By Emily Crawford @whyhellobeauty

Miss Eyelash are the premier lash destination in Australia and I am in awe of their work. Eyelash extensions are such a gorgeous luxurious beauty treatment that completely adds that extra touch of glam to anyone, but is it safe having that glue around your eyes for 2+ weeks, longer if you have infills?

So, to ease my initial concerns around eyelash extensions I had, I reached out to the beautiful Emma Vosti at Miss Eyelash for the down low on eyelash extensions!

Hi Emma, please explain to us the Eyelash Extension process? Hi Emily! There are currently 2 types of Eyelash Extensions classification: Classic & Volume. Classic Eyelash Extensions by pure definition involve the application of one single extension to one single natural eyelash. Volume Eyelash Extensions (often referred to as Russian Lashes or 3D Lashes), involve the application of multiple ultra-fine extensions applied to the one natural eyelash. These extensions are still individual extensions that are picked up in bunches of 3-6 & manually ‘fanned’.Do not mistake Volume Lashes for Cluster Lashes. Cluster Lashes are similar to Strip or Faux Lashes that are applied with makeup for a one off occasion, & removed with makeup  at the end  of the night.

What are your eyelash extensions made from at Miss Eyelash? We use a premium synthetic extension for our Classic Sets & a Faux Mink for our Volume Sets. Both lashes have been globally sourced & developed under our professional brand Miss Eyelash PRO. It is important to be aware that all extensions used in the Australian market are synthetic, even the lashes that are referred to as Mink or Silk. When clients or technicians reference extensions as Mink or Silk, this refers to the diameter or thickness of the extension.

What type of adhering glue do you use at Miss Eyelash? Our adhesive or ‘bonding solution’, as we prefer to reference it, has also been formulated under or professional brand Miss Eyelash PRO. It has a superior bonding performance & is also free from Latex & Formaldehyde. When investigating brands & products used by individual technicians, it is more important to know how often the adhesive is being used. Many women are unaware that all adhesives only have a shelf life of 6-8 weeks before expiry. When an adhesive exceeds its shelf life, the likelihood of a compromised application increases.

How long can wearers expect lashes to last before requiring infills, Emma? Its simple math at Miss Eyelash: Based on an initial full set of 80 extensions per eye you can expect extensions to last up to 6 weeks. However, it is un realistic to expect that all 80 extensions will still all remain attached at 6 weeks as your own natural lashes will continue to grow & fall out natural, regardless of whether they have an extension attached. As a general pattern of fall out, you can expect up to 5 extensions fall out in the first week, 10-15 extensions fall out in the second week & another 10-15 extensions fall out in the third week. To maintain a consistent on-going look, we recommend refills every 3-4 weeks. At a refill appointment, you can expect all extensions with a lash regrowth to be removed & as many extensions added to achieve a total of 80 extensions per eye.

How much do the lashes cost? Our most popular full set that has been consistently recognised since 2009 is our Classic Full Set of 80 extensions per eye at $200. For clients wishing a slightly longer & fuller look, we recommend either our Classic Full Set of 100 extensions per eye at $240 or our Volume Full Set at $280.

Emma, is there any chance of allergic reaction happening from the glue used at all? Instances are rare where client have a reaction to the application of eyelash extensions in a controlled environment such as Miss Eyelash. The volumes of clients looked after in each of our locations with our core service of Eyelash Extensions guarantees the high turnover of product & therefore unlikely to experience a reaction to expired adhesive. However, a reaction cannot be isolated due to the  individual clients state of health or sensitivity to certain substances. Essentially, allergic reactions are heightened immune responses, which is an over reaction to usually benign or harmless substances such as pollen, dust, glue, grass & cat or dog fur. Histamine is released causing temporary swelling & redness. In these instances, it is important to always contact your eyelash technician & have your extensions removed.

What home-care instructions do you advise clients to follow? The three golden rules are not to wet the extensions for the first 24 hours, do not use any oil based products on your extensions & avoid rubbing or touching the extensions at all times. For those clients who exercise regularly, we recommend they cleanse their eyelids pre & post exercise to remove any oils.

What training is required for an eyelash technician at Miss Eyelash? I am proud to have assembled a team of leading professionals at Miss Eyelash who bring with them an elite level of training & industry certification. All our eyelash technicians are required to have a minimum Certificate IV Beauty Diploma or Makeup Artist certification, in addition to an independent certified Eyelash Extension course. I also require prospective staff to have worked for an independent company as an Eyelash Extension Technician for a minimum of 12 months. Each staff are then put through an intense 2 week Miss Eyelash Style & Design Training involving both practical & theory training. Not all who apply make the grade.

*Speaking of training, Emma has just released the Miss Eyelash Pro Training Program,  which covers a variety of options to learn the skills of applying eyelash extensions from an introductory session from $450 to a comprehensive curriculum which includes both Classic & Volume 3D application & design at $3900 over 4 days. Emma will be holding these training programs in both Melbourne (Elwood & Mt Eliza) & Adelaide (Glenelg), for both Group Training & One on One Training. The introductory session is redeemable on the Complete Comprehensive Training.

Miss Eyelash have two salons located within Victoria, Australia and contact details for each salon can be found at this link.

Have you tried eyelash extensions or have you visited Miss Eyelash? Share with me in the comments and remember to tag me in your snaps on insta!