The big problem with extension is that they are time consuming to put on and they are $$$. There is an excellent approximation though, in a lash lift and (if you need it like I do) tint.
On the left is just my normal eye. I have no makeup on at all. My eyelashes are long enough, I suppose, but they stick straight out, and the are light in color. On the right is the exact same eye, after I had the lashes lifted and tinted. A lash lift, formerly a lash perm, is literally exactly what it sounds like. My lower lashes were taped down so they didn't get curled up in the rods, and exactly the way you would perm hair, my eyelashes were curled up in a permanent way. At the same time, they were tinted, meaning colored dark so they'd show up more.
In the picture on the right, I still don't have any makeup on. Not one drop. No mascara. That's just my eyelashes. In fact, after I had it done, I didn't wear any mascara. It isn't needed. If you are in or near the Kansas City Metro area, no one is better for lashes/brows than Kristine Kay. She is a true artist and I have been going to her for years. If you would like to have your lashes lifted/tinted I cannot recommend her highly enough.
Unfortunately for me, I am extraordinarily claustrophobic. Because there are chemicals involved in a lift/tint, it is important that you keep your eyes closed through the whole process, which lasts about 30 minutes. Something about not being able to open my eyes, caused the process to be really hard for me. Some people it wouldn't bother a bit, and if you have had extensions before, you have to keep your eyes closed for way longer, so this would be a piece of cake for you. The process doesn't hurt a bit, but you have to keep your eyes closed, and I just cant. So for me, this probably isn't something I'd be able to do again, at least not without a lot of Xanax. That's just me though.
For me, the easiest option is mascara. I used to really hate mascara, but I've come around to it in the last year. I love to try different mascaras and I have probably 10-20 sitting in my mascara drawer. I'm always searching to the closest approximation I can find to the look of the lift.
My most favorite that I have been using are W3LL People Expressionist Mascara and Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara. I strongly prefer rubber mascara wands to the traditional brush type, because I feel like they clump way less, and they grab the little baby eyelash hairs. The W3LL PPEOPLE mascara has one of the best wands I have ever used. Smashbox has a traditional brush, so I was surprised by how much I liked it, but I think it gives really good coverage, and it isn't hard on my lashes. In a drugstore brand, I think Covergirl Eyelights is the best, because it also has a great rubber brush, and the tinting of the mascara does really make your eyes pop.
I wanted to try a really dramatic mascara though, something that I feel like really has a lot of reviews for its lengthening mascara. I feel like the big three that you just hear about over and over are Benefit They're Real, Too Faced: Better Than Sex Mascara, and Younique 3D Fiber Lashes.
I knew, for sure, that Younique was not for me. I will probably make enemies from that statement, because the people who use Younique totally swear by it, which is great. If you use it, and you love it, God Bless. In the words of my very, very favorite makeup blogger, Angie Castellano, "there's no mascara police. Calm down. Do what you want." I just have had bad luck with anything involving fibers in the past. I cant make them work right, and its too hard for me. I have a friend, who shall remain nameless, who was the first person to introduce me to Younique, and she loves the super cakey spider eyes look, which is not for me. So, I always sort of equate the two together, which I am sure isn't fair. I have other friends who wear it, and it looks great. I just cant.
That left me choosing between the Benefit and the Too Faced. Both amazing brands, both available at my beloved Ulta. I ended up choosing the Benefit to review, because it has a rubber brush and the Too Faced has a traditional brush.
My little iPhone camera is not what I would like it to be, in terms of getting pictures of eyelashes, so most of them look pretty goofy, but hopefully, you can get a basic idea of how this all worked out.
The top photo is me with no makeup on, and the bottom is the benefit mascara.
In this picture, I have the Benefit mascara on the left and the Smasbox mascara on my right eye. I definitely noticed an immediate difference in terms of length, and the rubber wand has tons of tiny spindles, including a ball of them at the top, so I definitely feel like its really grabbing everything.
The only real drawback that I can see is that it is flakey. A lot of the review mention it, and it was something I noticed within just a few hours.
Even with the flaking, I really like it a lot. Though it is not waterproof (there is a waterproof one, it just isn't this one) it does last all day, whereas some of my others, I feel like are gone by the time I get home. You do need a good makeup remover to get it off though, soap and water will not do the trick. Even with that, it doesn't feel sticky or clumpy. I really like it, and will definitely put it in the regular rotation.
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