I Got a Lash Lift and My Eyelashes Have Never Looked Better
When I first found out about lash lifts via Instagram, I jumped at the chance to give it a try. A treatment that permanently curls your eyelashes in an hour? Sign me TF up. But if I'm being totally honest, I didn't really do much research beforehand (oops). Listen, when you've dealt with stick-straight eyelashes that refuse to hold a curl for your entire life, it's easy to get caught up in the promise of big, voluminous lashes and forget that your eyeballs are fragile little things that need to be protected.
Thankfully, I had a great experience with my lash lift (scroll to the bottom for my full lash lift review), but at the very least, it wouldve been helpful to be informed about the lash lift process and aftercare before going through with it (spoiler: you cant get your eyelashes wet for 48 hours). So do as I say and not as I do, and read on for what to expect before, during, and after a lash lift. You won't regret it.
Everything You Should Know Before Your Appointment
Do lash lifts work?
Ummmm YES. Lash lifts work like you wouldn't believe. An alternative to lash extensions and false lashes, lash lifts work by giving your natural lashes a long-lasting curled effect. While some lash lifts use perm and ammonia solutions, YUMILashes (the brand that did my lash lift) uses keratin to enhance your natural eyelashes by lifting and curling each hair. Master educator for YUMILashes Elysee Zhadikpur says everyone is a candidate for this keratin-infused lash lift, but healthy, thick lashes will show the best results.
A post shared by Elysee Z YUMILashes USA (@elysee____) on Aug 20, 2019 at 10:56pm PDT
How much does a lash lift cost?
YUMILashes costs $150 per treatment. It's priceybut a one and done treatment. Unlike extensions that need to be filled every few weeks, the lash lifts are only done on healthy, virgin lashes. YUMILashes specialists will only work on repeat clients every eight weeks to allow the old lashes proper time to shed.
Do lash lifts ruin your eyelashes?
Like anything else, if done incorrectly or by someone who is inexperienced, you could have a less-than-positive lash lift experience. But unlike lash extensions and false eyelashes, lash lifts do not run the risk of traction alopecia. Be warned though: some lash lift treatments use perms and ammonia on the lashes, which can cause brittleness or lash breakage. I can vouch for YUMILashes (their lash lift did not ruin my lashes), but always do your research to ensure whatever formula/brand you go with is a safe and reliable option.
Can you still wear mascara with a lash lift?
Come to your appointment with bare lashes and if you can, refrain from using waterproof mascara and an eyelash curler three days prior to your appointment to ensure your lashes are totally clean, dry and relaxed. That said, it's totally fine to use mascara and eyeliner 48 hours after your lash lift (even though you probably won't need to).
What to Expect During Your Appointment
Can you customize your lash lift?
Yes! Most lash lifts can customized for your desired level of curl. Your lash tech should evaluate your natural lash length and eye shape to help you find the lash look that'll best suit you.
How long does a lash lift take?
About an hour from start to finish. Most places give the option to go a lash tint with your lash lift, which adds another 15 minutes.
A post shared by Elysee Z YUMILashes USA (@elysee____) on May 25, 2017 at 12:40pm PDT
Do lash lifts hurt?
Nope! It's slightly uncomfortable (like most things near your eyes), but totally fine TBH.
How to Care for Your New Lashes Post-Appointment
How long after a lash lift can I shower?
Post-lash lift, you can't get your lashes wet for 48 hours. During that time, the formula is is still developing on the lashes, which means any moisture can't alter the results.
How long do lash lifts last?
Lash lifts last anywhere from eight to twelve weeks, although Elysee told me youll see the prettiest, most noticeable result for the first four weeks. The average person sheds four to five lashes a day, so at five weeks 30 to 40 percent of those "lifted" lashes will have been shed with new ones growing in their place.
How do you maintain a lash lift?
Because the new hairs growing in are untreated and straighter, YUMILashes created a keratin mascara, which you can purchase from the lash specialist during your appointment, to even out the look of the blended lashes while they transition. You can also blend your straight and old lashes with a curling mascara too.
