*updated 7-2021

We lose our lashes as the years get on. 

Im sorry to be the bearer of bad news. 

It is what it is. Right? 

Well, I for one, am not going down without a fight.

I thought you would be interested in going along on my journey - the journey to lush lashes. 

I was not happy with my missing eyelashes. 

So I went to work. 

2016 On the Brooklyn Bridge with virtually NO lashes to show. 

I Began Using Latisse

You've heard of it. 

It really, truly does work. 

Your lashes will grow. So will your nose hairs. (Ya. No one tells you that, right?)

But. It is not the best fit for everyone. 

The lure of lush lashes is so strong, that even when I was told by my optometrist that my light hazel eyes had the chance, very small, but still a chance, of turning brown with the use of Latisse, I took the risk. 

But it did scare me. 

Brown eyes are beautiful.

But mine are light and hazel and I wanted to keep them that way. 

So, I kept a close eye, on my eyes. 

Each night I applied the product. 

By day 2, I was not only concerned for my eye color, I began to get red and itchy. 

But still, I continued.

Because. Lure of lush lashes. 

By the end of one week, I had had enough. 

My eyes itched. 

My eyes were red.

My eyes were scaly. 

But, they were still hazel! Phew!

I stopped.

I gave the rest of the my product to my friend who uses and loves it. 

I was done. 

Now what to do? 

I Began Wearing Lash Extensions

2017 My new eyes. Cue the batting. 

OK, so that worked. 

Maybe a bit too much. 

But oh, was it fun having lashes again!

I loved waking up to lush lashes. 

I loved going to bed with lush lashes. 

I loved not having to apply mascara. 

What I Didn't Love

I didn't love that I had to be ultra careful when waking up and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. 

No. Rubbing. Of. Eyes. 

I didn't love that I had to be very careful and couldn't apply any type of oil on my eyes. A non-oily eye makeup remover was required. 

Lucky for me...

3 in One Wash Away is the perfect eye makeup remover for lash extensions.

SHOP 3 in One Wash Away 

I didn't love that I had to go back every TWO WEEKS for maintenance. 

I didn't love the cost of all that. 

And I didn't love it when I got an eye infection.  

Remember, red, scaly and itchy?

It was baaaack.

Ugh. 

It would begin to heal up, and I would head back to my maintenance appointment. and WHAM!

Eye infection again. 

It was like I was in denial, because I did this back and forth crazy for about two months. 

You know. 

Lure of lush lashes. 

I finally gave in. I ditched the lash extensions. 

Back to where I started. 

I'm nothing if not determined. (My husband tells me this all the time).

I began to grow my own lashes back 

I nurtured my weary lashes by giving them a break.

I used a nourishing lash serum for my lashes.

 

SHOP Amalie Wink Lash & Brow Oil

Falsies

While my lashes were growing back I wore false eyelashes for special occasions and of course, Facebook tutorials. 

False Eyelashes...more on false lashes below

The lashes I finally found that are SO easy to apply and wear all day. 

Worthy The Label Brand 

Use Code: LisaL10 for 10% off. 

Application Video Tutorial here.

Read more on how to apply false eyelashes here

And now it was time to try another lash serum. 

Because, apparently, I have a hard head. 

I began using Rodan & Fields Lash Boost

*Success!

My sister-in-law Kelly, a Rodan & Fields representative, introduced this product to me.

Similar to Latisse, this is a true lash growth serum, yet it's known to cause less irritation, and no threat of eye color change.

I do still trim my nose hairs, though. 

*UPDATE: I can no longer recommend a hormone based lash serum, as there are too many side effects. See below...the journey continues...SEE BELOW.

The search for the right mascara. 

My lashes were longer and fuller; time to partner them with a lush mascara. 

I started my mascara quest. 

(By the way, I now offer a fabulous mascara in the shop. 

The ingredients are stellar. Safe. Clean. 

And it works to bring the drama!)

 

 

 

My Other Clean, Lush-Lash Building Mascara Find 

SHOP Ilia Limitless Mascara

 

I wanted options.

I wanted lash Drama.

And No smudging!

And ease of removal at night. 

Both of these mascaras fit the criteria. 

So there you have it. 

I found the perfect combination: Lash Boost, occasional false lashes, and Mascara.

It has been over a year now, and I have had great success. 

And I feel pretty with my very own long lashes. 

Cue the eye-batting.

Can you relate to my search for lush lashes? 

2019 - Finally, lush lashes I can live with.  

UPDATE:

I stopped using R & F Lash Boost, as little known fact, it can actually create dark circles under your eyes. Which it did. In a big way. 

New Concerns for Prostaglandin Use

I had to choose - lashes & dark circles? Or no lashes and no dark circles.

I choose no lashes. Sigh. 

Back to the drawing board.

*Back to my concern for hormone lash serums...

After some months, though my lashes were gloriously long and lush, I began to notice dark hollows under my eyes.  

Now, I had a new issue. And with some serious digging, I actually found that this is a thing. 

And it's correlated to the use of hormone lash serums. 

It's called PAP. 

"Prostaglandin Associated Periorbitopathy (PAP) is the general term given to describe the constellation of eyelid and orbital changes that accompany the administration of topical prostaglandin analogue eye drops."

Not just eye drops for glaucoma. Also lash serums for long lashes. 

https://www.reviewofophthalmology.com/article/pap-new-concerns-for-prostaglandin-use 

Now What?

Safe Lash Serums

Do the new lash serums that are currently on the market without hormones, and instead use plant based ingredients to help grow lashes really work? 

That was my next research project. 

Vegamour...to be continued. See Video below.

UPDATE 2-2023

I moved onto other safe lash serums, which cost much less.

WooLash

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash & Brow Serum

Get Your Lashes & Brows Back

 

 

SHOP THIS TUTORIAL

3 in One Wash Away	Amalie Wink Lash & Brow Oil	Worthy The Label	Black Natural Mineral Mascara	Ilia Limitless Mascara	The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash & Brow Serum