When I heard about the Eylure collaboration with superstar blogger/vlogger Fleur de Force I was intrigued.
Being a fan of Eylure and knowing the fabulous range of lashes they offer, what could she bring, apart from her off-the-charts popularity? Continue reading
Oh how I love a set of false eye lashes… they really change your eye makeup and are essential when you have heavy eye makeup on.
False eyelashes is something I only mastered relatively recently in my beauty journey and a few brands have been my go to in order to enhance my peepers – Eylure is certainly one of them.
I’ve been through a zillion different mascaras and shunned plastic bristles for a long time, so I was very surprised that L’Oréal Volume Million Lashes So Couture mascara has become a favourite of mine.
Full, thick, fluttery and uber sexy lashes – I dare you to find someone who doesn’t want to have them. If your eyes are the window to your soul, the minimum you want are damn pretty curtains for it!
Click to enlarge
I met the lovely Asma Docrat last year, when her company, Boudoir Lashes completed a year of age. The reviews were amazing – her professionalism and technique in tailoring the las extension to suit you had high praises. Asma says you need to enhance what you already have, which really goes with my outlook on beauty and that is exactly what she does to your lashes: each customer leaves with a set of lashes tailored by her, customised to them.
Asma held the grand opening of her boudoir last week, and now, in the pretty Boudoir Beauty Parlour in Shoreditch, London, they offer not only the famous lash extensions, but also manicures (and nail art), pedicures, waxing and facials.
Different sizes lashes are used to match your own
Right, so let’s get down to the extensions.
I have to start with this: Asma is really sweet. I arrived after work, and was made to feel very relaxed and at home. I lay down on a treatment bed, there was music, we were talking… all very nice. The salon is really lovely and girly.
Lashes being prepared! Exciting!
It took about 90 minutes. She put tapes under my eyes and started. I mentioned I loved fluttery lashes, with longer ends. She immediately told me that they weren’t for me because of the natural shape of my own lashes. I felt reassured and trusted her statement 100% and the treatment kept going!
The whole process was very comfortable, and I almost fell asleep. I really want to make this a very strong point, as I was a bit nervous about this treatment. I had tried another lash extension treatment in another place a month before this, and it was horrible. Truly terrible. I was sitting down with eyes semi-open, felt stinging, poking and prodding. The result was awful. The person went for the fluttery look and my eyes looked droopy. I don’t even have droopy eyes!!! I asked her to remove them, and that was awful too. My eyes were watery and stinging. I gave up. Receiving Asma’s treatment was really like entering a new world – she is delicate, exudes confidence and professionalism and I felt extremely safe in her hands.
When she finished, I was amazed – I had a super full version of my own lashes, longer, darker, a much better effect than obtained with mascara. The before and after pictures really prove this point; they sit very naturally on my face. Even without make up, I felt I wasn’t too bare-faced.
One eye done, one to go!
I left happy, with a leaflet with instructions on how to care for my extensions and so impressed I couldn’t stop looking at myself ont he mirror. Then I went on holidays the following day. Getting on a long haul flight, I had to sleep. And I can ONLY sleep with eye masks, which are a no-no with the extensions. I wore swimming goggles and the eye mask over it. Yeah, the things we do for beauty.
It is now four weeks. I shouldn’t admit this, but I was on holidays and the most important thing for me was to relax, so I put the strict care a little aside and I put them through hell – pool, sea, warm weather, eye make up and eye liner, mascara sometimes from week two, eye cream (I am not that young, after all) and they lasted really well, much longer than I thought, given I didn’t follow the care instructions religiously. Entering the third week was really when I started to see my own lashes again. If I had followed the instructions, I can pretty much guarantee that they would be almost perfect and a simple fill in (recommended two to four weeks after the treatment, to keep it going) would be enough to restore it to its full glory. Now, I can only see a few remaining strands. My natural lashes seem undamaged (and boring!).
Do I love it? YES. Do I recommend it? Hell, YES.
After: AMAZING LENGHT!!!!!
Now, if there is one issue I found, it is the fact I should refrain from using my eye mask to sleep. I need it, really do, I sleep really badly without it, which on holidays, is not a massive issue, as I can nap, have lie-ins, but in London, I will need to wear it again every night, so I will probably not do it all the time. Also, doing my eye make-up look challenges is a no-no when these extensions are on as I usually go for bolder designs, and it requires almost industrial eye make-up removal, which will certainly damage them!!! I am however, an exception to the rule and I am sure 99% of women would be just fine wearing them most of the time!
The brand new Boudoir Beauty Parlour is located at 1a Turnville Street, E2 7HX, in London, phone number 020 7739 5462. You can also follow them on twitter @boudoirlashes and @boudoirparlour. I really recommend that you have a treatment, be it lashes or another one – I heard wonders about the Brazilian wax!
Green witches (yes, Elphaba, I am talking about you!) inspired me for this challenge. I wanted to do something big, bold, a bit evil and of course, green. I love using green eyeshadow, it photographs really well, it is so vivid.
Here is what I did: I applied a primer, and attempted to erase half of my eyebrow (without much success). Then swept the whole lid with green pigment.
After that, using a darker green, I drew the cat-eye shape with a pencil brush, from the beginning of my crease to close to my eyebrow edge.
Then I applied a lighter darker green to the upper lash line and met the higher dark green line, closing the shape. To add dimension, I applied very light green crushed pigment to the center of the eye lid, as a swoop that went from close to the inner corner, upwards, meeting the darker line at the top. I then blended all the lines using all the colours and some other shades of green until I was satisfied with the amount of definition of some lines and blending.
I lined the lower lash line with the lime green, closer to the inner corner, blending into dark green towards the outer corner and applied black eyeliner to the water line.
Finally, I added the lime green to the tops, a little bit of black to define some of the lines (close to the crease and from outer corner), applied black eyeliner, making a huge flick, and dabbed more light green crushed pigment close to the brow bone and inner corner of the eye. I finished the look with false eye lashes.
1. I tried to “erase” the end of my eyebrow, it turns out mine are too dark and thick to do with concealer and foundation only. I did it in the past to re-create Boy George eye make up, but I suppose the person had fairer and thinner eyebrows than me, so it worked alright!
2. Drawing the shape was hard. Very hard. I had to clean everything up and start again.
3. My first combination of greens didn’t give me oomph. This is another reason I started again. Next time, I will swatch them in my hand before applying!
So Many Lovely Things 