Treatments to Try: Lash lift at Lacquer Gallery

In my morning routine, the choice between a few extra minutes of sleep and putting on makeup is easy: Zzz. But, as someone who strives to achieve Alicia Keys-level makeup-free beauty, I’ve developed a curiosity about emerging beauty services that help enhance your looks in a more natural and sustainable way. And so, that curiosity lead me to Lacquer Gallery Clintonville’s flamingo-covered foyer for a lash lift and tint appointment.

Scroll down for my “Before” and “After”

For those who don’t lay in bed in the wee hours of the morning, scrolling through the “Beauty” tab in their Instagram Explore, lash lifts are essentially a perm for your natural eyelash. The semi-permanent process gives your lashes an upward curl, similar to what an eyelash curler does, except it lasts 12 weeks rather than 12 hours. This, paired with a tint, makes your lashes look longer, fuller, and darker.

My esthetician Shyloh Casteel led me back through Lacquer Gallery Clintonville’s new digs at 3284 N High St. (which, by the way, are absolutely gorgeous. It’s the ideal hangout for an edgy girly girl) into her cozy wood and foliage-covered studio. She did a quick 1-2 on my “before” face to assess my natural lashes, laid me back, and began waving her magic wand.

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The process is really quite quick and simple. Shyloh placed a silicon rod on my upper eyelid, combed my eyelashes upward, and lightly adhered them to the rod. Once all my lashes were fanned out and secured, Shyloh applied the perming solution. This sits for six minutes. Next, Shyloh applied the setting lotion which processes for five minutes. The combination of these formulas is strong enough to give your lashes the flirty curl of your dreams and lock it into place for up to three months, but not nearly as harsh as what your mom and all your aunts used on their hair in the 80s.

Lastly, Shyloh painted on the black/blue dye. This add-on service gives lashes depth and darkness—perfect for someone like me who doesn’t wear mascara every day. (However, it is normal for clients to simply get a lash lift.) The tint sets in for eight minutes.

During the application of both the perming solution and the tint, I had to keep my eyes closed. Though I didn’t experience discomfort, Shyloh explained that it is possible for the products to seep into customers’ eyes, in which case she instructs them to sit up and blink rapidly until it passes. While the solutions are capable of causing irritation, they are not dangerous. In fact, lash lift and tints have additional benefits of getting rid of potentially bacteria-laden mascara wands and the pulling and scrubbing involved in daily mascara removal.

After clearing away the tint, Shyloh loosened my lashes from the silicon rod and handed me a mirror. As my girl Fergi would say, my lashes were G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S. Each tiny, dark hair stretched towards the heavens with the cutest curl. And my set was so full, it looked like a damn Chinese hand fan! All I had to do was keep them dry for the next 24 hours.

I walked into Lacquer Gallery with the most painfully average natural lashes and walked out 50 minutes later feeling like Cindy Lou—a lunch break makeover. Eyelashes may be small, but they now make me feel oh so mighty.

Lacquer Gallery Clintonville is located at 3284 N High St. Lash lift and tints cost $75. Visit lacquergallery.com or call (614) 725-3838 for more information.

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