The Ultimate Guide to your Perfect Eyelashes

You reach for the mascara and hope that it gives you the look of luscious, long lashes, perfectly framing the eyes, to give you that final bout of confidence before grabbing your clutch and leaving the house.

For most of us, we wish our eyelashes would play ball in that perfect scenario. We would love to wake up and have effortlessly long dark eyelashes. But what about when they don’t want to play along, or when we feel like we only have five eyelashes left through years of neglecting them? Just HOW do we get better eyelashes?

Mascara is always the number one and most affordable fix it for the everyday person. But there are so many on the market these days, half the battle can be finding which one works for your eyelashes. Eyelash extensions, while they look amazing, are a time-consuming and somewhat costly way to gain longer and fuller eyelashes. Fake or false lashes have the bonus of being cheaper than extensions but run the risk of looking too false and if not looked after are mostly one use only. A lash lift is less common, and is similar to a perm for your eyelashes, but is a great way for straight lashes to gain a curl in one short process. Growth serum is widely becoming a favourite for any kind of eyelash shape or length. It encourages growth in even the smallest hair follicle and can help make eyelashes look darker and fuller.

So, the options are there! And each may suit a different lifestyle or maybe even a special occasion. I decided to delve in a little deeper to each recommended eyelash routine, to find out just which one would work best in different scenarios.

Mascara – Ahh trusty mascara! So many wouldn’t leave home without it. But with such a variety of different types these available, it is easy to see why so many women are opting for other treatments to make their eyelashes look longer. Mascara (or its long distant relative, kohl) first made its way onto eyelashes back in 3000BC when ancient Egyptians used to colour in their eyelashes to accentuate their eyes using the kohl they also lined them with. Men and women alike used ‘mascara’ to shield their eyes from the bright, hot sun as well as to accentuate their features. Well, if it is good enough for Cleopatra then it is good enough for me!

Mascara has that temporary appeal that works for a modern-day approach to life. With the ability to apply and remove it each morning and night, it can be more convenient than say applying false eyelashes each day, and it works for those in a hurry. You can even throw it into your bag to apply at any point of the day as long as there is a mirror handy!

So, what are the negatives of mascara? Well, for starters, it can be a double-edged sword. The convenience of application and removal every day may prove monotonous and you may not be able to achieve the exact same look from the day before. And believe me, nightly mascara removal is an absolute must for everyone who wears it. By leaving this on overnight, it will cause your lush lashes to dry out and fall out, thus rendering the effects almost pointless over the long-term.

Waterproof mascara and non-waterproof mascara – As the range of both are so varied, it is almost impossible to guarantee the outcome before trying them, no matter what the label says. It could end up looking clumpy or uneven or be on your lashes so well that even your nightly make up removal regime doesn’t take off the majority of residue and with more use your eyelashes end up looking dull and thin. Water resistant mascara, although has a less harsh chemical make-up, is still going to have a negative effect on your eyelashes. It is convenient for everyday use but can resist water effects such as light rain or moisture, so it can be perfect for the active, in that it won’t move a muscle at the gym while you do. Mascara is not going anywhere any time soon, so needs to be used correctly to ensure the best results possible.

It is the world we live in today where we have to think about things like animal testing when buying our make-up products and unfortunately there are still many brands in the market that claim to be free from animal testing but may still have partner companies for a section of their products that still involve laboratory testing. Xlash stands by its own testimonial and does not support or use animal testing in any of its products including the Xlash Eyelash Serum. Using only natural ingredients, it promotes healthy growth of eyelashes and can be used in conjunction with mascara daily.

While mascara is great it can’t add actual length to your eyelashes and although it creates a thicker appearance, imagine if adding real volume was an option. Xlash serum can be applied every night to encourage the growth and thickness of eyelashes with results visible after 4-6 weeks with no harm done by applying mascara each day (as long as it is removed again!).

So, if you are wondering whether its eyelash serum or mascara for you, the answer can be BOTH. Keep up with those applications, remember to take progress pictures and you will soon be impressed with those beautiful lashes!
False Eyelashes – Applying a pair of these according to instructions is nearly always a three-step process; Apply eyelash glue, position, and fix into place. But what about the other steps? Measuring the set of lashes for trimming where needed, having a thin pair of tweezers handy, mirroring the application to the first eye. It’s a lot more tricky than you may think if you have never applied falsies before. For the seasoned expert, it is as simple as getting dressed in the morning. But not everyone has the time (or patience) to learn or to put it to practice. False eyelashes may only come out at special occasions, weddings, parties, a big date! But either way, you need to apply these carefully to ensure you end up looking like a queen and not a wannabe.