My Review
I naturally have long, black eyelashes, but they're also stick straight. So, pretty much since I started wearing makeup, I've relied on a good eyelash curler and mascara to give myself the Kar-lash-ian look. Lots of my friends get lash extensions, and although they look amazing, I've never seriously considered trying it. In my opinion, they don't last long enough for how much they can cost (in NYC they're about $170 for a full set and $95 for touch-ups every three weeks). Plus, I've heard you can get scary infections if you try to cheap out on the treatment, so I long ago decided that my natural lashes were fine enough.
That is, until one day when I was scrolling through Instagram and saw a post by Karrueche Tran on an "eyelash lift" she'd gotten. I had never heard of such a thing and I'm also a big fan of big lashes, so I was immediately intrigued. What was this keratin eyelash lift?! I had to find out.
loving my Keratin eyelash lift! @elysee_makeup_beauty
A post shared by karrueche (@karrueche) on Mar 14, 2016 at 11:53am PDT
I did a little more digging and found that the Kardashian's makeup artist Hrush Achemyan also got the treatment done.
Both Karrueche and Hrush credited L.A.-based lash specialist Elysee Zhadikpur for their transformations, so I reached out to Elysee in hopes of trying out the treatment.
A post shared by Elysee Z YUMILashes USA (@elysee____) on Mar 11, 2016 at 9:28am PST
As it turned out, Elysee was going to be in New Jersey that following week teaching a class on how to do the lash lift, so she stopped by Cosmopolitan.com to let me try it out for myself. The treatment, which she refers to as the "YUMILashes lash lift," costs $150 and lasts eight to 12 weeks. Honestly, that's all I really needed to hear before I was ready to have my eyes taped up and smeared with lash stuff, but I was also happy to hear her describe the treatment as "a natural way to enhance your natural lashes to create a nice curve and lift."
She was quick to point out that the lash lift is not a perm and doesn't involve any harsh chemicals (no parabens or formaldehyde), but rather it's her ~top secret~ technique she uses when applying keratin to the lashes that makes the results so incredible.
To start the five-step process, which took an hour and a half from start to finish, I lay down on the couch and shut my eyes. Elysee applied pads on my eyelids and under my eyes, and then began combing my lashes. The whole experience was pain-free and pretty comfortable. It kind of felt like I was sitting with my lashes clenched between two eyelash curlers for an hour, which I realize does not sound comfortable, but it was.
While she continued to apply YUMILashes products to my eyes, which were still closed, she told me she'd been practicing the treatment on clients for two years. She didn't tell me exactly what she was applying to my lashes again, it's a ~secret~ but it felt like my lashes were being combed countless times with a spoolie brush. Apparently, she learned the technique in Switzerland, where it originated in 2008, but she brought it over to L.A. shortly after and it's been slowly catching on ever since. Think of Elysee as the OG lash lift specialist in the country.
When she finished up, she wiped my eyes clean (they had a little black residue around them from the product she applied), and the results were instant.
First thought: I had no idea I had so many lashes. They literally looked like they had doubled or tripled in amount and length, even though they were my same old lashes, just curled. People around the office also noticed my lift right away and wondered how they could get it done too. Here's how: Right now Elysee is teaching technicians, who fly in from all around the world to her Beverly Hills studio, Elysee Makeup and Beauty. To find a YumiLashes specialist in your area who can give you the keratin lash lift, visit Yumilashesua.com.
Next, Elysee told me that I wasn't allowed to get my lashes wet for 48 hours following the treatment because the product would continue to develop for two more days. But after that, I'd be free to wear mascara and makeup, and do any lash activity as normal. She also gave me a keratin mascara to apply morning and night to moisturize and condition my lashes and keep them looking all luscious-like.
It's been almost a week since I got it done, and my lashes are still just as long and voluminous as they were immediately after my treatment. I'm eager to see how they change over the next few months, but I'm already so impressed by the process that I would probably pay $150 to get it done again, even if it didn't last the full three months. Because waking up like this, aka with my lashes done and still natural-looking is totally worth it to me.
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