You want to have LUSH LASHES like Kim Kardashian... or at least fake it!

Unless you've been hiding under a rock or living in space (and even then, its still quite questionable) you absolutely know who Kim Kardashian is. But if the name is not so familiar, you might recognize her full, voluminous, touchable... ahem... eye lashes!

It was movie magic that launched a famous beauty trend. In 1916, legendary movie director, D.W. Griffith wanted Seena Owen, the leading lady of his epic, "Intolerance", to have glamorous lashes so long they would gracefully touch her cheeks when she fluttered her eyelashes or looked down thoughtfully. A wig maker wove human hair through fine gauze and gummed them to Owen's eyelids creating the very first set of false eyelashes. Needless to say, women wanted the same movie star lashes and a trend was born.

Volumnious, fluttery, awe-inspiring lashes are what we all aspire too. But not all of us are born with an amazing optic fringe. If you are like me, your eye lashes are sparse and short. They either look non-existent or mascara-caked, border-line arachnid. Neither look are found on the runways. *womp womp*.

Thankfully there are temporary, semi-permanent and permanent solutions for every lack-lashed DL Darling out there. Deux Luxe Bride, being the daring girl that she is, has made the sacrifice to put herself in the crash-test dummy seat. We have tested the products, the looks and the results. The nominees are:
 
1) For the Girl who needs Instant Gratification - Faux  Strip Lashes
Ardell Lashes, Red Cherry Lashes
We will say it here, now, Fake Lashes are the New Fake Breasts. We love them and have been an avid flutter-faux fanatic for 15 years now. (Stay tuned for a Strip & Individual Lash tutorial post)

Ardell Lashes have been on the market for a long time and can attest to being most women's 'first time'.  The strip lashes are made of sterilized 100% human hair, while the individual lashes are synthetic. Moderately (on the lash scale for temporary solutions) affordable at $5.99, you won't feel super bad when they start to warp or fray from a wild night out.

   
Our trial and verdict: Now being an Ardell veteran, We have never had too much problems with the product. Strip lashes will always be a challenge to lash virgins at first but once you perfect a lash routine, they are a piece of cake. My fave style is Lash #110. Natural, yet still has the full fan effect that looks fab in 'eyes closed, camera pointing down' pictures. Ardell lashes are, however, more on the weighty side and feel a tad heavy on the lid. Equivalent to our 'First Love'... Although you part ways, you will always compare everyone else to them.


Red Cherry Lashes, fairly new to the Faux Lash scene, are the Best Newcomer of the Year.
Also made from 100% Human Hair, this line comes in almost 100 different styles! In their vast style arsenal: short, long, dramatic, dark and fair haired, and even better- Lower Lashes!
For the most daring DL Darlings, lower lashes are the next big thing! The Japanese Gyaru have been rocking this trend for sometime, and we are so thrilled to jump on the band wagon. The wide doe-eyed look just got stepped up another level!



Our trial and verdict: 2 thumbs up. Fine holiday fun! Red Cherry Lashes are fun and flirty. You can match your mood with any lash from their list of 100+ styles! They are light and flexible  and are the perfect length of my eye, with no need to trim. Because the lash strip has such little surface area, a little more lash glue is necessary to adhere. These lashes are alot more durable than the Ardell lashes and can stand up to multiple uses.  For DL Darlings in the GVA, we head to Trinity Salon Spa in Brentwood, Burnaby- at the foot of the Gilmore Skytrain station. The lovely ladies at Trinity were super duper helpful in picking out the right style and how to wear them. So worth the $6.99 yet, sadly enough, not as readily available as Ardell lashes are.

2) For the Girl who wants more than a fling - Professionally Applied Lash Extensions The newest trend in flutter-faux are Lash Extensions. The method of applying individual hairs to each eye lash to add length, thickness and fullness to natural eyelashes.The look is natural, and last for ages! Save yourself a half hour each day that you'd be spending on eye makeup and strip-lash application. This look is fuss-free and valuable timesaver!


Our trial and verdict: We have a love/hate relationship with this method only because they look SO DARN AMAZING when done right... but nature and it's horrid cycles can turn beautiful lashes into a big fugly mess. Hair growth occurs in cycles. Hair falls out, and it goes through a dormant stage before it grows back. This dormant stage could be a few days, a few weeks, a few months. Lash extensions, when done right, will set the extensions to last for 3-4 weeks. This time frame refers to the extension and the hair. You cannot take into account whether that hair is at the end of its cycle and could possibly fall out the next day. The application does render slight discomfort because the hospital grade glue's vapor is a little aggravating. This is minor and lasts only a few minutes. But when you think about it, you are lying down on a comfy chaise for an hour, it's more like a nap than a service. We can deal with a little vapor!