So, if you are wondering whether its eyelash serum or mascara for you, the answer can be BOTH. Keep up with those applications, remember to take progress pictures and you will soon be impressed with those beautiful lashes!
False Eyelashes – Applying a pair of these according to instructions is nearly always a three-step process; Apply eyelash glue, position, and fix into place. But what about the other steps? Measuring the set of lashes for trimming where needed, having a thin pair of tweezers handy, mirroring the application to the first eye. It’s a lot more tricky than you may think if you have never applied falsies before. For the seasoned expert, it is as simple as getting dressed in the morning. But not everyone has the time (or patience) to learn or to put it to practice. False eyelashes may only come out at special occasions, weddings, parties, a big date! But either way, you need to apply these carefully to ensure you end up looking like a queen and not a wannabe.

False eyelashes blend well into natural lashes that already have close to the desired shape. If you have straight eyelashes, then applying curved “C” shaped falsies or winged lashes is going to be nothing but plainly obvious that you are wearing fake eyelashes. You could have a really thin set of lashes that react well to water-proof mascara but are too thin for the glue to grip onto the base of your eyelids enough to get through the day.
However, false lashes - again if applied and removed with care - can also provide the perfect stop-gap between first eyelash serum application and the inevitable growth after about a month of use.

False eyelashes blend well into natural lashes that already have close to the desired shape. If you have straight eyelashes, then applying curved “C” shaped falsies or winged lashes is going to be nothing but plainly obvious that you are wearing fake eyelashes. You could have a really thin set of lashes that react well to water-proof mascara but are too thin for the glue to grip onto the base of your eyelids enough to get through the day.
However, false lashes - again if applied and removed with care - can also provide the perfect stop-gap between first eyelash serum application and the inevitable growth after about a month of use.

I would pick the serum every time and top it up with a bit of mascara use each day. You will always achieve a more natural look and all it requires is a little bit of patience while your eyelashes do the hard work!

Eyelash Extensions – The average person has between 100 and 200 eyelashes per eye. Eyelash extensions are applied over a 2-3-hour period and usually last around 2-4 weeks before needing a top up. Extending your lashes is massively convenient just before a holiday. In the same thought process as getting a spray tan or a leg wax it means while you are soaking up the sun or sipping cocktails, your routine for getting ready for a night out is now cut in half, with a lot less to think about. With your eyelashes looking full and long and with little need for mascara, you can dance the night away without worrying about this part of your make up slipping down your face later on in a hot nightclub!

Eyelash extensions are also ideal for the big day, whether its yours or your best friend’s, we all know tears are a big part of any wedding day and mascara vs. eyelash extensions? It would be hard to solely trust the most waterproof of mascaras on a day so important.

Of course, you can enhance those newly extended lashes with mascara, but to keep them in great shape you need to make sure you use a water based or oil free mascara, otherwise you will cause the glue to break down and lose those extensions well before your next appointment.

If the eyes are the window to a person’s soul, then eyelashes could be the curtains. Get these right then and you frame them perfectly and allow people to see the real you, inviting and hinting at what could be behind them. Eyelash extensions really do have their positives in the convenience before a big event, in how long they last and how natural looking they are when applied correctly. They are also not a major expense, all things considered but the upkeep can get expensive, especially if you are prone to weaker lashes that fall out often or are too light for the glue and chemicals, causing breakages. Eyelash serum can be the fix to all of these problems. As I mentioned before it just requires a little patience. Cost wise Xlash will set you back less than half the cost of a one-off eyelash extension appointment!

Xlash uses a combination of natural ingredients and extracts to encourage growth from your hair follicles and actually provides a remedy to hair loss over time. If you started using the serum now, you could have longer, fuller and darker looking eyelashes before you even have time to thing about booking your next holiday! If you wish, you can still use extensions to keep you covered in the growth stage, however, once you see the results of regular use of the serum, you won’t need to keep up those appointments anymore!

So, eyelash extensions or eyelash serum? I’m picking serum on this one. The serum will work its magic nightly with no risk to your eyes or lashes for long lasting and low-cost results. Extensions will cause you to dig deeper into your pockets every month and walk away from the salon with no guarantee they will last. And remember, good things come to those who wait… and waiting for longer, darker eyelashes seems like a good investment of time to me!

Eyelash Lift – Remember back in the late eighties and early nineties when getting a perm was all the rage? If you were lucky enough to skip this, I hope you have never taken your hair for granted! They weren’t all bad, they were the height of fashion and if you wanted to look like your favourite popstar, the perm was the way to go. Not everyone had curly hair with volume that only snuck up or outwards a few extra centimetres with a spritz of hair spray, so the perm helped women and men achieve the look they longed for. So, we can be forgiven for wanting to do the same with our lashes.

