Posts Tagged ‘false eyelashes’

How To Score Red Carpet Eyelashes

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

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When you flip through an entertainment magazine do you end up gawking at the stars’ luscious eyelashes? The Kardashians, Beyonce and Jennifer Aniston—they all seem to have out-of-this-world thick, long eyelashes that make their eyes pop. You may not be Hollywood royalty, but surely there’s a way to pump up your eyes’ volume more than a few coats of mascara. Right? There are many ways to give your eyes a “come hither” boost but your eyes’ health and safety should always come first. We’ll highlight a few solutions that will make you want to bat your eyelashes.

Better Lash Care
One of the easiest, safest ways to get longer, fuller lashes is to simply take care of the ones you’ve got. Don’t tug or pick at your lashes, be sure to wash off all mascara before bed and be especially careful if you wear waterproof mascara, which can dry out lashes. Be sure to replace tubes of mascara that are 3 to 6 months old. After time mascara tubes can build up bacteria that can cause eye infections.

Conditioner
Just like your hair needs conditioned, your eyelashes do, too. You can use Vaseline or Aquaphor at night or buy an over-the-counter lash conditioner that contains proteins that strengthen your lashes such as keratin or biotin. The protein helps prevent lash breakage. Conditioners generally carry very few risks when used correctly and can show significant lash growth in a matter of weeks.

False Eyelashes
False eyelashes that can be applied with glue are a fast fix to give your lashes a little va-va-voom. In fact, many celebrities have false eyelashes applied by make-up artists for their special events. However, there are health risks with this alternative. False eyelash glue can cause allergic reactions, irritation and swelling. Reusing false eyelashes can also increase the risk of eye infections. If you are going to use false lashes, try to use them just for special events where you don’t have to wear them for long periods of time. Also, throw the lashes away after each use.

Extensions
You may have heard of hair extensions, but what about eyelash extensions? With eyelash extensions, tiny synthetic eyelashes are glued onto individual lashes. However, this option doesn’t come cheap. Eyelash extensions can cost up to $300 and may last only a few months. Also, extensions can cause damage to natural eyelashes when they fall off.

Medications
A lot of attention has gone to new medications that increase lash growth such as Latisse, but does it work and is it safe to use? At about $90 a month, Latisse is an expensive option, but according to most research and doctors it works. Latisse uses an ingredient called Bimatoprost, similar to the body’s natural chemical Prostagladin, that makes eyelashes grow. Like any medication, Latisse can cause complications and infections. Some reports of eye pigmentation change, darkening of the skin around the eye or redness and itching have occurred.