out. Again, i still have mine after 6 days of mascara wearing and soaking.

My lashes before mascara

With mascara. All 12 mm of them.

The lashes are not made of hair, and will take a day or two to get used to, they're more stiff than natural lashes, and you might find that you can see more of them than you do your natural lashes.  Try not to fiddle with them!

The lashes will fall out with the natural growth of your own lashes underneath.  This is perfectly normal, and nothing to worry about, but you can expect  need to have your lashes filled in slightly every 2-4 weeks, depending on your natural rate of growth. 

I paid $150 for a full set of individual lashes, included in the price is a return visit within 7 days where they top up your lashes. They looked even better after my second visit.

I am definitely continuing to top them up every other week.

I love the effect they achieved, and I'll be honest, I'm beginning to wonder how I'll live without them!

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