About two weeks ago I decided to get individual lashes at a local nail salon here in Atlanta.

I normally wouldn’t get them done at a nail shop but my friend referred them to me after I noticed how natural but very pretty her lashes looked.

That was TWO weeks ago and my individuals are still going strong. (Knock on wood)

I took these pictures immediately after I got them done and I wasn’t completely satisfied with them….I couldn’t quite place my finger on it, but something was off.

*Ignore the faces, I’m pretty goofy*

That’s when I remembered seeing a comment on a false eyelash site I frequent about Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” look.

Although it was beautiful, someone remarked that her makeup would look even better and more BALANCED if she added some lashes to the bottom.

Taking that advice I added some my mascara to my bottom lashes and voila, the look came together.

The thing I like most about these lashes is that they gradually got longer to achieve the “butterfly effect” a.k.a the flair out on the ends.

What do you think about individual lashes ladies?

Too much for everyday or just right?

The least amazing part of Halloween? Spending time putting together your makeup look night after night. This is even more complicated if you have multiple costumes.

This year I was incredibly lazy about Halloweekend. While fiddling around with my makeup, trying to figure out what on earth to be, I stumbled across these beauties.

I think I bought these in January after reading that with the right adhesive, these little darling lashes can last WEEKS.

So I tried them out. They’re HEAVENLY! One application of lashes to last all through Halloweekend!

Here is what you need to put them on:

• Duralash by Ardell – I used Flare Medium Black but you could use any individual lashes.
• Ardell LashTite Adhesive (latex free! bonus!)
• Tin Foil
• Tweezers

The instructions are really straight forward. You put some adhesive in the tin foil. Dip the lashes into the adhesive on the tin foil. Put them on your lashes. Repeat 10-15 times per lash.

Here’s the result:

Are they perfect? Hell no. But they were SO much easier for me than strip lashes. The individuals can be time consuming to get right but I had a pretty easy time with them. I didn’t use 10-15 per eye…maybe half that. With strip lashes, I’ve always had a hard time getting them to fit perfectly along my lash line. By applying one cluster of lashes at a time, it is so much easier to customize to your eye.

And the best part? I’ve been wearing them since Saturday. I’ve washed my face, washed my eyes, and put contacts in and out 3 times. And they are still going strong! They don’t look too ratty and were perfect for going from day to night all Halloweekend long.

Here were my costumes:

Audrey Kitching-esque wig from Minty Mix for getting into the Halloween spirit.

Leopard costume from Saturday (with matching Hello Kitty in costume)

I am now addicted to these lashes and will probably get the shorter kind for everyday use. No mascara or eyeliner needed with these bad boys!

I hope you love these as much as I did. Tell me in the comments what you were for Halloween. Did you use any fun makeup?

xo Holly

Render him helpless in the blink of an eye.

#34. Lash Out At Him!

Adding lashes INDIVIDUALLY to your eyes is one of the biggest beauty-boosting secrets I know. It takes skill and practice to add lashes this way on your own,so it’s bes to visit a makeup to have it done by a pro. According to Laura Geller, makeup artist extraordinaire, adding flare lashes at the outside corner of your eye makes your own lashes look so much more voluminous — and that’s BEFORE the mascara goes on. Another plus is that when you embellush natuaral lashes they don’t need as many coats of mascara. “Adding a few flares lifts the eyes up,” says Laura. “If your eye is small or turned down or if you don’t want to wear a lot of makeup, individual lashes will make your eyes look bigger and your face more awake and youthful. All the makeup in the world will not do that,” she says. Laura’s right — I add individual lashes when I am going to be attending any major event or making a public or television appearance. And I insist that women I work with get them when they go on first dates or attend Janis Spindel Serious Matchmaking dinner parties. You will be AMZED at the difference such a seemingly small addition to your makeup can make.

