Individual lashes bonded one by one for length and fullness
Eyelash extensions are individual synthetic fibres bonded to your natural lashes, one extension to each lash for a classic set or several fanned extensions per lash for volume and Russian volume. The technician isolates each natural lash with tweezers and attaches the extension a millimetre from the lid, so nothing touches the skin. You lie with your eyes closed throughout, and most people find it relaxing enough to doze.
The effect lasts as long as your natural lashes do — they shed in a cycle of six to eight weeks — so sets are maintained with infills every two to three weeks. Styles range from a natural classic set to a dramatic mega volume look, and a good technician will suggest length and curl based on your eye shape and the strength of your own lashes.
A full set takes 90 minutes to two and a half hours; infills take 45 to 75. A patch test at least 24 hours before your first set is standard practice, as lash adhesive contains cyanoacrylate.
Also known as: lash extensions, classic lashes, Russian volume lashes.
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Soho, London
Classic, hybrid and volume lashes in a rented room above a Soho hair salon
5.0 · 2 reviews
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Roath, Cardiff
Hybrid and volume lashes and brow lamination in a Roath home studio
Prime
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Headingley, Leeds
Natural classic and hybrid lash sets, evenings and Saturdays
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Gosforth, Newcastle
Lash extensions at her Gosforth studio; lifts and tints also mobile
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City Centre, Liverpool
Lash and brow bar with five artists: Russian volume, lamination and spray tans
A classic full set usually costs £45 to £80, hybrid sets £55 to £90 and volume sets £65 to £120, with London at the top of each range. Infills cost roughly half the price of a full set.
Not when they are applied correctly. Damage comes from extensions that are too heavy for the natural lash, from lashes glued together, or from pulling them off at home. Have them removed professionally, and ask your technician to match the weight to your lashes.
Keep them dry for the first 24 hours, avoid oil-based cleansers and mascara, brush them through each morning and sleep on your back if you can. Daily cleansing with a lash shampoo keeps the base clean and the set lasting longer.
The checks worth making before you book, and the few signs worth walking away from.
What separates a therapist worth returning to from one you try once — at a home studio, a salon or your own door — and how to tell before you sit in the chair.
