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Beauty Byte: Eyelash Drug May Be on Its Way

bellasugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Would you give up mascara? Allergan, the maker of Botox, hopes you will. The company is working on a drug to make eyelashes grow longer. The catch? It's already available for different purposes.

Lumigan, a formulation of bimatoprost, is a glaucoma drug that can be used (off-label, of course) to grow eyelashes. Cosmetics such as RevitaLash and the original formula of Jan Marini Age Intervention Eyelash have used the drug in their formulations, but Allergan is the first to seek FDA approval for its cosmetic use.

But like any drug, bimatoprost has side effects. According to the FDA, it may cause the skin around the eye to darken, or the eyes could change color altogether. Not exactly the cosmetic wonders I'd like to experience. I'll stick with mascara or lash extensions, but if the FDA approval goes through, expect to see people rush to their doctors in search of longer lashes. Will you be one of them?

Source

A Quick Tip About Eyelash Curlers

bellasugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:00:02 -0700

Over the weekend, a reader e-mailed me because she's been losing her eyelashes. She used to have thick, full lashes, but more recently, they'd been falling out. After she explained her beauty routine, I immediately knew what was up. She was using an eyelash curler, but the way she used it was the culprit: She curled her lashes both before and after using mascara.

One of the easiest ways to make your eyes look bigger is to use an eyelash curler, but it's essential to curl your lashes only before applying mascara. (Here's how to use a curler.) If you curl after applying mascara, the curler will stick to the coated lashes. At worst, it breaks the lashes then and there; at best, it will weaken your lashes over time, making them more likely to fall out.

Fortunately, lashes grow back over time, and my reader friend will soon be back to her doe-eyed self. But to avoid lash loss in the first place, curl them only before slicking on your mascara.

Tools of the Trade: Portable Eyelash Combs

bellasugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:00:34 -0700

This is definitely not the age of Tammy Faye Bakker — and although long, lush, and voluminous lashes are sought after, so is a clean, defined, no-makeup makeup look. These contrasting worlds have no room for clumpy, lumpy lashes. With these relatively inexpensive and super-small lash combs, you won't have to worry about your lashes being a beauty faux pas.

Tweezerman Folding Eye Lash Comb ($6.99) is a thin and tapered gold-plated comb that has been designed to painlessly glide through your mascara-coated lashes and remove anything that is stuck together or clumpy. Use it when your lashes are still a little wet in gentle, upward motions (away from your eyes).

Eco Tools Bamboo Lash and Brow Groomer (on sale for $2.99) is a long and slender environmentally-friendly eyelash comb and eyebrow brush. It is made from synthetic bristles and the ferule is made from recycled aluminum. Check out the cost, too. At $2.99 a pop, you can keep one stashed in all of your primping locations.

For one more eyelash comb,

Beauty Blooper: A Brash Lash Decision

bellasugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:01:48 -0800

A reader shared this beauty blooper with me, and I just had to pass it along. So in case you're thinking of getting eyelash extensions, read this first!

My now-husband and I decided to elope. I still wanted to get all gussied up for the event, so I decided to treat myself to eyelash extensions. I was excited about them because I thought they would look really natural and fabulous in all of our wedding and honeymoon photographs. I took my time and did extensive research on spas and salons, and decided on a new salon in my area that offered the treatment.

What happened was a complete disaster! I ended up with lashes that were all the same length. I call them doll lashes since they happened to also be ridiculously long. In a feeble attempt to improve the look of my lashes, I cut them with manicure scissors. It helped a little bit (or so I thought), but when I took an objective look at them in the mirror the next day, I realized they were still too long, and now they were also uneven.

I did the unthinkable and began to pry them off with tweezers. When that didn't work, I tried using an oil to remove the glue, but the salon had used so much adhesive that I wound up pulling out many of my own lashes as well. The burning and the pain was intense but once I started I couldn't dare stop! For the next two months, I had to live with sparse eyelashes until they began to regrow. Why did I allow this to happen right before my wedding?

Lesson learned: Ask to see photos of a salon or spa's work before you have a semi-permanent treatment done. If it doesn't go well, have your eyelash extensions removed by a professional. Furthermore, if you are ever feeling pain from a beauty treatment, please seek out immediate care from a physician or an expert.

