Tag lash extensions

Lash Envy

drstaceynaito 1 Comment

eyelashes-04
I love the look of lush eyelashes. Whenever I see someone who is blessed with a full, dark, thick fringe of lashes, I become quite envious, because although I have a head of hair which inspires envy in others, my lashes are skimpy and sparse. I was even more cursed when I was younger, because every time I would wear mascara, my lashes would fall out in clumps. Only in the last year or so have I been able to wear mascara regularly without my lashes jumping ship.

My Japanese heritage has asserted itself by making my lashes stick straight, yet oddly, I don’t have thick, glossy, dark lashes. The color is dark, but the hair shaft on my lashes is positively anorexic. Because of this, I need to do SOMETHING to beef up the appearance of my lashes. I have tried lash primers, mascara with fibers, professional lash extensions, and Latisse. Oh, and a lash curler is a MUST. I am hoping to find a long-term solution which works best for me, and I think the answer may be with Latisse.

I had tried Latisse a few years back, using it for about eight months, and I absolutely loved the results. Then I got lazy, and no longer wanted to continue applying the magical solution, so I stopped using it. My lashes quickly returned to their pathetic, wimpy state. Though I love the effects of Latisse, it is definitely not cheap, and I am reluctant to budget a lash booster into my regular pampering budget.

Before and After images of Latisse Treatment

Before and After images of Latisse Treatment

This year, I tried lash extensions, which I loved…for two weeks. After that short period of time, the extensions began to orient themselves in a haphazard pattern, splaying in all directions despite all the brushing I did to try to keep them in place. The extensions suddenly fell out in clumps, and in the process pulled out my natural lashes, leaving unsightly bald spots on my lash line. What a disaster. This wasn’t what I wanted! I also grew very tired of the fact that I could not rub my eyes (not like I do this, but just saying…), wear mascara, false lashes, or waterproof makeup. What was initially liberating became cumbersome. Once I saw that the extensions were pulling out my precious little lashes, I snapped. Now I have to deal with the agony of patchy lashes until my body grows out new lashes.

Before and After images of Lash Extensions

Before and After images of Lash Extensions

I guess it’s back to Latisse. Once the lash extensions are removed, I will continue to use Latisse, and I will also use RapidLash® Eyelash & Eyebrow Enhancing Serum. I mean business this time!

Trends and Outrageous Prices

drstaceynaito 2 Comments

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I am not the kind of person who is easily lured by trendy items and services, nor am I fooled by the grossly inflated price tags which accompany them. It is astonishing how some businesses will take full advantage of newly encountered popularity by jacking up the prices so much that they end up turning away those of us who aren’t fooled by their greed. I recently checked into a certain beauty service which is incredibly popular, and is considered one of the hottest beauty trends. When I checked into the prices in my area, I was stunned. What I encountered was that the new-fangled service cost 5 to 6 times more than the comparable but more old-school service. Come on, really? There is no way in hell that I am willing to fork over a king’s ransom just so that I can try a new service. It’s not that I am cheap, but I am frugal, and I don’t think money should be thrown away like that.

When an item or service is hot and is accompanied by ridiculous prices, I always sit back and wait for the trend to die down. Once the hype has subsided, and the prices plummet, I begin to entertain the idea of making a purchase. If the item is destined for permanent price inflation, I completely and permanently abandon the idea of getting it. After all, it’s just stuff, and I can’t justify spending my hard-earned money on a THING which may quickly go out of style. You will never see me getting the hottest and latest Nike shoe design (the Nike Air Max 2016 is a great example, at $190!), just because everyone else is losing their minds about getting it. I mean, seriously, WHY do I need to spend almost $200 on an athletic shoe? That’s just stupid.

Nike Air Max 2016

However, I may consider purchasing a trendy service if it still interests me. A good example of a service which is hot right now, and one which I have been considering, is lash extensions. Though I have great hair and skin, I wasn’t blessed in the eyelash department, as my wimpy, sparse lashes can attest to. The problem is that if I go to the best lash extension artist in L.A., I had better be prepared to shell out a considerable amount of money for the service. The question I have been asking myself is, should I pay significantly more for the best, especially since I would continue the touch-ups on a regular basis? I haven’t rushed myself on making a decision, and have decided to take all the time I need to research lash extensions before taking the plunge. I am even considering going through a course so that I can offer the service to my own patients and clients. You can bet that I won’t gouge my patients and clients for the service either. Inflated prices do not necessarily equate with the best service or product!