Battle of the Eyelashes

A lot of people would say “Well, you won’t know unless you try!” But I decided to look into all of my eyelash options before making a commitment: Eyelash extensions versus false lashes, mascara versus lash lift and natural eyelash growth remedies versus eyelash growth serums. There are so many choices these days that it helps to be clear on exactly what you want, how long you want if for and how much you are willing to pay for it.

Eyelash extensions are becoming so much more popular these days, its like a miracle cure for those like me who are challenged in the growth and fullness department. The problem is unless you are a regular eyelash extension wearer, it’s hard to know what it involves and if it will work well for you. So, let’s start with the basics – What are eyelash extensions?

Well, they are simply eyelashes that are individually attached to your natural eyelashes with a specific glue adhesive. Because they aren’t clumped together or attached in one strip, they tend to look more natural than false eyelashes and can be applied in a bespoke fashion that has been customised just for you.

How long do they last? Well, if you get a set of eyelash extensions for the first time, you can expect them to last around 6-8 weeks if they have been taken care of properly, or otherwise they tend to just fall out with your natural lashes as part of the eyelash growth cycle. They can be “filled in” by a technician at any interval so in theory, you can always have eyelash extensions, it will just cost you a pretty penny and mean plenty of time in appointments each month.

And the question most people want reassurance on... Will eyelash extensions damage natural eyelashes? The answer is a bit of yes and no, but mostly no. At the end of the day, everything comes with a small amount of risk and eyelash extensions are no different. But over the short term for people who wear them for special occasions or holidays, there tends to be no real damage done to existing eyelashes. But for avid extension wearers, it is thought that it can cause permanent lash loss due to the added weight and pressure put on natural lashes and follicles. But it’s definitely more rare than it is common.

The issue is a lot of people walk into a lash extension appointment without knowing about aftercare, the same with tattoos or even hair appointments. With all of those things we all want to keep that first day freshly done look to our new modification, but we can only have that if we continue to care for them after leaving the salon/tattoo parlour. So, for eyelash extensions it is important that aftercare is taken into account for them to look great and last as long as you would expect. This usually includes not getting them wet for a certain amount of time, not using oil-based cleansers or products and being careful not to pull at or rub the eyelashes and extensions.

A lot of the time mascara isn’t recommended for eyelash extensions either, which I would say isn’t a problem when gaining extra lashes in length and fulness is the aim. But for many people, wearing mascara is so natural to them that even with extensions, the idea of stepping out with naked lashes is enough to turn them off the idea of eyelash extensions.

With the upkeep involved in eyelash extensions and the cost, it could be fair to say they might not win the battle between extensions and false lashes, but at this stage, it is still too early to make my mind up.

Let’s look at false lashes and see how their fair against the fabulous extension. So, false eyelashes have come a long way since the faux looking plastic numbers that we used to be able to buy at the nearest drug store for little money. In fact, as a concept, they can look really natural now and use synthetic fibres that match your natural eyelash colour. But the problem is they have to be applied with such care (and a steady hand) to get the natural effect and to look even on both eyes.

For someone who has only worn false eyelashes in the strip form for fancy events I can gladly admit that I had no idea what I was doing. Sure, you get better over time, but I tend not to wear them too often because of the hassle it involves applying them and remove them. That being said, I love the fact that I don’t need to wear them every day and can just save them for that special occasion when I have plenty of time to get ready and plenty of opportunity to flaunt them once they’re in place.

False eyelash strips are usually applied using tweezers or lash applicators and adhesive after being trimmed to size where needed. For them to look like they fit your eye, they need to actually fit your eye and having that band creep over the corners can really ruin what should be a great look. This is where individual or cluster false lashes come in, they can look really natural as placement can be specified based on where natural lashes are sparse or even just for that little extra dramatic effect.

And of course, we can’t forget about magnetic lashes. They are starting to take the world by storm and don’t really have any negatives apart from that they maybe feel less secure than false lashes and glue. But they are a great option for reusability and obviously their removal is pain free and shouldn’t result in any lash loss.

The glue on false lashes shouldn’t be so harsh that it causes lash loss but it can and does happen, and more often than not in my case, they end up coming a bit loose in one corner, revealing my lash secret to the world.

• Cost – False Lashes win this one. But remember if you intend to wear them often, you may end up spending a bit more money and it could be worth going for extensions in the long run.

• Application – Extensions take this one easy. You just have to sit there and relax while your technician does the work. Beats battling the tweezers and getting frustrated applying your own.

• Lash Loss – For now eyelash extensions win this one. But that is based on how they are removed. If they naturally fall out with your eyelash growth cycle then this doesn’t count as unnatural lash loss. Falsies tend to take a few with them every time you remove them.

• Looking Natural – This is probably a close one, but extensions will always look a bit more natural, unless you are going to spend a lot of money and time on individual false lashes and have the steadiest of hands applying them.

Battle One Winner – Eyelash Extensions - Yeah I think I’ve made my mind up on this one. They are definitely worth a try, even just once and knowing that they won’t really do any harm means they should be worth the money once you see the full effect, especially if there is a big wedding, party or holiday coming up where other methods of eyelash growth aren’t immediately possible. For the impatient part of me, eyelash extensions would be the way to go.

