Lash Lifts vs Lash Extensions: Which is better?

Both lash lifts and lash extensions have taken the beauty industry by storm. The idea of having long, curly eyelashes in a matter of minutes is super exciting. However, a long-standing debate is whether it’s better to get a lash lift or lash extensions. If we gathered a bunch of beauty professionals in a room and asked them to share their thoughts, there would probably be plenty of conflicting opinions. 

Nevertheless, we’re here to settle the score by defining each treatment and sharing the pros and cons. This should help you decide which one is better for yourself and your clients. There’s so much information out there about the plethora of eyelash treatments and some can be misleading. Our goal is to instill a better understanding of both lash lifts and lash extensions.

Lash Lifts

Let’s start with lash lifts, a personal favorite. A lash lift treatment is the semi-permanent process of curling the natural eyelashes using a Professional Lash Lift Kit. It entails applying 3 different lifting/ perming solutions to the natural eyelashes and leaving each solution on for about 4 to 6 minutes depending on the lash density. Afterwards, they’ll look longer, darker, and more defined. 

On top of all that, the process takes less than an hour and minimal maintenance is required. Clients can also customize the look depending on how curled they want the lashes to be. Some people are looking for more length, others desire a lovely curl, and most people want both. 

The treatment is a great way to boost your confidence and celebrate the lovely lashes you were born with. Better yet, most certified professionals advocate for the procedure as it steers people away from harmful lash treatment practices. Everyone should make an effort to consult an esthetician or trained beauty professional to find out more. 

Nevertheless, just like any other beauty treatment, we have to acknowledge the pros and cons of lash lifts. Although it’s an innovative new treatment with remarkable results, there are a few setbacks. 

Pros:

The option of getting a lash lift treatment is what so many people have been waiting for. There’s finally a procedure out there that enhances your natural beauty rather than masking it. Hopefully, we’ll see more treatments like this in the near future. 

Keeping that in mind, here are the pros of lash lifts:

• Quick and easy procedure (usually about 1 hour).
• Semi-permanent results lasting up to 8 weeks.
• Long, defined lashes that stand out and enhance your natural beauty. 
• No need for heavy eye makeup. Many people completely stop wearing mascara altogether. 
• No need to use an eyelash curler. 

Cons:

There are cons to lash lifts that need to be addressed too. If you happen to be unsure of whether you want a lash lift, consult a certified professional and consider these cons:

• Requires a touch up every few weeks (depending on your lash growth cycle and maintenance routine).
• Can potentially result in dry or inflamed eyes. We suggest consulting a healthcare professional if this happens.
• Eyelashes may become brittle. However, this is usually from an over processed treatment. Only certified professionals should perform the treatment as they know how to avoid these sorts of mistakes. 

Lash Extensions

Now that we’re all clued up on lash lifts, let’s explore lash extension treatments. In summary, eyelash extensions enhance the length, curliness, fullness, and thickness of your natural eyelashes. It’s a semi-permanent treatment that lasts for approximately 3 to 4 weeks before a fill is needed. 

The extensions are usually made from materials like mink, synthetic plastic, or horsehair. One applies the extensions by using an adhesive glue to individually stick the extensions to the eyelash line. The process must be done very carefully as it entails attaching fine hairs to the eyelid, which tends to shake.

It should also be noted that eyelash extensions and false eyelashes are not the same thing. False lashes are a strip of lash hairs placed above the natural eyelashes with a cosmetic glue.

Now that we know what lash extensions are all about, we can dive into the pros and cons. 

 

 Pros:

Have you ever come across someone with distractingly long and beautiful lashes? That’s the benefit of eyelash extensions. You can achieve stunning eyelashes that you weren’t born with in a heartbeat. Here’s is a list of lash extension pros:

• Gorgeous, curly, and long eyelashes.
• Semi-permanent results lasting up to 4 weeks. 
• Applicable on any natural eyelash length (tailor-made to suit your eyes, face, and personal needs)
• Replace or enhance eye makeup.

Cons:

Although lash extensions are generally quite wonderful, we cannot ignore the negatives. It’s important to understand the ins and outs of the treatment as it might be harmful for some people, especially those with sensitive skin. Most of the time, everything runs smoothly. There’s a reason why eyelash extensions are so popular. 

Nevertheless, here are the cons:

• Can be rather pricey. 
• Relatively long treatment process (can take up to 2 hours, or more!).
• Long-term use can potentially lead to permanent lash fall out. 
• Might lead to an eye infection. 
• Regular appointments required to compensate for extensions falling out. 

Final Verdict

We’re all aware that lash treatments have become a crowd favorite in the beauty world. Everyone is looking for ways to take their eyelashes to the next level. Believe it or not, people have been wearing lash extensions since the 1900s. On the other hand, lash lifts are a new, promising treatment that has totally changed the game in the last couple years. 

Although lash lifts and lash extensions are both highly effective treatments, we recommend lash lifts. Most people feel like they need extensions to increase the length and of their eyelashes. However, lash lifts have this uncanny ability to make your lashes look just as good without all the extra lash hair. It’s truly amazing!

Above all else, the treatments should be done by a certified esthetician or beautician using a Professional Lash Lift Kit. They’ll know exactly how to make the lashes look fantastic. The last thing we want to see is a poorly done job resulting in any kind of harm.