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Junior Mycala Kickland gets the bottom lashes taped down by her stylist. The tape is applied by opening your eyes and looking up so the top lashes don't get caught in the tape.

Lash extensions are becoming more popular after many celebrities have shown off the new beauty trend. Recently some of our own students, junior Mycala Kickland and senior Madelyn Kickland, went to ZaZa Studios in Clive, IA to get some of their own.  

In order to get lash extensions, you have to make an appointment.  Before you schedule your appointment, you have to answer questions regarding allergies, any past surgeries, chemotherapy, and pregnancy. You then are asked to put down a downpayment of $80 to show that you are a serious customer. The girls were asked to show up 15 minutes before to sign papers.  Those papers included what you can and can’t do with the lashes, and how to take care of them.  

The process of applying  lashes is time consuming.  The first thing you do is select the style and size of the lashes. Styles include “Cat Eye,” which is tapered with the longest lashes on the outer corners, or “Doll Eye,” where the lashes are the same length across the lid. The length is determined by how dramatic a look is desired.

Next  you lie down on a massage table and the lash-extension stylist cleans your natural lashes free from oil or any makeup you might have been wearing. After that, they tape down your bottom lashes so no glue or false lashes stick to them.  On the tape that they secured the bottom lashes down with, the stylist writes the measurements of the specific lashes that will be used. Then they start to apply the single lashes.  They have two sets of tweezers, one for picking up the single lash and one to set the lash in place with glue.  After about two hours of the same process, you’re done.

The stylist then sprays the lashes with a setting spray to set all the lashes and glue in place. After that, they dry it with a mini fan.  The main thing they tell you after is that you can’t shower or get them wet for 24 hours after they are applied, after that, you can’t put mascara on, or curl your lashes.

According to TeenVogue, the possible negative side effects of eyelash extensions include infections if you don’t clean the lashes with a special solution. If applied wrong your natural lashes may fall out with the false lashes too. If the stylist adds too much adhesive.

Mycala is delighted with her “Princess” style lashes. “They’re longer and you don’t have to put mascara on,” she said. Mycala will get her next fill on Saturday. The re-fill procedure will take about an hour and costs $55. It is recommended that lashes be refilled every three weeks.