![Eye eye](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Eye_eye.jpg)
Eyelash extensions are a
cosmetic
Cosmetic may refer to:
*Cosmetics, or make-up, substances to enhance the beauty of the human body, apart from simple cleaning
*Cosmetic, an adjective describing beauty, aesthetics, or appearance, especially concerning the human body
*Cosmetic, a t ...
enhancement that involves attaching synthetic or natural hair fibers to the natural
eyelashes
An eyelash (also called lash) (Latin: ''Cilia'') is one of the hairs that grows at the edge of the eyelids. It grows in one layer on the edge of the upper and lower eyelids. Eyelashes protect the eye from debris, dust, and small particles and p ...
to create a fuller, more dramatic look. They are applied by a professional using a specialized adhesive and can last for several weeks with proper care. Eyelash extensions are available in various lengths, thicknesses, and curvatures, and can be made from synthetic or natural materials. They offer a semi-permanent way to enhance the appearance of the eyes and can be a convenient alternative to traditional mascaras and false lashes.
History
In 1879, James D. McCabe wrote ''The National Encyclopædia of Business and Social Forms,'' where, in the section "Laws of Etiquette", he stated that eyelashes could be lengthened by cutting the ends with a pair of scissors. Other beauty books, such as ''My Lady's Dressing Room'' (1892) by Baronne Staffe and ''Beauty's Aids or How to be Beautiful'' (1901) by Countess C also state that the trimming of eyelashes along with the use of the
pomade
Pomade (; French ''pommade'') or pomatum is a greasy, waxy, or water-based substance that is used to style hair. Pomade generally gives the user's hair a shiny and slick appearance. It lasts longer than most hair-care products, and often re ...
Trikogene benefit eyelash growth. Countess C also suggested that eyelashes can be given extra length and strength by washing them every evening with a mixture of water and walnut leaves.
In 1882,
Henry Labouchère
Henry Du Pré Labouchère (9 November 1831 – 15 January 1912) was an English politician, writer, publisher and theatre owner in the Victorian era, Victorian and Edwardian eras. He is now most remembered for the Labouchere Amendment, Labouchè ...
of ''
Truth
Truth is the property of being in accord with fact or reality.Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionarytruth 2005 In everyday language, truth is typically ascribed to things that aim to represent reality or otherwise correspond to it, such as beliefs ...
'' reported that "Parisians have found out how to make false eyelashes" by having hair sewn into the eyelids. A similar report appeared in the July 6, 1899 edition of ''
The Dundee Courier
''The Courier'' (known as ''The Courier & Advertiser'' between 1926 and 2012) is a newspaper published by DC Thomson in Dundee, Scotland. As of 2013, it is printed in six regional editions: Dundee, Angus & The Mearns, Fife, West Fife, Per ...
'' which described the painful method for elongating the lashes. The headline read, "Irresistible Eyes May Be Had by Transplanting the Hair." The article explained how the procedure achieved longer lashes by having hair from the head sewn into the eyelids.
In 1902, German-born hair specialist and noted inventor Charles Nessler (aka
Karl Nessler
Charles Nessler (2 May 1872 in Todtnau, Germany – 22 January 1951 in Harrington Park, New Jersey, USA) was the inventor of the permanent wave.
Life
Karl Nessler was the son of Rosina (née Laitner) and Bartholomäus Nessler, a cobbler in ...
or Charles Nestle) patented "A New or Improved Method of and Means for the Manufacture of Artificial Eyebrows, Eyelashes and the like" in the United Kingdom. By 1903, he began selling artificial eyelashes at his London salon on Great Castle Street. He used the profits from his sales to fund his next invention, the
permanent wave
A permanent wave, commonly called a perm or permanent (sometimes called a "curly perm" to distinguish it from a " straight perm"), is a hairstyle consisting of waves or curls set into the hair. The curls may last a number of months, hence the ...
machine. A permanent wave machine was commonly called a perm and involves the use of heat and/or chemicals to break and reform the cross-linking bonds of the
hair
Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals.
