How does a lash lift work?

I’ve been using an eyelash curler daily since I was about 17 years old. The curler has remained a vital part of my makeup routine. My lashes are fine, I guess – normal length, normal thickness. But whenever I go “let’s give the curler a break today”, I just don’t enjoy the final look. My lashes end up black and lengthened/volumised. But my eyes don’t look as big, there’s no “flutter” to them. I want flutter!
So when I heard about lash lifts, and how they’d come a loooong way from the old school over-curled look, I was itching to try one out. Promises of wider eyes, a naturally extended lash, and all with pretty much zero maintenance involved? Count me in.
I headed to Mojo Beauty to get their Lash Lift + Tint treatment.
Nik was everything you want in a beauty therapist – she explained step by step what was happening and the function of the solutions, lash grown cycle and pre-warned me when she was going to touch my eyes.
 
So firstly your eyes are prepped with gentle cleansing pads to get rid of all makeup. This is important, I’m told – any leftover mascara or foundation means the lifting stuff won’t take properly. Once all of that’s done pads are placed under your eyes to hold the bottom lashes down so they don’t get caught in with the top lashes when the solution is applied.
 
Basically, a lash lift is like a perm for your eyelashes. So a solution is applied that changes the bonds of the lash hairs permanently, hence why they “lift” and stay lifted for months. Over time, around 10 weeks, those lashes fall out and new ones grow back in, and those new ones have the original bonds. So for me, they grow back in straight. To get the solution onto my lashes, Nik placed a brace-like guard along my top lash line, that secured my lashes within it and pulled them upwards. She used two different solutions to activate the curl and viola! She then finished with a tint on my lashes and that gave the illusion that I was wearing mascara.
 
After the tint, my eyelashes looked so much longer! I’m told that’s the beauty of a lash lift, a lash lift is more like stretching them out and up. The finished look is like you were born with these amazing lashes, as opposed to a weird, permanently styled look.
 
I did have to change my mascara, and now use the PONI mascara, bought at Mojo Beauty, that thickens and lengthens lashes with growth serum properties. Yay! Instead of my usual heavy-duty, volumising one, I’m now using a defining one and need a maximum of two swipes. If I’m going out at night I’ll use a little more but then it looks like I have falsies in or lash extensions (not a bad thing!). I think the greatest thing about it all though is that there’s pretty much zero maintenance. You have to keep them away from all water for 24 hours. But after that, anything goes – any cleansers, any amount of water, whatever.
The whole thing (lash lift and tint) costs ONLY $60, which when you think about it, isn’t setting you back much at all. If you are constantly battling with your lashes being too straight, and feel like no amount of mascara really gives you the look you’re after, it’s such an affordable amount to factor into your budget. And it works and really cuts major time out of your getting ready routine, and it doesn’t hurt or take hours to get done.
 Care of Melissa Mason for original content