The “no-make-up” make-up look has taken the world by storm. Almost everyone is chasing that effortlessly flawless look—the kind where it looks like you woke up glowing. But let’s be honest, it takes some time and effort to get it just right! We get it.
What if we told you that there’s a way to take some time out of your makeup routine and wake up with lashes that are already picture-perfect? That’s why lash lifts and extensions have become the go-to treatments to getting naturally gorgeous lashes without the daily hassle.
While both treatments promise to elevate your natural beauty, they work their magic in completely different ways. Your natural lashes get a boost from lash lifts, while extensions add extra length and volume, but the choice isn’t always about the final look – the perfect match depends on your lifestyle, how much time you want to spend on maintenance, and yes – your budget too.
But, don’t worry, we break it down so you can find the perfect fit for your style and routine!
Understanding Your Options
Whether you’re just starting your lash journey, or looking to change up your routine, your options is key to achieving the lash transformation of your dreams! So, how do you decide which one? Let’s take a look at some of the differences:
What Is A Lash Lift?
To put is simply, a lash lift works exclusively with your natural lashes, offering a low-maintenance solution for those who love that “natural-but-better” look. It’s essentially a perm for your lashes. Using a specially formulated lifting solution, your lashes are gently reshaped to create a beautiful upward curl from base to tip.
Once the lifting solution has done its magic, it’s carefully removed, and a conditioning treatment is applied to nourish and strengthen your lashes, ensuring they stay healthy and soft. The result? Your natural lashes appear longer, more defined, and effortlessly polished!
Ivy Reign’s Healthy Lash Lift
At Ivy Reign, we’ve seen how traditional lash lifts can sometimes do more harm than good. Harsh, fast-acting ingredients run the risk of leaving your lashes frazzle, dry and curled backward. That’s why, we’ve reimagined the traditional lash lift to bring you a gentle, damage-free treatment designed to give you lifted, longer-looking lashes that last up to 8 weeks!
Through extensive research and education, we discovered that the culprit behind lash damage in traditional lifts is a chemical called thioglycolic acid. While effective at reshaping lashes, this ingredient works too quickly, weakening and compromising the natural curl, until the damage “grows out”
On the other hand, our Healthy Lash Lift has eliminated this problem with a specially developed formula that is gentler, working slower to ensure healthier, more consistent results. To complete your treatment and further enhance the health of your lashes, we apply our unique peptide serum, which penetrates deep into the follicle to heal and strengthen the lashes by reconnecting polypeptide chains (the building blocks that keep hair strong and healthy.)
By skipping harsh chemicals, our vegan and cruelty-free treatment preserves the natural structure of your lashes, leaving them strong, damage-free, and stunningly natural!
How Long Does a Lash Lift Last For?
Our lash lift typically lasts 6-8 weeks, based on your natural lash growth cycle.
Lash Extensions & What’s Available
On the other hand, lash extensions use additional lash hairs to create a fuller, more defined lashes. These synthetic lashes are individually attached to your natural lashes using a special adhesive, allowing for a completely customisable look. While the possibilities are endless the
most common options are:
- Classic Extensions: One extension per natural lash for subtle enhancement
- Volume Extensions: Multiple ultra-fine extensions (2-6) per lash for dramatic fullness
- Hybrid Extensions: A perfect blend of classic and volume techniques for textured, natural-looking volume
How Long Do Lash Extensions Last?
Extensions can last 4-6 weeks for a full set, but you’ll need fills and touch-ups every 2-3 weeks to keep that perfect look.
Making The Choice Between Lash Extensions and Lash Lifts
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to choosing between lash extension and lash lifts. While you do want to leave the salon looking and feeling your best, it’s important to think about what will fit your lifestyle and beauty preferences in the long run. Here are some things to consider before booking your appointment:
Your Natural Lashes Matter
One of the most important, yet overlooked things to consider is your natural lashes! After all, you are working with what you’ve got, and understanding their unique characteristics is key to achieving the best results
While you might have your heart set on one treatment over the other, it’s important to remember that the health and characteristics of your natural lashes can guide us to the perfect treatment for you. Understanding your lashes—like its length, thickness, density, and growth direction—will ensure that your treatment not only looks amazing but also supports the natural strength of your lashes.
The Best Options for Sparse vs Full Lashes
Are you blessed with full, thick lashes? Lucky you! Our Healthy Lash Lift could be the solution you’re looking for. It’ll enhance your natural lashes by giving them a soft curl and extra definition without overwhelming them. It’s perfect for those who want to keep their lashes looking more defined and lifted, but still natural.
If you have sparse, thinner, or shorter lashes, lash extensions might be your go-to. Extensions can fill in any gaps, add volume, and create that fuller, more dramatic appearance you’re after. Plus, with so many different customisation options, you can easily play around with length, thickness and even colour!
The Impact of Lash Health on Results
Your natural lashes’ strength plays a vital role in your treatment’s success. That’s why, at Ivy Reign, we always assess the health of your lashes before we begin any treatment.
While lash extensions can create stunning drama, they require strong natural lashes to ensure they adhere properly and stay in place. If your lashes need some extra love or you want a more gentle approach, we might suggest starting with our Healthy Lash Lift™ to nourish and strengthen your lashes first before taking the plunge. Plus with no need for curling or mascara, it might just be the solution you’re looking for!
Beauty Budget & Time
When it comes to lash treatments, the cost and time investment can vary depending on what you’re looking to achieve, the salon you choose, and the experience of the technician.
The Initial Investment
Lash Lift:
- A lash lift is typically the most affordable lash service, ranging between $50 – $200
- Takes around 45-60 minutes to complete.
At Ivy Reign, our Healthy Lash Lift service lasts about an hour and starts from $150.
