Lashing Out: Are Flirtatious Eyelashes Worth the Trouble?

I am genetically predisposed to horrible, stumpy, weak lashes. Fortunately in this day and age, one can use cosmetic fakery to transform them. I opted for eyelash extensions – not only do they give volume and length as well as curl, but they last up to a month.

The eyelash technician led me into the back room, where I lay down giddy with expectation. She brought out a small plastic box. Inside were strip upon strip of synthetic lashes. They ranged from short and feathery baby hairs to monstrously long spiders’ legs. In between there were deliciously long sweepers and safe, mid-length lashes.

I opted for mid-length because I was more interested in volume than length. Because I wear glasses, I was afraid that full-length lashes (almost two centimeters!) would forever be wiping the inside of my glasses. Also, if you get them too long, the extensions can twist and turn upside down so you're left with some lashes that are dangerously close to poking your eye.

Asking me in the gentlest of voices to open my eyes slightly, the technician placed a thin plastic film between my eyelids and asked me to keep them closed for the session to protect my skin from the black, tar-like glue.

She shone a bright beam down onto my face, close enough that I could feel the warmth of the lamp. Using tweezers, she began gluing each new lash extension to one of my real lashes. She would stick the lashes in the glue, rest them on the plastic sheet under my eyelids, and then place them one by one. With that so close to my nose, I was constantly getting a whiff of glue – very unpleasant, the smell, like a cross between baijiu and cow manure.

When there's someone so close poking at your eyes, it's almost involuntary to want to open them! But I resisted the temptation – I didn’t want to get glue in my eyes from the lashes that had not yet dried. At times, it did get uncomfortable. The worst pain came when I could feel her poking a synthetic lash into my skin in an attempt to align it with my lash.

After 40 minutes, she removed the film and I groggily sat up. Peering into the mirror, I noticed two things:

1. My eyes were watering from the pain.
2. I had magnificent lashes that could definitely outflutter Bambi’s. Success!

How were they received? The next day, a colleague pronounced my lashes longer and lusher than before. I also got an amorous glance from a nice young man, a friend of a friend. We were making eyes at one another across a table. I think it was my new lashes – they made me a little coquettish.

Keeping them in tip-top condition, however, is a hassle. No water or mascara can touch them, and when removing makeup, one must be careful not to rub them. They're meant to fall off with your natural lashes but sometimes they only half-fall off and hang there, desperately gripping onto the last bit of glue. It looks so terrible that you pinch it off only to inadvertently pluck off the real eyelash!

Also, when they do eventually fall off, you will be left with weaker lashes than you had before because of strain and weight. The price of the eyelash extensions (RMB 380) includes two treatments (within three months). Thus the vicious cycle begins.

One almost suspects an evil mastermind behind this all – a dastardly man with a long, thin face, beady eyes and an unquenchable thirst for wealth and power. First, he'd control the media, only promoting actresses with fluttery lashes. Then when the general public realized that this was the ultimate in beauty, he'd release the treatment. They’d snap it up, only to find that the process left weak, brittle lashes in their wake, creating a horrible cycle of lashlessness and self-loathing.

I wouldn't say I was hooked but I certainly preferred myself in those long luscious lashes. The second time at the salon, however, was bad. Very bad. They gave me a trainee and I ran out of the place, tears streaming, cursing my own vanity.

The thinking side of me eventually won out. After four rounds of fake lashes, I gave up. Having them twist upside down, poke your glasses, dangle but not quite fall off … I simply couldn't be bothered! I may well be vain and insecure but I am practical to a fault. I weighed the pros and cons and decided to stick to eyelash curlers and mascara.

If you decide to give eyelash extensions a try, do insist on being served by an experienced lash-lady. It’s such a delicate procedure and you certainly don’t want to risk your eyes. More experienced therapists will also be able to place the extensions closer to your roots, which means they’ll stay on longer.

Xin Hong Feng Beauty Salon. 1-2/F, Yashow (to the right of main entrance), 58 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District (6417 4790) 鑫宏峰美容美发中心, 朝阳区工体北路58号雅秀服装市场东侧

Photos: Taopic.com, Makeupdesignbyemmatowner.co.uk