OPEN YOUR EYES

HERE’S HOW TO WAKE UP TO PERFECTLY LIFTED LASHES WITHOUT LIFTING A FINGER

If you’re considering eyelash extensions because it’ll be easier then doing your make-up every morning, think again. Bambi-esque falsies may look like a million bucks, but there’s no getting around the fact they’re high maintenance and unlikely to be doing the condition of your natural lashes any favours.

And as a candidate I ring more than a few alarm bells — super sensitive eyes, wears contacts, rarely remembers to remove makeup after a big night.

There is a compromise and it may just be the unicorn of the beauty industry, promising lash gain without the pain, permanent damage or pricey upkeep.

Celebrity lash and brow artist Amy Jean describes their Keratin Lash Elevate treatment as a “game changer” for women who lust after darker, longer lashes, but can’t face the commitment of extensions.

“You wake up every day with lashes that rival a good set of falsies,” she says. “Most women are totally awed that their natural lashes could ever have such wow factor.”

There are already more than 40 stockists across Australia offering the transforming treatment at around $130 a pop.

I gave it a go with Amy Jean’s Queensland director Monique Deveney (pictured).

I’m cocooned in a warm towel with my head cushioned when Monique starts by gently coaxing a curl from my natural lashes using silicone moulds. She then tints and applies keratin for extra nourishment. While a whiff of perm solution offers an olfactory outing to the ’80s, the process is surprisingly relaxing, with the better part of an hour spent in enforced shut-eye. My eyes usually water up on mention of The Notebook or adorable animal reunion YouTube clips, but there was zero redness and irritation. Other than avoiding getting my lashes wet straight after the treatment, there are no strings attached.

“They are your lashes so there genuinely is no maintenance. It’s a much better option for summer,” says Monique, who gives me the all clear to be back in the surf in 12 hours.

My finished flutterers don’t have all of the volume of a full set off falsies, but my bare lashes look dramatically darker and longer.

I’m three weeks in (results last eight to 12 weeks depending on your natural lash life cycle) and it’s opened up my eyes more effectively than a three-shot cappuccino.

I rarely need to bother with mascara and when I do I can skip the step with the eyelash curler and still score amplified results.