The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and f ...
structure. In 1911, a Canadian woman named Anna Taylor patented false eyelashes in the United States. Taylor's false eyelashes were designed using a crescent-shaped strip of fabric. The fabric had tiny pieces of hair placed on them.
Another noted inventor of eyelash extensions is
Maksymilian Faktorowicz, a Polish beauty guru and businessman, who founded the company
Max Factor
Max Factor is a line of cosmetics from Coty, Inc. It was founded in 1909 as Max Factor & Company by Max Factor, Sr., Maksymilian Faktorowicz.
Max Factor specialized in movie make-up. Until its 1973 sale for US$500 million (approximately $ billio ...
.
In 1916, while making his film ''
Intolerance
Intolerance may refer to:
* Hypersensitivity or intolerance, undesirable reactions produced by the immune system
* ''Intolerance'' (film), a 1916 film by D. W. Griffith
* ''Intolerance'' (album), the first solo album from Grant Hart, formerly o ...
'', director
D. W. Griffith
David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the na ...
wanted actress
Seena Owen
Seena Owen (born Signe Auen; November 14, 1894 – August 15, 1966) was an American silent film actress and screenwriter.
Early life
Born Signe Auen in Spokane, Washington, she was the youngest of three children raised by Jens Christensen and K ...
to have lashes "that brushed her cheeks, to make her eyes shine larger than life." The false eyelashes which were made from human hair were specifically woven piece by piece by a local wig maker. The eyelashes were adhered using spirit gum, commonly used for affixing wigs. One day Owen showed up to sit with her eyes swollen nearly shut, her co-star Lillian Gish, wrote in her memoir.
By the 1930s, false eyelashes were becoming more acceptable for the average woman to wear. This shift in cultural opinion was largely due to the influence of film actresses that were seen wearing them on screen. Featured in ''
Vogue
Vogue may refer to:
Business
* ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine
** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine
** ''Vogue China'', ...
'', false eyelashes had officially become mainstream and given the ''Vogue'' stamp of approval.
In the 1960s, false eyelashes became the centerpiece of makeup. During this era, eye makeup that gave women big doll-like eyes was very common. They achieved this look by applying false eyelashes on both the top and bottom eyelashes. Models like
Twiggy
Dame Lesley Lawson (''née'' Hornby; born 19 September 1949) is an English model, actress, and singer, widely known by the nickname Twiggy. She was a British cultural icon and a prominent teenaged model during the swinging '60s in London.
...
helped popularize this trend and is often associated with it.
In 1968 at the feminist
Miss America protest
The Miss America protest was a demonstration held at the Miss America 1969 contest on September 7, 1968, attended by about 200 feminists and civil rights advocates. The feminist protest was organized by New York Radical Women and included putting ...
, protestors symbolically threw a number of feminine products into a "Freedom Trash Can". These included false eyelashes, which were among items the protestors called "instruments of female torture" and accouterments of what they perceived to be enforced
femininity
Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviors considered fe ...
.
In 2008, Aesthetic Korea Co., Ltd. began to manufacture products as semi-permanent eyelashes, which became popular in Korea.
Since then, several similar companies have started to set up, which has had a considerable impact on neighboring countries, including China and Japan. However, due to South Korea's annual rise in labor costs, many manufacturers have moved from South Korea to China or Vietnam.
In 2014, Miami-based Katy Stoka, founder of One Two Cosmetics, invented the magnetic false lash as an alternative to those that utilize glue.
Today magnetic eyelashes are becoming more and more common, with many mainstream brands like
Ardell Ardell is a name which can serve as a given name and as a surname.
Notable people with the given name:
*Ardell Brede (born 1939), American politician
*Shirley Ardell Mason (1923–1998), American psychiatric patient and art teacher
*Ardell Wiegandt ...
and To Glam, offering more affordable options. However, these are false eyelashes and not eyelash extensions.
