Happy National Lash Day! In honor of this wonderful holiday, I wanted to write a brief post about some benefits of wearing faux lashes for your wedding day or other special event! Okay, I may be a little biased, but keep reading to find out more!
First and foremost, why should you wear lashes for your wedding day or other special event? Honestly, you have made the investment into finding the perfect photographer, you’ve splurged on the perfect dress, and even have opted to get professional makeup done – think of your lashes as the icing on top of a delicious chocolate cake. If you have selected an artist that holds themselves to a high level of quality and accepts only the best standards, take comfort knowing that your artist has carefully selected which faux lashes will be best for you. It is so important to choose something that has a strong fiber to ensure that the lashes hold their shape and curl, but some fibers can create a plastic-esque appearance to the lash strip – you do not want this. Your wedding day or corporate headshots, really whatever the occasion may be, are not a time for fake lashes that look… well, fake. If you opt to pick up a set of lashes from your local drugstore, do your homework first or you may find that you do not have the best experience… And please do not pick up the magnetic ones. While I am a little biased, and every set I have ever used become a mess by the end of the day, there is potential that lash technology could continue to increase, but in my professional opinion, opt for traditional falsies or lash extensions. The false lashes that I use have a soft and pliable lash and they mimic the appearance of those lashes that God gave you, but I enjoy using them because they add length and volume.
Next, consider the concept of framing a photograph or priceless painting. You wouldn’t hang a picture on the wall without selecting some sort of a frame, right? The same goes for your makeup. After your artist has carefully blended your eyeshadow and added a soft liner to emphasis the lash base, sometimes applying mascara alone can leave you looking a bit unfinished. False lashes help to give the eye a natural frame effect, and they make your eyes pop in all of your professional photos! In addition to all of that, so many of my clients express that their eyes are their fiancé/husband/significant other’s favorite feature – why not call a little extra attention to that area of the face and really bring the look together? Skipping lashes actually looks a little unfinished, and while it may not be as noticeable in person, when you get your professional photos back, it’s one of the things you will definitely notice.
Let’s also talk about mascara. Please, please, please… do not skip out on using mascara when you wear faux lashes. As someone who has naturally blonde lashes, if I opt for false lashes and skip out on the mascara they look even more fake. Many artists suggest using mascara prior to applying the lashes, I actually prefer applying mascara a little backwards from that school of thought. I like to apply a light coating for mascara AFTER applying the lashes to blend the natural lash and falsies together, but also by waiting I have found that the mascara clumps much less and is actually easier to remove at the end of the night because I have used less mascara than if I were to use it alone. The mascara that I use varies, but it is most often Tarte (Lights, Camera, Splashes) or Tarte (Maneater) as both are waterproof and never move, but they also do not get terribly crisp or uncomfortable.
Now, which lashes do I use and what makes an experience with me unique? For my generic faux lashes, I use a combination of lashes from both Eyelure and Ardell. I have found that these false lashes hold up to a full day of wear, and they hold your lash curl like a dream. In addition to that, I understand that being a bridesmaid can get expensive quickly with the cost of travel for your flight and hotel, your dress and accessories, hair and makeup, the gifts, and the other items that add up – by offering these two brands to my clients, I have been able to keep the cost to the client relatively low and still offer a fantastic product for each member of the bridal party and never compromise a great experience for the gal pals! Generally I carry 2-3 styles of lashes with me in my kit for the bridal party to select from – this puts the choice and option back into the hands of the client. These lashes are also the lashes that I automatically build into my packages for private clients as well for senior photos and headshots or boudoir.
For the bride, I wanted the experience to be even more special and for her to be able to take something home with her from the appointment. Because of this, each of my brides are gifted a set of high-quality faux mink lashes, by my favorite indie lash brand – LashMeUpGirl (link here)! I took the guess work out of which lashes to select for the bridal client, and I have opted to build these lashes directly into my premium bridal package. With the option to reuse up to 25 times with proper care, these lashes are honestly my favorite to use for that special event and take with you on the honeymoon! Easy to use yourself, I also take the guess work out of trimming and shaping them to your lash line and prepare them for subsequent uses – they even come with an amazing little lash box to keep them clean and safe while you travel. I also offer these lashes as an uncharge for the bridal party or other private clients, this is something new that I am offering for 2020 and all of my clients have absolutely loved them so far. For these lashes, I offer a choice of 3 beautiful and soft styles to give options, but never overwhelm the client with too many choices.
Finally, your perfect lash adhesive. Let me just start by saying that traditional lash adhesive smells like chemicals, paint thinner, and blindness… If you know me, you know I’m all about cleaner and safer beauty products, so I do not use traditional lash adhesive such as Duo (which many artists do carry and love within their kits). Instead, I have selected to swap out my lash adhesive for a more expensive, yet much safer adhesive from one of my favorite brands – Tarte. This lash adhesive has become my personal favorite because as someone who runs into issues with the sensitivities myself, the fact that this lash adhesive works well and doesn’t use latex or some of the other harmful chemicals makes a world of difference to me. Available in two colors (clear or black) I like to opt for the clear adhesive as it dries matte, and if you would like to wear lashes but skip the liner, it looks fantastic!
So again, why wear lashes on your special day? Because it is your special day. The shift that I see between when I give the client the mirror with a full face of makeup before and after lash application is clearly visible. There is something empowering and exciting that my clients feel once the full look has been pulled together, and truly I feel like lashes give you that extra bounce in your step that you may feel like you are missing. Truly, if you are on the fence about upcharging to faux lashes with your hired beauty pro, go for it and I promise you will not regret it at all!
