I first got a full set of eyelash extensions a few months before my wedding. Once they were on, I instantly fell in love.
They were so full, dark, and perfectly curled ALL the time. I didn’t have to do anything except go back for a 1.5-hour fill every two weeks.
I woke up with perfect lashes, got out of the shower with perfect lashes, and could sit in the hot tub without worrying about running mascara.
I could wake up late, quickly run out of the house, and still feel pretty and feminine because my eyelashes were still perfect.
The doubts
However, I did worry about the long-term health of my eyelashes. I always wondered how much damage I was causing, even though I was reassured that it was okay since I had them applied properly.
They were also pretty darn expensive.
I was paying $140 each month for my fills (which was actually pretty cheap for my area).
The final issue was that the lash glue was starting to irritate my eyes for days after application.
Eventually, after investing in my eyelashes for a year and a half, I decided to cut that expense from our budget.
Life after eyelash extensions
When I finally decided to have my eyelash extensions removed, I cried.
I was so scared that I was going to feel ugly without them.
I already had an eyelash serum ready to use. I had seen how long my friend Suzie’s lashes had gotten from using a lash serum, so I was hopeful that it would work well and help me be more satisfied with my natural lashes.
The only problem was that I would have to wait 2-3 months for noticeable results. And I wasn’t looking forward to waiting that long, especially after having the voluminous lash extensions.
But I had already made up my mind.
So, three weeks after my last fill, I removed what was left of my lash extensions by loosening them up with coconut oil, and I cried.
I looked in the mirror, and my face felt so bare. My real lashes were shorter than I remembered (they must have been falling out much faster with the extensions on).
I put on some mascara (Buxom lash) and was horrified at how little it did to improve what I was staring at.
I felt like I had made a horrible, terrible mistake and was wondering if I should book a $300 full-set lash application ASAP.
And that\’s when I remembered that I had ordered a confidence-saving product in preparation for this exact moment.
Magnetic lashes to the rescue
Shortly after my last lash fill, I stumbled upon a company called One Two Cosmetics.
They offer reusable false lashes that stay on with magnets. No glue. Nothing permanent. You can use them when and how you want.
It’s a pretty brilliant product.
So, back to standing in front of the mirror with my ragged and patchy lashes…
I put on my magnetic lashes and instantly felt so much relief.
My lashes were NOT up to par after taking the extensions out, but I could pop these lash strips on in an instant and have fuller, longer lashes.
How they work
One Two lashes are little falsie strips with a tiny magnet at the base.
You apply mascara to your own lashes first (if you want to), then put one strip on top of your lashes and a second strip underneath your lashes. The magnets snap together and hold the two strips firmly together, hugging your natural lashes.
There are a few different options:
- Original for daily wear
- Bold for an even longer and fuller dramatic look
- Accent to lift the very outer corners of your lash line
- Filler to fill in any gaps
A box from One Two lash comes with eight lash strips, so you have backups if you lose some. They also wear out over time and eventually need to be replaced. Still, compared to the cost of extensions, they are very affordable.
My take on them
The magnets are stronger than I expected, so it takes a couple of tries to get the hang of putting them on, but they are easy to get used to.
After a few minutes, I don’t notice that I have them on because they are comfortable to wear.
I used the Original lashes, which are light and fluttery but still make my eyes pop.
The strips aren’t super long – they only cover the outer half of my lash line on each side. It’s enough to provide extra volume and length while still looking natural. But coming from the extensions, I do wish they offered volume over more of my eye.
So far, the strips haven’t fallen off while wearing them because they stay put well and don’t budge. However, I almost lost one the first time I tried to apply them because I dropped a strip and had difficulty finding where it fell on the floor.
As quickly as I fell in love with my extensions once upon a time, I fell in love with my magnetic lashes. And I am, for real, super grateful that they were invented.
They are my ultimate secret tool for transitioning off the eyelash extensions without losing my mind.
Where to get your own magnetic lashes
Unfortunately, One Two Cosmetics has since gone out of business.
There are a lot of options out there that look even better than what I initially tried, such as magnetic lashes that attach to eyeliner or lashes with nano grips that supposedly adhere straight to the eyelid.
I no longer use magnetic lashes because I have more than restored my natural eyelashes to a state that I am really happy with. If you want to rock incredible natural eyelashes, my next blog post will detail my current eyelash routine and what I did to get longer lashes.
Have you ever had your eyelash extensions removed? Or do you still have extensions? Share your own eyelash journey in the comments!