Source

Beauty Blooper: Eye've Really Done It This Time

bellasugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:00:32 -0800

I can't believe what happened to me last week when I was innocently getting all gussied up for a big night out on the town. As a finishing touch to my fabulous mod makeup look, I decided to make my first attempt at applying false eyelashes. I read the instructions that came with my cute mini falsies kit, applied the glue and then began to attach the fake lashes with the help of a tweezer.

I was prepared to fumble my first time around, but boy, I completely dropped the ball. I put on way too much glue and the lashes wouldn't stick. As I was trying to press one end to my lid, the other end fell right into my eye. Not only did glue get inside, but the falsies were prickly and my eye began to water. I was blinking profusely yet still trying to keep my makeup intact, but when I looked up, my perfect black liner was badly smudged. So much for mod—I'd gone goth.

My eyes eventually stopped stinging and I did my best to re-apply the lashes, but I wish someone had told me to try them on a bare face first! I'll never make that mistake again. Do you have any beauty bloopers of your own to share with me? If so, become a TeamSugar member by registering here and then send me a private message.

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Beauty Marked! False Eyelashes

bellasugar — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:30:54 -0700

We've got the results of last week's Beauty Mark It challenge, and if this doesn't make you bat your eyelashes, nothing will.

Lambs found these crazy, cool feathered lashes, while retail_therapy showed us the pair she uses for a smoky eye. Check out everyone's favorites in this widget, and be sure to come back tomorrow for the next challenge!

Beauty Mark It! False Eyelashes

bellasugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 17:35:32 -0700

You know the old phrase, "Fake it 'til you make it"? It works in beauty, too, because false eyelashes are back. Formerly the secret weapon of celebrities, I'm seeing a lot of regular women putting these on and pulling them off (so to speak). I love these fantastic Shu Uemura feather lashes ($50). They're completely impractical, but so much fun to look at.

So for this week's Beauty Mark It challenge, I'd like to know which false lashes you love—or would just love to try out. You can share your favorites by Beauty Marking them and tagging your choices with the phrase "false lashes." I'll feature the readers' favorites on BellaSugar next Tuesday, September 12.

To learn what a Beauty Mark is and how to make one, click here. To see some of my favorite online beauty stores,

Bellissima! A Perm For Your Eyelashes

bellasugar — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:02:13 -0700

We've heard all about lash extensions for length, but eyelash perms are strictly for curl. The Japanese Eyelash Perm, offered at salons such as Takamichi Head to Toe Hair Salon in New York City, is becoming a popular way to have semi-permanent, flirty lashes.

The procedure can take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes, it costs around $80 and lasts between three to five weeks. To begin, your lashes get curled over rubber rollers. Then, chemical solutions are applied; and finally, your lashes get a conditioning. This sounds just like a perm! Considering that false eyelashes take at least eight to 10 minutes to apply and another five to take off, I think the investment is time-efficient. Would you ever consider a lash perm?

Love It or Hate It? Jennifer Lopez's Long, Long Lashes

bellasugar — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 12:00:37 -0700

You already weighed in on Jennifer Lopez's updo, but now I want to know what you think of her eyelashes at the LA premiere of El Cantante. Are these long lashes totally glamorous, or are they too over-the-top? Source

Love It or Hate It? Jennifer Lopez's Long, Long Lashes

Love It

Hate It

Undecided

Product Review: Xtreme Lashes Eyelash Extensions

bellasugar — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 07:59:48 -0700

If you think false eyelashes are glamorous, wait until you see eyelash extensions. Just as their name implies, they're a lot like hair extensions—but for the eyes, natch. At first, I thought the concept was a little goofy, and that mascara was doing a perfectly good job of making me look doe-eyed and lovely. But then I was offered the chance to try a set for free, and, well, now I feel naked without them. For a step-by-step account of the in-spa procedure,

Do You Use an Eyelash Curler?

bellasugar — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 05:39:45 -0700

Now that I've told you how to use an eyelash curler, I'm curious about how many of you actually use one. So please, do tell!Source

Do You Use an Eyelash Curler?

Yes

Sometimes

Never

How To: Using an Eyelash Curler

bellasugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 11:49:36 -0700

Lots of ladies out there are scared of curling their eyelashes, but really, there's no reason to be afraid. So in this week's How To, I'll be explaining how to use an eyelash curler.

I'm not going to lie: Using a curling tool is a strange sensation, but it certainly doesn't hurt. Plus, I'm willing to endure some awkwardness for long, curled lashes. It's easy to achieve beautiful lashes with just an eyelash curler and mascara. For easy three step instructions on how to curl your lashes,