this is not a flattering photo of my mom (she was a beautiful woman), but she had had thin eyelashes (sorry mom!)
My mother didn’t have any eyelashes. Well, actually, she had some, but they were very thin and sparse. I remember her applying mascara and being a kid, I sometimes snickered at the “Minnie Mouse” effect it gave her eyes. Back in my mother’s day, lash extensions probably didn’t exist. If they were a well-kept secret of moguls and movie stars. Fortunately for anyone willing to make a bit of an investment, anyone can have the lashes they’ve always dreamed of. Today, lash extensions are not just available, they’re accessible.
Modern and Natural:
Modern lash extensions are nothing like the strips of fake lashes you glue close to your lash line over your own lashes. Those not only look fake, but they unfailingly fall off. To me, false eyelashes feel like you’ve taped roller blinds to your eyelids. Modern and natural lash extensions are applied one lash at a time with a tweezer and special glue. If lash extensions are done correctly, you won’t even feel them.
Christian Zamora in his Studio
Christian Zamora in his Studio
Visiting Christian Zamora
My natural lashes are not that bad, but nothing special. Still, I wondered what it would be like to have really beautiful lashes that stayed on day and night. I mean, the kind that is so good they stay on in the shower and are there when you wake up.
.A visit to Makeup artist Christian Zamora, not only transformed my own lashes, but gave me a lot of insight into how these lashes are applied, how they feel, and how they perform. Christian Zamora’s studio at 1133 Broadway suite 724 in Manhattan. There he also offers expert makeup application to celebrities, brides, and fashionable people around New York City. But his real claim to fame (and a lot of his business) is applying lashes to enhance and supplement a client’s own lashes.
Their Lush Lashes May Not Be Their Own!
I had no idea that so many people (including many I know) were already wearing lash extensions. I just assumed that mother nature had endowed them with much nicer lashes than mine (silly me! ). If they are done correctly, you don’t even know that you have them on (an initial worry as I have really sensitive eyes). You can have a natural look or go all the way to lush, drag queen, but once you have the look you love, it’s easy to get addicted because you no longer have to deal with curlers or mascara. it’s almost effortless. As one of my friends simply put it: “lash extensions are a bit like crack.“
lash extensions are applied one lash at a time, with tweezers and a special glue. The lashes on Christian’s hand are the ones he used on me
I was Nervous!
Lash extensions are made of one of three types of materials ( mink, silk or synthetic). As a “first-timer” with sensitive eyes glasses, Christian used silk, the lightest and thinnest type. Mink is the thickest and the lushest. Christian also uses the synthetic on women who like to wear the most makeup. Younger girls go for this option a lot.
I admit I was nervous. But Christian has the friendly and casual demeanor of his Oklahoma roots. He immediately put me at ease. Just FYI, lash extensions can take up to two hours to apply. One of the items I never review is false eyelashes. I just don’t like them. So I was worried that I would find the lash extensions uncomfortable and they were stuck on me until they wore off.
Answering Questions
Christian explained that I probably wouldn’t even know I was wearing them, but for the record, if you get extensions applied and don’t want them anymore for any reason, they can be removed. He explained the entire application process. Then he answered as many questions as I could think of. He also talked about maintenance.
Once you have lashes in place, they’ll last up to six weeks or so if you take care of them. You won’t need mascara, but you also have to be careful what products you put on your face (glycol, for example, will loosen the glue). Lash extensions won’t harm your natural lashes, only enhance them. The key to modern lash extensions is not to overdo them by wearing them for years. A with gel manicures or hair extensions, you need to give your own body parts a chance to take a break now and then.
Application:
Satisfied that I wouldn’t end up looking like a drag queen or a carnival clown, I let Christian begin applying the lashes to my own. Christian is a licensed cosmetologist with over a decade of experience styling hair, creative makeup application, and custom lash extension applications. He was certified, trained to apply lash extensions. However, he says it took him years of practice to refine his personal technique.
Thick or Thin?
Most people who are used to lash extensions would probably ask for thicker lashes than I got. But I wasn’t sure how many lashes I could tolerate. Therefore, Christian started with a light fringe and told me I could come back for more, if I wanted them. The sun was streaming in the window, we chatted about our favorite brands of makeup, soothing music was playing, and Christian was so charming and fun to talk to, I relaxed. I told Christian I felt like all I needed was a tropical drink and I could believe I was at a resort (he laughed).
Soon enough, the process was completed. Christian handed me a mirror, and I couldn’t believe my eyes (pun not intended). I had lashes…and they looked so much better than my own!!!!! In that moment, I realized just why people adore lash extensions. In the moment I kneew….I could be hooked.
my lashes without extensions
my lashes afterward, with extensions
Aftercare:
After I left Christian’s studio, I happened to meet up with a friend who is also a beauty editor and a lash extension lover. She liked my new look but wondered why I didn’t go all out and get even more lashes. I told her honestly I was worried that I couldn’t handle too many at once. Also, I was going away in a couple of weeks and I wanted to do a trial run. Perhaps I’d consider adding some more when I returned,.
Honestly, I was very happy and this amount was comfortable for me. In the end, it is what works for you that matters.
Change Your Habits? Maybe
I wanted these new lashes to remain forever. But I knew they wouldn’t last long if I didn’t take really good care of them. My eyes tend to be dry, and itchy and sometimes I rub them without realizing it. I worried about washing my face. What if I washed my face with something that dislodged the glue? I stopped taking long hot showers because too much water and soap could make the lashes unstick more quickly. h
On the plus side, I no longer needed to wear any mascara (great!) I also stopped wearing a lot of eye products and eye makeup. In short, I became much more conscious of my face, my eyes, everything surrounding the lashes.
The Bottom Line:
Although I review and write about beauty, unlike a lot of my beauty colleagues who take their time applying their makeup, I am low-maintenance and tend to do my beauty routine in a few minutes. Lash extensions are an extra worry that honestly stressed me out (just a bit), although I loved the way they looked.
As your lashes grow out, the extensions will fall off, but every time I lost one, I felt kind of sad. If you want to keep your lash extensions going strong you need to go back for touch-ups, but I didn’t want to impose on Christian’s generosity for more lashes, and I also wanted to see just how long it would take for all of them to disappear so I could write this article. In the estimated six weeks, like Cinderella’s coach, predictably, my lashes had reverted to the pumpkin.”
Give Them a Try:
If you’d like to give lash extensions a try (or you just want to have your makeup done by a true expert whose work has been on the faces of everyone from moguls to models) and you live in New York City or You will be visiting, call the Christian Zamora studio 212.266.5160 (1133 broadway suite 724 NY, 10010) or visit the Christian Zamora Studio Web Site
