My Lash Lift Experience ( +Mini Grande Lash Review!) ❤

Hello, friends! Here is part two of my updated lash journey: my lash lift experience (and a little grande lash serum review to boot!). If you haven't checked out part one yet, take a peek at the first two posts about my lash extension journey here and here. If you're short on time → TL; DR I've had a great lash lift experience and much prefer them over lash extensions. Read on to hear why I love my lash lifts so much!

The Process:

In my experience, the lash lift process usually isn't too uncomfortable or unpleasant (especially if you have a tendency to doze off like I do... 😛) and is, by far, faster than the lash extension process. Rather than gluing on each individual lash (which can take anywhere between 1-2 hours for a full extension set) lash lifts are sort of a one and done process. Your lash technician will usually start by securing down your bottom lashes. Then, they'll begin the lift process by placing a guide (I think this is either plastic or silicon) on your eyelid and combing your eyelashes to glue them onto the guide. They'll then apply the perming solution, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, and then apply another conditioning solution which also sits for another 5-10 minutes. These time estimates are probably total crap estimates since I've never been able to actually open my eyes to check the time 😛, but usually I'm in and out the door within 30 minutes so it's definitely a quick process overall!

The only part of the process that can get a little uncomfortable is when the perming solution is on your lashes. The solution definitely smells like perming solution (aka horrid) and if the lash technician isn't careful and it gets to close to your eye - that stuff STINGS. Out of the many times I've gotten my lashes lifted this has only happened to me one time, buuuut you better believe I never went to that lash technician again! Generally, a good lash technician will be very careful, will check in with you to make sure everything feels okay, and will use a little fan to air out your lashes if there is any discomfort with the solution.

The Look:

When I first started getting lash lifts, my lashes were still pretty weak from having lash extensions. When your lashes are weak or thin, there is a greater chance that the perming solution will fry them rather than actually curl them. This is true when you perm your hair as well, but it's definitely more obvious when it's a tiny little lash! This happened to some of my lashes the first couple of times I received a lash lift, but after several months of using a lash serum, my lashes were much stronger, longer, and healthier. Now, this never happens when I get lash lifts.

Although the look of lash lifts is subtler on their own (I do not get lash tints so I cannot speak to how much of a difference a tint might make), the biggest difference between lash lifts and lash extensions is that you can use mascara on your lifted lashes. This means that you have the freedom to make your lashes as dramatic or as subtle as you want! For me, I find that a lash lift combined with mascara is just as effective in making my lashes pop but with far fewer limitations and much more comfort.

One of my biggest struggles as an asian woman with monolids is that my super straight lashes are difficult to curl. On top of that, it's difficult to get them to stay curled because my monolids will often weigh them down. This makes curling my lashes a huge ordeal with multiple lash curlers and at least 2-3 types of mascara involved. So, having a lash lift means that all I need to do is swipe on a couple of coats of mascara and my lashes are good to go! This saves me tons of time and honestly makes my eyes look just as bright as when I had lash extensions. Currently, my favorite mascaras for complementing my lash lifts are Maybelline The Falsies and Loreal's Lash Paradise. I've tried a slew of other way more expensive mascaras and the combination of these two drugstore mascaras is still the best by a long shot!

Mini Grande Lash Review: I can't talk about my lash lift experience without doing a mini-review of the grande lash serum I've been using because it has been a game changer for me. My lashes were super damaged for several months after I finally decided to ditch lash extensions so I started using the grande lash serum to try to save them! I'd tried a couple of serums beforehand but really only used them half-heartedly because I didn't think they were really going to make a difference. This serum is the first serum I actually used on a regular basis (every night) and by the first month or two of using it, I could tell that my lashes were already starting to fill in. Now, after using it for nearly a year, my lashes are in great condition, super long, and all the damage and gaps in my lashes created by lash extensions are completely gone.

I am extremely happy with the grande lash serum and will 100% continue to use it for as long as I'm putzing around and experimenting with different lash treatments. I think lash serums, in particular, pair extremely well with lash lifts because you need to have strong lashes in order to have something there to lift. I started with the lash serum but I'm now also testing out the lash conditioner as well. The only con for me has been the price point of the serum - it'll set you back $65 for a 3 month supply of the lash serum (In my experience it lasts anywhere between 4-5 months if you forget to apply it every now and then haha 😛) but given the difference it's made in my lashes, it's been worth the price.

Comfort: Alright, back to the lash lifts! The comfort of having a lash lift is where the massive difference truly is between lash extensions and the lash lift. I feel like with a lash lift, I can wear my contacts/glasses completely normally, smush my face into my pillow, and rub my eyes without having to worry that it's going to completely mess up my lashes. With lash extensions, I always had to be aware of my lashes and try to avoid touching them or else they might loosen and fall!

Durability: Unlike my experience with lash extensions, my lash lifts actually last as long as the lash technicians say they will! Usually it's recommended that you do not come back for another lash lift until after the 5-6 week mark for the health of your lashes and my lash lifts last almost exactly that long. Around the 4 week mark I'll usually start to notice that a couple of lifted lashes have fallen out and straight lashes have grown back in their place but it's a much more gradual process than when a whole extension falls out.

The Cost: My lash lifts cost me about $55 and last me anywhere between 6-8 weeks on average. This means that I really only have to go every 2 ish months - as compared to the insane 3 week time frame between lash extension fills that I used to maintain.

Final Verdict: I think I'm converted to lash lifts for life! Like I've said before, lash extensions are definitely still appropriate for special ocassions like weddings or vacations where you really don't want to be constantly touching up your mascara, but outside of that I can't imagine any situations where I would choose lash extensions over lash lifts.

Have you tried lash lifts or lash extensions? What has been your experience? I'd love to know your thoughts!