At this point, it’s safe to say that we’ve all seen at least someone with desirable lash extensions. Maybe you have seen a lash technician’s Instagram solely dedicated to promoting their lash extension services. Just the thought of waking up with flawless eyelashes without putting on mascara brings me one step closer to booking an appointment. After doing some research, I started to realize that they might not be worth the hype.
To begin with, lash extensions tend to break the bank. The price range of your first lash set costs anywhere from $140 to $450, according to InStyle. As a broke college student, I rarely have extra cash laying around to spend on something that pricy. And that’s only the initial set. If you decide to get lash extensions, be ready to go to the salon every two to three weeks to get your lashes refilled and touched up. According to Cosmopolitan, these appointments can cost up to $165. Since maintenance will put even more strain on your bank account, make sure that you’re financially ready to commit to lash extensions if you decide to do so.
Not only will you be wasting money, but you will also be wasting a decent amount of time. The process of getting a full lash set done takes about two hours, according to the Huffington Post. I don’t know about you, but two hours of sitting still would drive me insane. With a busy schedule and finals right around the corner, I won’t have that kind of time to spare, along with the added time from follow-up appointments.
If you’ve decided that lash extensions aren’t for you but you still want voluminous lashes, there are other options. A go-to for many people is false eyelashes. To level up your falsie game and achieve a look similar to lash extensions, mink falsies are available. Some mink false eyelash sets can even be reused up to 20 times. For a more natural look, you can buy single mink lashes as well. If you’re like me and have a love/hate relationship with falsies, you can purchase lash serum. The Woolash lash serum is supposed to “support the growth of thick, long, voluminous and healthy looking lashes,” according to their website. The best part of lash serum is that the lashes are 100 percent yours! You can apply it before doing your mascara (be sure to wait a minute or two to apply mascara) or you can put it on before going to bed. The Woolash Starter retails for $49.95, which beats spending hundreds of dollars on lash extensions.
Whether you use one of the lash extension alternatives or end up getting lash extensions, experiment and see what works best for you. If you have the time and money to spend, then why not go for lash extensions? If you are on a budget and want to give your eyes a more dramatic look like me, then the alternatives will work just as well or even better than lash extensions.