Sunday 12 August 2018

What happens when you get eyelash extensions?


A couple of weeks ago, I did something that I had always been curious about. I got eyelash extensions. And it has been my favourite non-invasive cosmetic procedure to date.

I've had acrylic nails (pretty, but really chewed up my real nails, and a nightmare to remove), hair extensions (I had micro-rings and they felt awful. I couldn't wear my hair up, or brush it properly) and an eyebrow tint (quite pointless as I have dark eyebrows anyway, but I was bored). No, my list of treatments may not match Kim Kardashian's, but as a beauty writer I've either had or witnessed most procedures - and I have to say that, out of all of them, I could get addicted to eyelash extensions.

One of the best things about them is that they're completely tailored to your look. For me, it was all about having naturally fuller and longer looking lashes. However, you might want to go full glam instead. It's all down to what you prefer and what your technician recommends. Eyelash extensions can be found in a range of lengths, thickness and degrees of curl for a perfectly personalised look.

Before
For my treatment, I went to Lashes By Beckie, who is a certified Novalash technician. For the entirety of the appointment, I was lying down on a comfy beauty bed, which was fine by me. There's nothing more enticing than literally doing nothing for an hour and a half. We had the radio on, as well as the soft hum of Beckie's fan (it was late July and baking), and it just felt like a relaxing evening with a friend.

Beckie placed adhesive strips over my lower lashes to keep them out of the way. This was a weird feeling at first - as if someone was softly pulling your lower lid down - but I soon forgot about it. The hard part was keeping my eyes shut. I'm a blinker, for some reason. I blink a lot, and I didn't really realise that until this appointment. I was just so tempted to open my eyes to blink. But I urge you to keep them shut, and there are two reasons for this. Firstly, opening your eyes will let the eyelash glue seep in which, although it's not going to blind you, can leave you with bloodshot eyes for a couple of days. Secondly, you'll annoy your technician - it's kind of similar to someone moving their hands around at a nail appointment.

After

Every so often, Beckie would use a small dryer to set the lash glue. This was a weirdly nice sensation, as the air felt cool and seemed to stop my eyes from watering from the fumes of the glue. Another little treat was the ocassional brushing of the lashes with a tiny spooly - again, oddly satisfying. And you'll probably find yourself doing this at home with your own spooly to stop any criss-crossing or wonky eyelashes.

Once Beckie had finished applying the lashes, and they had dried, I took a look in her mirror and fell in love with the results. I'm an unfortunate member of the short-eyelash-group, so it was a real treat to be able to have that extra length framing my eyes. I feel more 'feminine', which is an odd thing to say as my boyfriend has lovely, long, thick eyelashes (and what does 'feminine' even look like, anyway?) but I just feel like the word epitomises their appearance.

The great thing about Novalash extensions is that they're water and oil resistant, so you can get them wet or wear them with makeup. However, since my appointment, I haven't worn makeup as I'm so happy with how the lashes make me look 'done'.

Two weeks have passed and, although a few have dropped out with the completely normal growth and fallout of my natural lashes, the falsies still appear long and full. I give them a gentle comb every other day, and avoid rubbing them, as I find that this is helping their longevity. Infills are recommended every two to three weeks to keep lashes looking full, but if you're not planning to top up, expect the lashes to completely fall out within six weeks.

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Tuesday 7 August 2018

TV series to watch if you're a career girl

TV series to watch if you're a career girl

It's so easy to get caught up in junk TV these days. With so much choice available, you can often find that hours go by and you feel like you haven't really 'done' anything. For me, I like to find programmes that are inspiring or provoking in some way - so you won't generally catch me down a Love Island-hole (in fact, the 2018 series was so boring that I stopped watching halfway through).

It's not that I'm a TV snob. I have nothing against epople who watch a little TV to relax and switch off - I totally get that. But I just love programmes which either start a conversation, prod at your sense of humour, or inspire you to do more with your life, which is why I adore the series I've listed below (and they're even better if you watch them on a great TV - try these on for size: HD Televisions Panasonic).

The Bold Type

TV series to watch if you're a career girl
c/o Instagram @theboldtypetv
After The Devil Wears Prada sparked my lifelong love affair with fashion journalism, I had been searching for another film or TV programme to match up to the hype. And then The Bold Type came along. This series is like TDWP crossed with Girls, and is actually based on the life of former Cosmo editor-in-chief Joanna Coles (a big inspiration to me).

It's based around three friends and colleagues working at a magazine called Scarlett, whilst living in New York and dealing with love, life and sex. It's lighthearted and fun, with a certain amount of relatability and a lot of inspiration for modern, young, aspiring fashion journalists.

Absolutely Fabulous

TV series to watch if you're a career girl
c/o Instagram @abfabmovie
If you ever find yourself in need of something a little more British, then Ab Fab is the one. It'll tell you everything you need to know about what NOT to do when working in fashion PR, and give you a lot of laughs along the way.

Starring Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders, perhaps my two favourite British comedy actresses, this series has been really sporadic across its 20 years in production. But it has always charmed its way to the top of my TV viewing list.

How to Get Away with Murder

TV series to watch if you're a career girl
c/o Instagram @howtogetawaywithmurder
Shonda Rhimes blows my mind with how many great TV shows she's behind, and How to Get Away with Murder does not disappoint. The show will either make you want to become a criminal lawyer or law professor, or completely scare you off.

It's gripping, engaging, thought-provoking and will make you hungry for more. Plus, it plays into that millennial obsession with death and morbidity. We're a strange lot, aren't we?

The Carrie Diaries

TV series to watch if you're a career girl
c/o Instagram @thecarriediariesofficial
This frothy teen drama follows the life of everyone's favourite New York fashion-obsessed columnist, Carrie Bradshaw, during the 80s when she was an intern. Starring AnnaSophia Robb, the show was cancelled after two seasons, but while it ran it was a fleeting look into the determination and persistence of a young woman in a big city, trying to pursure the career of her dreams.

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