The big mascara rethink
New eyelash treatments promise to make mascara an option, rather than an everyday essential. Hannah Coates reports…
MASCARA, OUR FOREVER rideor-die, has competition. Competition which, last year, prompted a drop in ‘mascara’ Google searches and a 52% rise in searches for ‘natural lash lifts’ on Pinterest. What happened? We used to feel naked without a slick of the good stuff, but now, with Instagram popularising lash-less looks, big brands like Fenty and Huda Beauty (which sells 22 different types of falsies) not selling any kind of mascara, and the catwalks sporting bare lashes season after season, it might seem like our furry- tipped friends have fallen out of favour. Put that down to the extensions, tints and lifts responsible for stealing mascara’s crown…
DO THE LASH LIFT
All the eye-awakening, lifting and defining effects of mascara can be mimicked with a lash lift or perm. As low-maintenance as lash treatments come, beauty booking service Treatwell reported that bookings for LVL lashes (one of the UK’S leading lash-lift brands) are up 83% year-on-year. It’s a semi-permanent curl and lift that lasts up to eight weeks and makes lashes bat-worthy at all times. ‘ We stick lashes to a shield on the upper eyelid, then use a product to break down the hair’s structure,’ explains Debbie Law of Nouveau Lashes. ‘ We finish by applying a neutraliser to rebuild the lash structure into its new, reformed shape.’ The whole process, which doesn’t damage lashes,
takes 45 minutes. ‘It looks so natural and we often pair it with a tint,’ says Debbie, who adds you can still use mascara for extra wow.
GO MAGNETIC
If Google’s 2018 top trending search terms are anything to go by, magnetic lashes are a bigger thing than you might expect. Magnetic falsies fix to your natural lashes but with magnets instead of glue. They are notoriously tricky to apply, but the secret is to apply them right at the lash line, so the magnets align and ‘sandwich’ your lashes. Try Eylure’s Luxe Magnetic Lashes, £13.95.
GET AN EXTENSION
Eyelash extensions, where individual faux lashes are glued to each natural lash, were Treatwell’s top performing facial and lash treatment in 2018. Their big selling point is the amount of time and effort they save. ‘ With each application and removal of mascara, you waste 15 minutes a day – or one hour and 45 minutes a week,’ says Asma Docrat, a lash pro at Boudoir Lashes (available at Harvey Nichols).
The beauty of extensions is that they negate the need for much else on the face – such is their ability to define. You can also make them bespoke. Some might prefer denser lashes on the outer corners of the eyes, while others will prefer a long-lashed, eye-opening effect. Application can take up to three hours, but they last up to eight weeks and gaps can be infilled. To avoid damage to your lashes, ‘Go to a reputable technician and follow the aftercare instructions,’ says Asma.
NURTURE YOUR NATURALS
‘ With our hair, we colour, curl, blow-dry and straighten, but we combat this trauma with conditioners and masks,’ says Debbie. ‘ Yet, we don’t think twice about how mascara damages our lashes.’ Now, eyelash serums are using skincare ingredients to condition lashes. ‘Look for ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and glycerine, as these are humectants that hydrate lashes by attracting and holding on to water,’ says dermatologist Dr Justine Hextall. ‘Biotin is also important for healthy keratin levels to strengthen the lash line.’ Try L’oréal’s Clinically Proven Lash Serum, £14.99. As well as conditioning serums, there are lash growth serums. Revitalash, £74, one of the UK’S most popular, contains peptides, a biopeptin complex and wheat protein to strengthen and condition lashes. After a few weeks, you can expect a much fuller flutter.
EXTENSIONS CAN CREATE A LONG- LASHED EYE- OPENING EFFECT