Back in 1911, a woman named Anna Taylor received a U.S. patent for false eyelashes. At the time, she probably had no idea that a century later, her innovative idea would have morphed into the popular eyelash extensions.
Actually, the notion of embellishing your existing lashes began thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt; both men and women used ointment (the original mascara!) to style their lashes. Fast forward to the 1960s and models like Twiggy helped false eyelashes to become quite the rage; unfortunately, the “falsies” didn’t last long and were expensive to buy. By the 1990s, you could find relatively inexpensive false eyelashes at pretty much any beauty supply shop, but they weren’t necessarily known for their natural look.
Lash Extensions: A Game Changer
All of this changed in 2004, when the semi-permanent eyelash extensions were introduced. Lash extensions allowed women to save time and money — no more shelling out big bucks for spendy mascaras that need to be applied and removed daily — and they helped eyes to look great and glamorous with virtually no effort.
Why Are Lash Extensions So Popular?
There are a number of reasons why eyelash extensions have exploded in popularity over the last decade. In addition to adding length and volume, they are a user-friendly way to get voluminous and beautiful lashes without having to spend tons of money and make frequent trips to the beauty salon. Women also like the way the lash extensions can make their eyes look younger and more awake without applying coats of mascara.
Speaking of which, The Swim Report notes that while mascara is a useful product, it also has its downsides. Anyone who has laughed or cried her way through a movie and walked out of the theater looking like Alice Cooper can relate to the tendency for mascara to run. This is never an issue when wearing lash extensions — you can swim in them, spend time outside on a humid summer day and giggle until tears are streaming down your cheeks and the lashes will stay put. Also, as mentioned above, mascara also takes time to apply every morning; in some cases, springing for lash extensions can save up to 10 minutes a day. For busy women who are trying to save time, knowing their lashes are always ready to go can be a huge relief.
Where to Buy Lash Extensions and Accessories
It’s easy to find not only a wide selection of gorgeous and natural looking eyelash extensions, but also a variety of glue for lash extensions. It is important to note that not all adhesives are created equally, and buying the correct type of glue is necessary for the lashes to adhere properly and not irritate the eyes.
Anna Would Undoubtedly Approve of Lash Extensions
If Anna Taylor were still alive today, she would probably be delighted to see how her patented idea has evolved into something even more beautiful and user friendly. It’s clear to see why and how lash extensions are all the rage and how they are helping women to look wide awake and lovely the instant they get out of bed.
Hi, I’m Anna the Editor of Beauty and Lace.
For someone that has short, faint, sparse eyelashes I loved reading this article. I have only just recently found a mascara that gives me a bit more volume and length so always interested reading any articles like this.