Goodbye false eyelashes! Silk eyelash extensions courtesy of Groupon

A few weeks ago www.groupon.com.au asked me to review one of their coupons. I decided to try out the eyelash deal at Extreme Lash in Sydney. For $50, I got a full set of silk eyelashes and one infill.

I’ve wanted to try out eyelash extensions for such a long time, but I’ve always been a bit hesitant. The kinds of questions that would run through my were:

would they look good?
would they last long?
are they difficult to maintain?
does it hurt?!

So in case those of your who haven’t tried eyelash extensions before, and my be wondering the same things, I’d like to share the answers I’ve found through this experience!

Do they look as good?

I chose medium long curled lashes for my extensions. Apparently the longest lashes they have is 1.4cm. I thought this might have been just a bit too long.

I was seriously impressed by how natural silk extensions look! They really just look like my own lashes, if they ever could grow that long! Because of the added volume, it looks like I’m wearing eyeliner and mascara when I wake up in the morning.

And how do lash extensions compare with my beloved Dolly Wink False lashes? In the blow pick I’m wearing Dolly Wink No.2 in the left picture, and in the right, I’m simply sporting my extensions. I think the advantage of false eyelashes is you can change up the look, and create length and thickness that’s just not possible for even extensions. While with just lash extensions, the looks is much less dramatic, for me it’s not a huge difference and I am perfectly happy with the look! And by the way, you can only use mascara that’s specifically made for silk lashes, and water proof mascara is a definite no no!

I also love that the extensions stay permanently curled, so I really don’t have to do anything at all. I’ve been able to skip the upper false lash step in my makeup routine, but basically achieve the same look!

To give you guys a good idea of how the extensions looks fully made up, I’ve partnered up with my good friend Nurie (http://whatnurieworetoday.tumblr.com/) to prepare a video close up! I never knew how well we would work together on a creative project! I hate to be a Steven Covey twat, but I have to say, there was ‘synergy’. Could this be foreshadowing future Closet Voyage youtube videos?! I have a feeling this would all depend on the extent of my computer literacy, or lack there of…

How long do they last?

If you take care of them, eyelash extensions should last the full cycle of your lash’s life. Eyelashes generally fall out after two months. However, keep in mind that at the time the extensions were applied, your lashes would have been at various stages of their life cycle. You can also book in infill with your salon, which is usually much cheaper than getting the extensions applied in the first place. Extreme Lash recommended that I come in for infills every two weeks.

I haven’t gone to any effort to take care of my lashes. It’s now been one week since I had mine done, and while there is no sign of any extensions coming off, I do notice that my lashes are getting a bit ‘unkempt’. One thing I notice is that because extensions are so long, if I’m not careful, I can accidentally spin the lash around, which twists my own lash, and this does hurt!

Are they difficult to maintain?

I was really previous about my extensions when I first got them, but apparently you can subject them to pretty much anything in your normal life, showering, swimming, sweat, what ever. But there are some things to look out for. In the first 24 hours after you get the extensions, you’re not to get them wet, as you need to allow the glue to dry completely. As I said, normal mascara is not allowed. Also to be avoided is oil-based products, especially makeup removers, around the eye area, which will dissolve the glue.

Does it hurt?

It really doesn’t feel like anything. You just lie there and relax until it’s done!

So now a little bit about the coupon and the salon I went to.

With a $50 budget, I was able to get a full set of lashes and one infill. Below is my coupon, which was emailed to me after I purchased it on www.groupon.com.au.

I’ve heard some of my friends they they are reluctant to try deal website like Groupon because they’re not sure if the deals are for real, and they think it would be a hassle redeeming the coupon. Being a regular Groupon user, I have to tell you, it’s the best thing ever! There are new deals everyday, and from what I’ve seen, they really are as good as they claim to be.

To verify the claim of the coupon of being ‘up to $250 value’, I looked at Extreme Lash’s price list when I turned up to my appointment. So their normal price for a ‘Glamourous’ full set is $150, while infills are $25 if bought one at a time. So if you bought one full set and two infills, this is $250. Deal confirmed.

Buying a Groupon coupon couldn’t be easier. First you find the coupon you want and simply press ‘Buy Now!’.

Then you pay the coupon in advance, and simply turn up with a print out of you coupon to redeem it. However do note that if you don’t use the coupon within the time frame allowed, it will just go to waste :(.

The coupon arrives in the mail after the deal period ends!

And you can always access all your coupons on your Groupon account.

Redeeming the coupon was completely effortless as well. In fact, I didn’t remember to print out my coupon, but the ladies at Extreme Lash were perfectly happy to check my coupon through my iphone! Though I do recommend following the redemption steps written on the coupon to the letter to avoid any problems!

The Salon

Extreme Lash is a cute little boutique tucked away in the shopping arcade at 320 Pitt Street in Sydney. I thought it was super cute, with lovely decor and a relaxing ambiance. The girls were also really friendly. Although I was 30 minutes late, they still agreed to fit me in!

This is me, being a happy customer in front of their sign. When they showed me my lashes in the mirror I was seriously gobsmacked at how amazing they looked! Look at the glow of satisfaction on my face haha.