Types and styles
False eyelashes and semi-permanent eyelash extensions both enhance the length and volume of eyelashes, although they differ in various ways.
Classic lashes are a 1:1 ratio of one extension applied to one natural lash. Hybrid lashes are classic lashes and volume fan lashes mixed together. Volume lashes are two to six thin eyelash extensions that make a fan shape to allow for a look of full fluffy lashes. Mega volume lashes are 10 or more super-thin eyelash extensions. Pre-made fans are ready-made volume eyelash extensions. They are arranged on the sticker strip for easy pick-up and quick application.
Hybrid lashes involve both classic individual eyelash extensions and volume fans mixed together for the ultimate in fluffy, textured lashes. Also referred to as a "mixed set", they offer a thicker, denser look than classic lashes, but without the uniformity and softness of a typical Russian volume set.
Temporary false lashes
Temporary false lashes are applied with temporary lash glue and are not designed to be worn when showering, sleeping or swimming. The lashes come as individuals, clusters, and most commonly, lash strips. The magnetic lashes work by placing the magnetic false lash between one's eyelashes, thereby sandwiching in natural eyelashes with the magnetic eyelashes. While using magnetic eyelashes always be careful, as it is totally a different mechanism. When using a glue method, the user smears the glue on the false lash, letting it settle in for 30 seconds and then presses it against the top root of their eyelashes until the glue has dried enough.
Techniques
There are two basic technologies,
bundle
Bundle or Bundling may refer to:
* Bundling (packaging), the process of using straps to bundle up items
Biology
* Bundle of His, a collection of heart muscle cells specialized for electrical conduction
* Bundle of Kent, an extra conduction pat ...
and
ciliary. With the bundle method, ready-made bundles of eyelashes fastened together are used, while ciliary building is a way of piece building: one or several artificial ones are glued to one natural eyelash.
Process
In the United States, eyelash extension services can range from $80 to $500, depending on:
* The number and type of lashes being used
* The skill level of the
cosmetician or aesthetician
* The venue where the extensions are applied
Because an average person might have anywhere from one hundred to two hundred lashes per eye, it can take from one to three hours to attach a full, new set. The number of lashes one can put on varies upon the existing natural eyelashes. Because humans lose natural eyelashes every day the eyelash extensions usually last between three and four weeks and during that time period, natural lashes start falling out or thinning. Maintaining a full set of eyelashes requires a refill every two to three weeks or a partial set every four weeks. If done correctly, there should be no damage to the natural lashes. It is important to find a trained professional to preserve lash growth and reduce the chance of eye complications.
Training and certification
There are different companies that provide training and certification for potential Eyelash Extensions Technicians.
In the United States, each state individually regulates this industry. Some states require either a Cosmetology or Esthetician License and some states have a certificate or license just for Lash Technicians.
In the UK, the Guild of Professional Beauty Therapists accredited courses for the safe application of semi-permanent individual eyelash extensions. The value of the course content can be judged by the number of CPD (Continued Professional Development) points that the course is awarded.
See also
*
Eyelash
An eyelash (also called lash) (Latin: ''Cilia'') is one of the hairs that grows at the edge of the eyelids. It grows in one layer on the edge of the upper and lower eyelids. Eyelashes protect the eye from debris, dust, and small particles and p ...
*
Eyelash curler
An eyelash curler is a hand-operated mechanical device for curling eyelashes for cosmetic purposes. Usually only the upper eyelashes are curled.
History
There were different patents of this invention between 1923 and 1940. The first known patent ...
*
Eyelash perm
Eyelash permanent wave, or more commonly called an eyelash perm, and may also refer to permanent relaxer that straightens the hair is a cosmetics procedure performed only by licensed Cosmetologists to flip up eyelashes using hair perming technolo ...
References
External links
The History of Women and Their Eyelashesat MarieClaire.com
History of Artificial (false) Eyelashesat Cosmetics and Skin
{{Cosmetics
Cosmetics
Human eyelashes