Ok, so patience isn’t something we all possess, meaning false eyelashes or eyelash extensions are an easy go-to for immediate long and full lashes. But what about the more patient of us who want naturally long eyelashes and are willing to go the whole way to get them? Longer, thicker and fuller natural eyelashes don’t have to be a mythical rumour anymore as there are options to have them without trips to the salon or spending too much money.

But what is the best way to get them? Eyelash growth serums or natural remedies for eyelash growth? Let’s delve into the world of eyelash growth methods and see which will be the winner of battle two.

Starting with natural remedies, the list can be endless, so for the sake of making things easy I’ve picked a few that have been said to work for eyelash growth. Whether they are old wives’ tales or not is a different story. Plus, you have to always remember that what works for one person, may not necessarily work as well for others based on lifestyle, environment and existing eyelash health.

Thinking about your own eyelashes for a sec, you want to find something that will work for what you need, so for example, if your eyelashes are usually coated in mascara and have started to feel the effects of constant application and makeup removal, they probably need a boost in strength and shine, so fatty acids would be the way forward. If your eyelashes are thinning out through either ageing or illness, you would be looking for something to repair and stimulate the follicles for growth and not so much excess growth at this stage.

Castor oil is one such thing that is said to help in both departments. Ok, so it might not be something you would just have lying around but it could be worth the purchase if you want to go the natural route. Containing Ricinoleic acid it is thought to stimulate growth of the eyelashes and help with potential loss of lashes too. Scientific evidence to back this up is thin to say the least however, but while it contains fatty acids in Omega-6 and Omega-9, it can’t hurt to give your lashes a boost in health, shine and strength, even if growth is not the main thing you would get from it.

Coconut oil is also said to have a positive effect on eyelashes as it can deeply penetrate the hair protein and follicles, which means added strength and shine for existing lashes. This in turn can mean they will break less and see their growth to full potential. As for additional growth? This one is still out for decision. But coconut oil is such a versatile product that adding it to food, using it as a moisturiser or on hair or eyelashes will always make you feel and look better, even if it doesn’t make your eyelashes grow faster.

Ok, so now for eyelash growth serums. How do they fair up against these natural remedies? Well, the difference is that eyelash growth serums have been formulated to target the specific proteins in eyelashes and skin types around the eyes, making them useful for what they are supposed to do.

For example, Biotin is a key ingredient in a lot of eyelash growth serums which is a known source of B Vitamins which help strengthen the lashes and promote keratin, the hair’s natural protein. They can also contain fatty oils, botanical extracts and aloe or olive oils that ensure the skin around the eyes is protected while serums are being used.

The benefit of an eyelash serum is that they usually don’t require too much use, and usually one daily dose after cleansing the eyelashes at night is all your lashes need to feel the boost. They also come in a handy mascara sized tube with a small wand applicator that is easy to use and can fit neatly into your makeup kit, rather than a whole jar of coconut oil that is commonly applied with a small cotton bud – not so convenient.

Also when it comes to eyelash growth serums, they usually come with a timescale or guarantee so you know exactly what you’re aiming toward, all you need is a little patience, but most eyelash serums will promise results within 3-4 weeks.

What people don’t realise though is that even with an eyelash serum, care has to be taken at all times with the eyelashes for it to do its job properly. There is no point applying it if you are prone to leaving eyeliner or mascara on longer than you should and if you don’t have a proper cleansing routine. It is also important not to rub the eyelashes or even wear false eyelashes every day which can inhibit growth or cause premature lash loss. What you can do though, is use eyelash growth serums like The Xlash Eyelash Serum for example, with eyelash extensions. Safe to use with adhesives and works on penetrating the follicle and existing natural lashes while you sport a lengthy pair in waiting for your natural ones to grow longer.

• Cost – Natural remedies win this one, you don’t have to pay much for coconut oil or castor oil, but you won’t have the specifically targeted ingredients of an eyelash serum.

• Application – Eyelash serum takes this one home, as it is conveniently packaged with a wand explicitly designed for applying to your eyelashes. A cotton bud can be too big and clumpy to aim right into the corners between lashes.

• Lash Loss – They will both fair quite equally here as long as used correctly and you don’t rub your eyelashes or use harsh cleansers. Whether natural or a serum, the aim is lash growth not loss, so this should never be a problem.

• Lash growth – Eyelash serums are designed to make eyelashes grow longer, faster and stronger as well as making existing lashes and follicles healthier so they last for extended periods of time. Results can of course vary, but the eyelash serums we see today have shown great results on real people that make it an exciting thing to try out.

Battle Two Winner – Eyelash Growth Serums – I’ve been on and off the fence with this battle, but it really does come down to wanting better eyelashes and finding a way for them to finally be great without enhancements such as false eyelashes or extensions, and eyelash serums are the way to do that whilst thinking about convenience too. It is really exciting to wait for the results and not only see longer lashes but feel how strong they are too.

The choice is always yours to make, but hopefully with a bit more insight and a few more things to consider, the battle of the eyelashes will always come down to longer lashes always being a winner.