MY EXPERIENCE WITH EYELASH EXTENSIONS

You might have noticed in sneak peeks from our wedding that I decided to get eyelash extensions before our wedding. (P.S. “Wedding Week” will start two weeks from today — I can’t wait to finally share all our photos!) I actually got them done about six weeks before our wedding and then had them refilled twice before our wedding. I tried them in advance to make sure I liked the way they looked and to make sure they wouldn’t agitate my eyes if I got them done a few days before our wedding. Here are a few of the questions I’ve received about them — if you have any others, feel free to ask in the comments!

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Where did you have them done? How much did they cost?

I had my eyelash extensions done at Island Glow on Nantucket. I am obsessed with the owner Jurgita and trusted her with facials and my lashes in the two months before our wedding. The first set cost $200 and took about 90 minutes to apply. The refills cost $75 after two weeks or $100 after three weeks and took about an hour each time.

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How do you take care of eyelash extensions? How long do they last?

Jurgita recommended keeping the extensions dry for 24 hours after they were applied. She supplied eyelash wands, which I actually used more often than I thought I would to keep them from getting “tangled” over one another. I had girlfriends tell me their eyelash extensions lasted over a month, but personally mine looked their best up until the two-week mark. I will say that I was in and out of the ocean multiple times a week with mine on, which I’m sure didn’t help their longevity, and I often fall asleep on my stomach, which meant the extensions were pressed into my pillow and needed to be brushed out when I woke up.

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Did you love having them? What were the pros and cons?

I love, love, love the way the extensions looked. I felt like I could leave the house in zero makeup and still feel totally presentable. Jurgita also did an amazing job making them look full as opposed to just long, so they looked just a step up from natural but nothing too out there. The biggest cons (besides the one mentioned below) were the expense/time commitment and the fact that I couldn’t totally figure out how to wash my face in the shower or before bed without losing a couple lashes each time.

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*wedding shoes linked here!

Did eyelash extensions damage your natural lashes? Would you get them again?

I want to be able to say, “No! My lashes are totally fine now!” but I really do think the lash extensions took a toll on my natural lashes. My lashes now are definitely shorter than they used to be and I’m trying to remember to use Neulash each night to bring them back to life (P.S. Neulash is a miracle product if you’re against getting extensions or trying to break the habit! Not cheap but worth every penny). That said, I don’t think Neulash or any competitor product could ever make my lashes quite as full or as long as the extensions did, and when I look at pictures I get so wistful for those effortlessly glam lashes (sans mascara or eyeliner!), so I can totally see myself getting them again one day. I would absolutely, 100%, without a doubt recommend getting them for your wedding day or another special occasion. Honestly we’ll see how long I can hold off before getting them again for my everyday life haha. Looking at these photos makes me want them again stat!

I’d love to hear whether you’ve tried eyelash extensions or how you get your lashes looking their best without them (a magic mascara perhaps?!). Spill your secrets in the comments!

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*photos by Cameron & Kelly Studio