{"id":23560,"date":"2018-09-14T09:00:08","date_gmt":"2018-09-14T16:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com\/valleygirlblog\/?p=23560"},"modified":"2018-09-12T16:41:08","modified_gmt":"2018-09-12T23:41:08","slug":"lashing-out-how-eyelash-extensions-are-changing-the-mascara-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com\/valleygirlblog\/shopping\/lashing-out-how-eyelash-extensions-are-changing-the-mascara-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Lashing Out: How Eyelash Extensions Are Changing the Mascara Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"
by Megan Forrester<\/em><\/a><\/h5>\n

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Molly Smith dreaded putting on mascara. Meticulously globbing black goop on her eyes was giving her a clumpy mess, not full, natural-looking lashes. Then three years ago, her beauty routine changed in the blink of a fringed eye. Smith, 26, cut over 10 minutes from her makeup application while simultaneously increasing her confidence. How? By discovering eyelash extensions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI found out after getting the lashes that you actually can \u2018wake up like this\u2019 without makeup and just go,\u201d said Smith, who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona as an assistant director of admission for The Art Institute of Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n

Many women like Smith are bypassing standard mascara and switching to these semi-permanent extensions. Although mascara has been around since 1913, the popularity of false lashes has led to a slight decline to this once beauty staple. According to Nielsen Data, the $2 billion eye cosmetic industry, including mascara, is down 1.3 percent from last year, while false eyelash sales are now up 30 percent from last year with a value of $250 million.<\/p>\n

Eyelash extensions, originally brought to the U.S. in 2004 after their immense popularity in Japan and Korea, are synthetic silk lashes glued individually as close as possible to the natural lash line. A wide variety of styles are offered for the perfect pair of tailored lashes- anywhere from a classic finish to a more dramatic look.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe customization is endless,\u201d said Smith, who prefers more of a hybrid lash that can be worn at an event while still being appropriate for the office. But Smith, a customer at the salon Let\u2019s Lash in Scottsdale, said anyone interested in extensions should seek the hands of a lash technician with a certified esthetician license who works at a reputable salon. \u201cIt\u2019s your eyelashes,\u201d said Smith. \u201cYou can\u2019t just go out there and wing it like you would on a vacation when you need a pedicure.\u201d<\/p>\n