Why I’m never buying mascara again

the best fake eyelashes

Apparently I have thick lashes. Sadly, these aren’t lashes that look thick, they just are thick. They’re sort of short and dumpy, but usually look great with a few coats of great black mascara – which I used to pile on like it was going out of style. There’s one problem, though, with fat lashes and lots of mascara – the mascara never goes away. I can wipe my eyes with five different sorts of cleansers and I’ll never manage to get it all.That means that whenever my face meets water, I come out of it looking like a younger version of Alice Cooper. In short, it’s not a good look.

So, a few months ago I got turned on to the idea of fake eyelashes, aka eyelash extensions. Apparently finding your perfect eyelash lady is like finding your perfect hairdresser, you have to go through a few before discovering an ideal match. There are big chains that offer packages in bulk and there are leading ladies who have waiting lists a mile long. I have gone to both and come out with my match of a lifetime. Back in May you may remember me writing about my first set of eyelash extensions with Claire at Eyelush. I felt like a transformed lady. I wrote the piece a week after getting the extensions. They had been put to the ultimate test – a weekend wedding in Mykonos. They passed with flying colours. Swimming in pools, the ocean, bathtubs, etc – I came out looking as fresh as when I first dove in. In fact, even one Mr. FFG noticed that I looked remarkably fresh faced 24/7. He mentioned something about me slipping in some plastic surgery without telling him. (Harsh! I’m not that old yet. This face still has some natural elasticity left in it, damn it.) Of course it was at that moment that I shouted out I’d had fake eyelashes installed. He rolled his eyes and said something along the lines of, “the things women do.” Anyway, I couldn’t get over it. At night my routine for makeup removal was faster than anything I had ever experienced beforeand in the morning, when I woke up, it looked like I had woken up already made up. Miracle. So that was one week on. It’s like anything else, a week on and naturally you have nothing but love for the new “it-thing” in your life. Let’s fast forward six weeks.

At the six week mark with the new eyelashes in tow, I was testing the product in hundred degree weather in the south, sitting on beaches and sweating like a crazy person while the sun roasted me like a rotisserie chicken. The lashes were still in tact and my best friends were all commenting on their incredible durability but also their super natural appearance. Yes, after six weeks these bad boys were still holding strong. Honestly, I was not expecting that. It wasn’t until eight weeks in that I started to notice the lashes looking a little less full. And, I actually didn’t end up putting a lick of mascara onto my eyelids until week nine. Nine weeks without mascara. It’s hard to turn back after that. So, for a few weeks I sucked it up and donned the black stuff. I figured it was winter in England and at that time there weren’t any oceans in my future, so I’d just deal with it and move on. It took one week for Alice Cooper to return. The build up was back and the dark mascara circles were here to stay. So, I was straight back onto the phone calling Claire at Eyelush and rebooking. In fact, I did more than that this time. I got the full set put back in, but also arranged to have them updated once every two months. I am officially an eyelash Eyelush addict.

I simply can’t help myself, people, when it comes to easy beauty. I think so much in life is made easier just by simplifying routine. And to be honest, it’s worth every penny. Ok, yes I can see it’s time to talk turkey. A full set of lashes as Eyelush will cost you £200. Yes, that’s steep and it may hurt when you first shell out the cash. But call me a week later and tell me you’re regretting that decision and I’ll be surprised. After the initial set, refills are £100 a session.

I’m actually writing this on my flight to Antigua and I’m already thinking about how happy I am that I have these convenient little eyefluttering warriors in place. No nasty mascara leaks for me. Seriously, folks, you need to try these at least once in your life. I’m in love. Smitten kitten and never going back.

Pictures taken with the Olympus Pen. FFG is an ambassador for Olympus in the UK.

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