Individual lashes are “extremely flirty and elegant and it is never out of style; it’s a classic makeup trick,” says Laura. “When I whip out the lashes and put them on a client, it’s like they had surgery. It adds a level of excitement that goes beyond just beautiful makeup,” she adds. Laura says you can expect individual lashes to last about one week, but some women feel comfortable removing them after one day.

Yet another crazily topical post, since I have been thinking lately about how puny and pathetic my eyelashes are. Especially after my last visit to Sis J’s house and she had EYELASH EXTENSIONS. I had heard of them before, but never experienced them in real life. In a word, GLORIOUS. They made her look like a living doll – in a good way, not a a creepy “Chucky” kind of way. They made her look effortlessly pouty and girlish, like one of the teenage boy wet-dream chicks in “Sucker Punch.” And she didn’t even need mascara. Ever since then, I’ve been noticing that just about everyone on TV has these unrealistically long and fantastic eyelashes that seem to reach for the heavens. AND I WANTS THEM.

The only problem is they are a wildly inappropriate expenditure to have — esp. when you are about to go part-time and have other more slightly important bills, like food and electricity. The initial lash appointment is about $135, and then you need to get fills every 2-3 weeks, for about $35/pop.

But like usual, Sis J is making The Dream possible. She struck a deal with her eyelash gal, exchanging design services for eyelashes. Brilliant! AND she told her eyelash gal’s business partner that her sister is also willing to do the same! Even MORE brilliant! So, hopefully, my peepers will be enveloped by luxuriously long fringe in a month or so!

Eyelure Individual lashes (£5.30)

For me it’s all about natural lashes on the day, when I say natural of course I mean the best that natural can possibly be! These individual lashes give the illusion of natural lashes without compromising a full flutter. Either add 2 or 3 individual lashes to the outer corner of the lash line to open up the eyes and create a flirty, innocent look or use as many as you want across the whole lash line for a fuller effect. The beauty of these is that you aren’t left with an obvious seam that other false lashes have. Plus they last for up to 4 weeks which will take you right into the honeymoon season  

 Guerlain Parure Extreme Fluid Foundation (£35.50)

Weddings are tearful times for Brides and guests alike and while most make-up brands offer waterproof mascara, it’s a little more tricky to obtain waterproof foundation. Sounds odd but think about it, who wants tear stains down their face when toasting the happy couple. Enter Guerlain. Yes their products are expensive but if its luxury you’re looking for then look no further. Parure Extreme Fluid Foundation is not only water-resistant, its got your spf 25 sorted. It has the perfect balance between a matte and radiant finish and you can wear this product with confidence throughout the whole day, even when everything else goes wrong (heaven forbid!)

Estee Lauder Pure Color Long lasting lipstick (£18.00)  

Kissing and weddings go hand in hand, so you may as well do it with your lips looking fabulous! Estee Lauder’s range of Pure Color lipsticks are beautiful and classic and are a must for the wedding season. With a satin sheen finish, this product isn’t drying like a lot of long wear lipsticks and offer two finishes, creme and shimmer. Go with shimmer if you want a fuller pout as the sparkly particles will reflect the light off the lips creating a fuller smoother effect. If your going for heavier eye make up then go for the creme finish for a subtle shine. All textures are infused with shea butter to take care of your smackers too, because at the end of the day, no one wants a flaky pout! My personal favourite….and belive me this was really hard to pick..is Ambition Creme.      

       Tigi Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo (£11.25)

Not the most appropriate name for a wedding beauty product but don’t be a prude because   your roots will thank you for it. With all the stress of the day with up-do’s and hair touch ups, those who are prone to greasy locks will suffer. So keep this cheeky shampoo handy to absorb any excess oil in the hair. Also if you have fine hair and are opting for a dramatic up-do then spraying this product on before styling will help keep the hair in place as it gives it more grip. Great for volume and back combing too without the hassle of smelly hairspray!