Albeit a subtler change to our faces than a bouffant hair do, the lash lift provides exactly what the perm did back then. Extra volume and curls where there were none.

Lash lifts are similar to the effects of eyelash extensions although perhaps not as dramatic, they usually last around 2-3 months but people often make the mistake of thinking they are permanent. As your eyelashes fall out regularly anyway, the newly grown eye lash will take its original shape when exiting the follicle. It can cost more than the eyelash extension, but it does have positive effects in that they are still your eyelashes and won’t feel false or un-natural.

The downside is the amount of chemical use involved with an eyelash perm or eyelash lift. It effectively relaxes the hair and manoeuvres them into a new shape by sticking them to your upper lids temporarily. If you have a difficult time with hair dyes or lighteners, you may also experience the same type of irritation or even hair loss with the lash lift.

I look at the lash lift as a slightly similar thing to how we may go get our nails shaped and gelled. We are simply enhancing the way they look with a little added extra but nothing of a permanent nature. But if we were to reach for the nail growth serum or nail strengthening cream and let it do its job, wouldn’t we have a better result anyway?

As you will know by now Xlash Eyelash Serum has a positive effect on growth, using all natural ingredients that prolong hair regrowth cycles, supress grey hair growth and stimulation of the hair follicle to encourage longer and fuller eyelashes. The lash lift will give us what we want almost immediately, but by using harsher chemicals that run the risk of deep skin irritation and courser eyelash hair. Of course, it is down to the individual to decide on which route to take with their luscious lashes, and I know we can’t all be blessed with fast growing eyelashes, even with serum to help us along, so a lash lift might just be the way forward at the time. Just be careful and read up on the procedure and salon before visiting, it is always best to be prepared than go all in and run the risk of damage later.

Natural all the way for me. But then if you do choose the eyelash lift it is good to know that growth serums are recommended for use before a lash lift for those who really want a more obvious curl and it is also a pain free and cost-effective way to look after those eyelashes and make them stand out when it counts!

Eyelash Serum – These days there are so many serums being marketed and they usually have different uses. Some for sensitive hair or skin, some for dramatic looks, some with natural ingredients and some with extra tints in to really bring them out when they are shaped to perfection.

It is also not uncommon for people to reach for some castor oil or shae butter and try out some natural home remedies to mix a DIY eyelash serum when trying to encourage eyelash growth. While castor oil and shae butter along with lemon peel and green tea leaves all have active ingredients that promote hair healthiness and stimulation, there is no proven outcome to say that they alone have caused the eyelashes to grow in a short time-frame. It is also not often these days that we have all-natural green tea leaves lying around the kitchen or organic shae butter just wasting away in the bathroom cabinet. Organic items don’t come too cheap either so out of convenience, it is usually easier to try a branded serum, which comes in a small package you can take wit you and is easy to apply. It is 2019 now so lets trust the thousands or product reviews and testimonials over the old wives tails?

Serums can’t guarantee the exact growth rate for every person, but at any one time around 40% of your upper lashes are growing and the serum enhances this. Most serums on the market will guarantee over 50% growth rate.

All in a trusty little tube and convenient packaging for anyone to carry round, using this nightly will make it far easier to measure your own success rate than crushing up some green tea leaves and having no unit for measurement. You can say “bye” to DIY eyelash serums and reach for something you can trust.

Eyelash Regrowth – Eyelash loss doesn’t just come as part of the natural growth cycle or due to years of damage applying mascara or adding extensions, there can be underlying medical conditions that will cause hair loss and this may not stop at the hair on your head. Eyelashes have been known to be affected by alopecia, hyper and hypothyroidism and lupus, as well as a result of hair loss following chemotherapy. Doctors can provide advice on steps to take to actively help or encourage regrowth either during or after treatment. People have asked if Xlash will work for people suffering from the above conditions, generally speaking as it is designed to encourage growth while also prolong the hair’s natural growth cycle so long as you have some eyelashes left you will see an improvement if you use Xlash due to more individual hairs being kept in cycle – not reaching the end and then falling out straight away.

The Perfect Eyelash – I will tell you a little secret, the perfect set of eyelashes don’t exist. That is because we all have a wonderful pair of lashes that may just need to be nurtured and treated to a little TLC before they are ready to show themselves off to the world. Of all the different remedies for assisting growth, extending or curling, I much prefer the easier route of applying a nightly serum and seeing the results down the line when I least expect them. I love the XLash Eyelash Serum as it does all this for me, making my eyelashes look longer, thicker and darker, with just a little bit of my trusty mascara before a night out to really make them pop! Life is short! Why do your eyelashes have to be?