Lash Extensions:
- The cost of lash extensions can vary significantly based on the type of set you choose, ranging from $50 to $350.
- The application process generally takes 1.5 to 2 hours, but this can vary depending on your desired look and goals too.
Long-term Maintenance
While the initial investment is important to consider, if you’re looking to add this to your regular beauty routine, you should also consider some of the long-term investments.
Lash Lift
After the initial treatment, you’ll only need touch-ups every 6-8 weeks. This keeps your maintenance costs lower, as the results are long-lasting and require minimal upkeep.
Lash Extensions
Extensions, require more frequent care. Refills and touch-ups typically start at around $40, but they can cost more depending on the level of work needed. You may need touch-ups every 2-3 weeks to keep your lashes looking fresh and full, which can add up over time.
Don’t Forget Your Lifestyle
You might think that what you do on a day-to-day basis will have little to no affect on your lashes. But, the truth is, your daily habits can actually play a big role in their appearance and how long they’ll last.
Active Lifestyle and Swimming
For the active babes, lash lifts are a pool and fitness-friendly option. After the initial 24-hour setting period, you can swim and shower without worry.
With extensions, you’ll need to be more careful – while swimming is possible, it’s best to wear goggles to protect your investment from chlorine and salt water.
Hitting the gym? Both treatments can handle your sweat sessions, but extensions require gentle cleansing post-workout.
Your Makeup Routine
With a lash lift, you’re free to use your regular products after 24 hours, though you might find yourself skipping mascara altogether! For extensions, you’ll need to make some adjustments:
- Switch to oil-free makeup products
- Avoid waterproof mascara and heavy eyeliners
- Use gentle, extension-safe makeup removers
- Consider ditching mascara completely (you won’t need it!)
Sleep and Other Activities
With a lash lift, you can sleep in any position after the first 24 hours. Extensions, on the other hand, require a bit more attention to maintain their shape and longevity. Investing in a silk pillowcase can help reduce friction and prevent your lashes from getting crushed during sleep.
For the first few nights with extensions, try sleeping on your back to avoid putting pressure on your lashes. This simple step can help extend the life of your extensions and keep them looking flawless for longer.
Your daily activities might need slight modifications too. Whether you choose a lift or extensions, avoid rubbing your eyes and be gentle when washing your face. Extensions require extra care during skincare routines – pat products around your eyes instead of rubbing, and keep oil-based products away from your lash line.
Customisation & Style Options
This is where lash lifts and lash extension differ the most. When it comes to customisation, lash extensions truly take the lead, offering endless possibilities to create the exact look you want. From the length and thickness to the curl type, you can personalise every detail. Want a natural, everyday look? Or maybe you’re after a bold, dramatic style? Extensions can cater to almost any beauty goal.
A lash lift is more about enhancing your natural lashes. While it doesn’t offer the same level of customisation as extensions, it still gives you a soft, elegant lift that makes your lashes look fuller and more defined, without the need for mascara or extra effort. It’s great for those dipping their toes into lash treatments or simply wanting to save time during their makeup routine.
Maintenance and Longevity
Lash treatments are an investment, and you want to ensure you get the most out of them.
Lash Lifts are relatively low-maintenance. Once you’ve had your lift, you only need to schedule touch-ups every 6-8 weeks to maintain the curl and definition. The great thing about a lash lift is that you can simply wash and go with minimal upkeep—no special products or extra time required!
Lash Extensions, on the other hand, require more frequent upkeep. While you’ll leave the salon with stunning, fuller lashes, extensions typically need refills every 2-3 weeks to maintain their fullness and prevent any gaps as your natural lashes shed. You’ll also need to be mindful of proper care—gentle cleansing, avoiding oil-based products, and not pulling on the lashes—to keep them looking fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I wear mascara with a lash lift or extensions?
Yes! You can wear any mascara with a lash lift after the first 24 hours, though most clients find they don’t need mascara at all! Stay away from waterproof formulas since they’re tough to remove.
2. Are lash lifts or extensions safe for sensitive eyes?
A professional can make both treatments work beautifully for sensitive eyes! Consider asking for a patch test before your appointment. Lash lifts might be a safer choice for extra-sensitive eyes since they don’t use adhesives. Clean lashes and proper aftercare instructions from your technician lead to the best results. Regular maintenance also protects your natural lashes while keeping them looking fabulous!
3. Why aren’t my lashes lifting evenly?
One eye might lift differently because of stronger follicle direction. Our expert artists can adjust the technique to achieve balanced results. Remember – lashes are like eyebrows… sisters, not twins!
4. Help! My lashes changed direction after 24 hours!
We’ve all been there! This usually happens when:
- You’ve slept on your face too soon
- Have gotten your lashes wet within 24 hours
- Have used oil-based products near your lash line
5. Can lash extensions affect my natural lash growth?
Frequent use of lash extensions can potentially disrupt your natural lash growth cycle. It’s important to give your natural lashes breaks between extension treatments to allow for healthy regrowth.
Choosing Your Perfect Match
Let’s be real – both treatments are gorgeous, but they do serve different lash goals. Our Healthy Lash Lift™ works with your natural lashes, perfect for low-maintenance babes who want that effortless enhancement. Where extensions are perfect for those looking to add some oomph to their look and don’t mind regular touch-ups.
Remember, beauty is personal, and the perfect match is the one that makes you feel confident and beautiful! Still not sold on one? At Ivy Reign, we’re here to help you find the treatment that makes you feel like the absolute best version of yourself! Our artists are highly educated and understand the delicate science of lash lifting. They tailor each treatment to your unique lash needs, combining advanced techniques with our specially formulated lifting solution to gently mold your lashes into a stunning, natural curl.
Book your personalised consultation today, because when you look good, you feel good, and that’s what we’re all about!