Calvin Klein Beauty (£35.00-£65.00)

It’s easy to forget fragrance with everything else that going on but there is a great range out there that are just right for weddings. My personal favourite is the relatively new addition to the Calvin Klein fragrance family, Beauty. Just the name says it all. Overpowering fragrances will give you a headache at the end of the long day so keep it fresh with notes of cedarwood and timeless jasmine. But don’t be fooled, this fragrance puts a welcome modern twist on out dated floral fragrances. The key ingredient is Lily which is at the heart of Calvin Klein fragrances so you can rest assure that you will be effortlessly stunning on the big day.

Beauty School is a series of my favorite youtube beauty tutorials

I love the look of fake eyelashes but I never could get the application right. After tap dancing around the idea of doing individual lashes I finally took the plunge. This has got to be the easiest tutorial for applying individual lashes. I’ve tried this technique from ColouredBeautiful is my favorite and, in my opinion, works the best. My only suggestion would be to practice, practice, practice! Don’t wait until the last minute and think you’ll be putting these babies on perfectly on the first run. Lashes are fairly inexpensive – a pack of Ardell Duralash Naturals ran me $3.49 from my beauty supply and the Ardell LashTite adhesive in clear cost $3.29. Have fun!

I had these recommended to me after I had got fed up with applying and re-applying my usual strip lashes. These lashes cost approximately £5 from Boots or Superdrug, but you can get cheaper versions from other brands. I chose to use Eylure as I have used their products for years and have never had any issues with their glues or lashes. Once I’ve gotten used to these, I will buy cheaper multipacks and update here.

There are both pros and cons to using these lashes. They can be tricky to apply at first – you need tweezers and a steady hand. The box comes with a tray of individual lashes, “Superfix” lash glue and lash remover. The instructions recommend that you put some of the glue on a piece of foil and dip each lash into it before applying. The only problem with this is that the glue is incredibly quick-drying and you find yourself wasting a lot of glue if you’re taking your time/not that confident with the application.

I start from the outside and work my way inwards, applying lashes alternatively so that I get an even look on both eyes. I use a strong bright light and large mirror – it just makes things a lot easier to see! Do not stick the false lashes to your actual lashes – I would say that the glue is a little weaker than superglue but still can cause you to accidentally lose your natural lashes!

Removal can prove to be quite difficult, particularly if you use a lot of glue/reapply glue. NEVER pull the lashes off – soak a cotton bud in the remover liquid and carefully place on the stems of a couple of lashes. Hold it there for about ten seconds as it takes a while for the glue to loosen. Slowly and gently spin the cotton bud, wiping downwards to try and ease them off. Be patient as it is a long process – you don’t want to take off your actual eyelashes!

The lash remover is very strong and if you accidentally get it on your nail polish, it will erode it and you may end up with the colours streaming down your face!

Both the Superfix and Lash Remover is available to buy separately. I managed to order some black glue from Boots.com and the remover from ASOS.com, both priced around £3 with free delivery (Boots – collection from store).

I give this product a 7/10 overall.

Not only are they opting for the DIY approach they are also cutting things such as chair covers and some even opt out of having a professional photographer and use guests images or a friend with a “professional” camera to capture their special day.

Is it worth cutting costs? There are pros and cons to a DIY wedding. Obviously the cost reduction is the main reason for “Doing It Yourself”, but what about the time invested in making invites and RSVP’s, decorations, wedding cakes, place settings and the wedding breakfast? By the time you source all the items to create the perfect invite, pay for them and make them you could be looking at a week or more of work, at the minimum wage that is £237.20 for a 40 hour working week plus the expenses of the items. You could be looking at £300+ to make them yourself!

Many brides are opting to do their own wedding day make-up. Often going to a beauty counter in a department store for a free trial and then purchasing the items. This can be a great money saving idea. If you were to go to someone like Estee Lauder for a trial and then purchase the basics for your wedding day, such as primer, foundation, concealer, powder, eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow and a lipstick you could be paying around £160 and that doesn’t include the brushed you may need to purchase! Many bridal make-up artists charge from £60 for a trial & from £60 for the wedding day, this works out cheaper than the Estee Lauder and many other brands. The plus side is you get to keep the products and your bridesmaids could potentially share some of the products.