Noir Lash Lounge's Lash Addicts know that beauty is not easy... and you have to be committed! Their Lash Addicts are a loyal bunch, many flocking to their 4 locations on a bi-weekly basis. The highly coveted appointments at their Yaletown location fill fast, many being held by self-proclaimed Noirccicists who go religiously. The BEST THING, aside from the awesome service and beautiful facilities, Noir Lash Lounge is unbelievably affordable! No where else can you get a full set of lash extensions for under $70, with bi-weekly fills starting at $35. CRAZY!

So DL Darlings, if you can promise yourself not to trip out when you see a lash fall out plus commit to a half hour every 2 weeks, you too can be as flawlessly glam as Jennifer Lopez <-- but we all know you'll need less work, so theoretically... DL Darlings are MORE glam than JLO. *HAPPY* 
 

3) For the Girl who knows that Beauty is Pain - Lash Treatments & Replacement These 2 'solutions' are not for the faint of heart. The most invasive of all, those lack-lashed girls would call this the last resort. As daring as we are, we chose not experience these, but left it to the word of the internet.

Latisse The biggest news in lash treatments is bimatoprost, the active ingredient in Latisse. Latisse is the first drug approved by the FDA that is clinically proven to grow your eyelashes, not just enhance them, by lengthening and enhancing the growth period of lashes. In eight weeks, you will start to see noticeable results. Full results peak at 12 to 16 weeks of use. 78% of all users have reported eyelashes that are longer, thicker and darker. Latisse is used once a day on upper lashes only and is applied with a fine brush, like liquid eyeliner. Continued use is required to maintain results. Since it is a drug, it is available only through a prescription.

Our trial and verdict: The jury is out on this product, but it's so hard to ignore how uber cute Claire Danes is looking in those ads. Where side effects include darkening of the iris (only known case occured with Lumigen-the generic brand of Latisse), burning, temporary loss of sight. However, the main ingredient - bimatoprost, is actually the same medication used to treat glaucoma. FUN FACT: Latisse was discovered by doctors during glaucoma treatments when they found their patients to have experienced new-found lush lashes!

The product is only available through prescription, and after an eye pressure test is given to ensure healthy conditions. Most irritation and side effects will occur only if the patient is using too much or incorrectly. Depending where you live, Latisse can cost anywhere from $70 - $100 per prescription. The product yields about 6weeks worth of use and considerable results can be seen after 12 weeks.

If you have the patience, and money... it is a worth while product to try. Because it is FDA Approved, and prescribed by a doctor, you MUST follow the proper application to achieve the results. Deux Luxe will possibly do a follow-up with this product and try it for a more realistic verdict.

Eyelash Replacement Surgery- A last resort is eyelash replacement surgery. Once reserved for patients who sustained eyelash loss due to trauma or disease, doctors have been performing the surgery on an increasing number of patients who wish for a permanent surgical solution to the quest for a thicker lash line. In this surgery, healthy eyelashes are transplanted from denser areas to sparser areas, or ones that grow to a greater length may be transplanted to an area with shorter growth. Recent advances in this type of surgery have lead to greater long term success and better results.

Our trial and verdict: Hmm. Don't do it. And that's all we have to say about that. And if that doesn't hinder your need... maybe this will. *Caution, not for the faint of heart!* Image here.

 

Whether you want to fake it for a night, for a month, or treat lashes medicinally, it's your preference. However, lashes are often overlooked and many fail to realize that they should be cared for just as we care for own hair.
We spend $100's of dollars a year on fancy shampoo, salon appointments but pay little attention to the hair that protects your vulnerable eyes.  Your hair uses its natually occuring sebum to feed its follicles for healthy full locks. After rubbing and washing, we tend to neglect the fact that we are rubbing away our eyelashes food source. A simple way to nurture and feed your lashes: a swipe of vaseline applied with a clean dry mascara brush each night before bed. This is also a great alternative to mascara, leaving lashes looking super glossy and glamourous!

Until next time Deux Luxe Darlings,
Kiss kiss, Hug hug!

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