By Confession: I've been blessed with naturally long lashes.
But they're completely straight. Poker, in fact, and it takes me a really long time - and sometimes a whole wardrobe of mascaras - to define, fatten and create that perfect, 90 degree curl every girl covets. First world problems, I know.
But, as a beauty writer always on the lookout for new treatments, I'd been interested in the Lash Perfect Lash Lift for a while. The the promise of 'naturally enhanced thickness [...] without the need for extensions,' coupled with their pretty impressive Instagram account and celeb clients (oh hey, Jourdan Dunn) swayed me.
That, and accidentally clamping down on my eyelids with a pair of vice-like curlers a few days before.
Er, OUCH.
I chose the Lash Perfect Lash Bar on London's Warwick street for my lash lift and once my eyes were completely free of mascara (if you can't bear to make the journey with naked lashes, the therapist will remove it for you), I got down to choosing my curl.
There are so many options depending on your desired look, from a C curl (super curved) to a more natural J curl - and as a lash lift novice, I went for this one.
Once on the bed, a rubber pad - really similar to an eyelash curler cushion - was applied to my upper lash line and my lashes were softened with a serum to help them take the shape of the pad as they were gathered up individually with a little tool - sounds weird, but there's no discomfort at all.
Next, a lash lotion was slathered on and left there to work its magic for 15-20 minutes. After the lotion was wiped off and the rubber pad taken away, my eyes were wiped clean with a soaked cotton pad, et voila.
Note: Try not to open your eyes. Lash 'guards' are applied to protect them from the curling lotion, but if you do open them accidentally, the formula is completely safe. Although, a simple patch test is required at least 24 hours in advance to ensure you aren't allergic to anything.
One word: Hell yeah. Ok that was two...
Here are my top lashes with one coat of mascara:
While I was sold on the idea to start with (who wouldn't want effortless lashes?), I didn't realise just how much the process would change my entire beauty routine.
And by change, I mean revolutionise.
Now, applying mascara takes all of two seconds (and one single tube) as I don't have to painstakingly separate or thicken each individual lash, and I'm no longer ruining my eyeshadow with inky smudges (so annoying, right?) as there's no faff of having to skilfully wiggle the wand from the base upwards to create that perfect curve - it's already there.
These are my lashes immediately after the treatment, sans make-up or any tint:
The best part, though? My new, perky and fluttery lashes mean I've even started using less make-up products, mainly concealer and highlighter in the inner corners, because of the eye-opening effect, and as a total beauty obsessive who's been known to (worryingly) spend twice my wages on make-up, that's a big deal, at least where my bank balance is concerned anyway.
You can forget the complete mission of applying falsies. Most days, I even skip mascara altogether as the new shape makes my lashes look fuller than ever.
The impressive result is meant to last for a whole eight weeks, but does it? Well, a month later and mine look exactly the same as they did when I first walked out of the salon. They aren't brittle or sparse and they don't drop like lash extensions when they start to assume their original shape - something your eyes will thank you for!
Practically none.
Unlike other lash treatments, you won't be sent home with a fussy lash conditioner (most of us can barely be bothered to take off our mascara let alone moisturise each, individual hair, right?) and there's no special make-up remover required, so whether you use micellar water or cold cream, your usual routine won't be disrupted. Just remember not to get your lashes wet for 24 hours after the treatment.
Would I get it done again? YES. I'm already booked in for my next treatment and I'm kicking myself for not discovering the treatment sooner.
The eyelash curlers? In the bin.
These Eyebrow Growth Serums Are Here To Save Your Pencil-Thin Brows
Milk Makeup Kush Lash + Brow Serum
If you're more on the sensitive side, this hybrid lash and brow serum by Milk Makeup ticks a lot of boxes – it's ophthalmologist tested, free of fragrance and parabens but still with a hardworking formula that helps condition, thicken and nourish brows and lashes.
BBB Brow Boost
Powered by a stellar line-up of ingredients, from caffeine to vitamin F, hydrating hyaluronic acid and thickening biotin, this eyebrow serum feeds the hair and follicles with all the good stuff to support hair growth. The result: thicker-looking, bushier brows in as little as two months.
UK Lash Eyebrow Serum
A brand that causing quite a stir right now, Uklash creates nicely priced lash and brow serums that work just as well as the investment-level options.
This brow-growth serum combines boosting peptides with conditioning vitamins, and works especially well on bringing back those long-overplucked arches.
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum
The Ordinary is really giving us what we want this year: first came the brand's excellent peptide-based hair-thickening serum, and now we've been treated to the most affordable brow-growth serum on the market. Boasting a blend of peptides and vitamins, it's a genuinely impressive proposition for such a fair price.
This one will take persistence to see results, but stick with it and boy will your money have been well spent.
This classic product won't provide you with enviable eyebrows overnight, but it will increase the density and colour of your brows with a few weeks of diligent use. Fair haired? You should definitely give it a whirl. And of course, the corresponding lash serum is a classic choice, too.
Chāmpo Pitta Brow Serum
Rising stars Chāmpo (pronounced 'shar-pour') are the best-selling hair brand in the whole of Harrods, but they're also the fastest-growing haircare brand in the UK.
Speaking of growth, the brand's latest launch is designed to boost your brow density in 12 weeks. It combines a tetrapeptide complex, with caffeine and haritaki: a fruit long used in Ayurvedic medicine for its follicle-stimulating properties.
The Eyebrow and Lash Enhancing Serum
Ok, so this is an investment that'll deliver seriously satisfying results. Augustinus Bader's milky, nourishing serum will work on brows and lashes to encourage faster growth and glossier hairs.
The complex is based around amino acids (the building blocks of your hair), growth-boosting biotin and conditioning extracts to keep the hairs you already have looking their best. Employ nightly for a month and marvel at the results.
Mauli Grow Strong Brow Oil
True to Ayurvedic tradition, Mauli's strengthening brow oil is formulated with extracts of brahmi, bhringraj and amla: adaptogenic herbs believed to encourage lustrous hair growth. They're steeped in a base of jojoba, argan and castor, and boosted with jasmine sambac and rose to turn application into a fragrant ritual.
Not just the most sensorial formula, this one delivers real results too, with people raving about the way it brings enthusiastically plucked brows back to life.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Genius
From the queen of excellent eyebrows, this conditioning serum combines castor oil with peptides and biotin to strengthen the brows you already have, preventing brittle hairs and premature fallout.
Susanne Kaufmann Lash & Brow Serum
In line with Susanne Kaufmann's natural ethos, this lash and brow-building serum uses mallow leaf water and edelweiss to nourish hair and encourage optimal growth. Users especially love the way it works on fair, fine hair.
Another new name on our radar, Baebrow's lash-boosting serum has us seriously impressed. It's an all-natural blend of oils (without the addition of peptides) and works by deeply conditioning the hair you have, encouraging healthier, glossier brows over time. While you're there, grab a tin of the brand's brilliant Hold Up brow wax too.
Elizabeth Arden Prevage Clinical Lash + Brow Enhancing Serum
This clever serum contains peptides as well as vitamins and botanical conditioners to improve the length and thickness of sparse eyebrows and lashes. The teeny tiny brush means you can apply it exactly where you need it, reducing wastage and making your tube go further.