When thinking about capturing your special day on film or camera the costs can be very frightening. Many photographers prices start at around £500 and can go in excess of £2000-£3000, so getting a friend or family member to take the pictures can seem like great idea. However, you can not guarantee the same quality, especially if the images taken are on your basic home camera or even disposables. The wedding day itself can often go by so quickly that you miss out on moments or you don’t remember them until looking at the pictures. By getting a non-professional to capture the day you may miss those moments, an experienced photographer knows what to look out for. So do you save money and potentially miss out on some memories or pay a pro and get amazing pictures. That is the compromise.

A DIY wedding is a great way of adding your personal touches and personality to your wedding day and I fully encourage everyone to make their wedding day as personal to them as possible, but not to compromise on quality if you can help it.

To apply false lashes;

1. Before applying any type of lash ensure the eyelids are clean and oil free. The glue wont adhere if there is any oil on the skin. Make-up free cleansed eyelids are best.
2. Choose your lash type and lengths. lashes come in various styles and forms. From very natural looking individual eyelashes and strip lashes to this heavy “natural” lashes to wild and crazy colourful lashes. The choice is yours.
3. Measure the lashes against your own eye, they are often too wide for most eyes, and trim accordingly – taking away a little at a time.
4. Once the size is perfect, apply glue. There are 2 methods for this: Applying directly to the lash or applying to a palette/back of a clean hand and dragging the lash through. Once the glue is applied allow it to go slightly tacky as this allows for a better grip.
5. Begin applying as close to the natural lash line as possible. Start at the inner corner and press gently to the outer corner. Some people find using fingers a little cumbersome, so feel free to use tweezers to hold in place and a cotton bud to press.
6. If you are using individual lashes start at the outer corner with the longer lashes and work inwards placing shorter ones closer to the inner corner. You will only need a few lashes to achieve a natural look.
7. Once the lashes are in place you can apply a small amount of mascara to blend your natural lash to the false eyelashes.
8. Blend the false eyelash line with your natural lash line using an eyeliner in a matching colour.
9. Finish the rest of your make-up look.

Click on my picture here and check it out. Remember to subscribe to the Lilikoi Looks channel on youtube so that you don’t miss any of my exciting and informative upcoming videos. Take care until next time…!

The reason I hardly use strip lashes is because I find that they often look very fake and over the top (in some instances this is exactly what you want, but in most you want to look like those are your natural lashes).

Lisa Eldridge is an amazing makeup artist, and her online tutorials are well lit, well shot and perfectly executed, not to mention she is absolutely beautiful too! This video sums it up perfectly and after a little practice I’m sure you’ll fall in love with individual lashes too.

Enjoy!

Alexa

xx

 These lashes are a great alternative to strip for all brides and can be applied with regular glue or semi-permanent for a more lasting effect.  I’m liking the effect, might have to put them on more often!!! As with all glue, it is imperative to do a patch test prior to use!!!

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Eyelash extensions are fun, beautiful and come in a variety of styling options.

All of the photos on our site are of actual clients.

www.theloftsalonstudio.com/Xtreme_Lashes.html

                                            We offer a variety of price points and styling options for you to try.   

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All I can say is wow! It’s a relatively new brand, only available at Selfridges at present, but their website has the most gorgeous images of dramatic, intense makeup as well as some interesting tutorials.  It’s a professional brand with the logo “Makeup for your alter-ego”, I’m hooked and I haven’t even seen or used it yet!

The website is certainly worth checking out, I know I’ll be bookmarking it to see what’s to come, and booking my ticket ASAP to London to get my hands on some!

http://www.illamasqua.com/

Illamasqua

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