FAN MAIL FRIDAYS: On Short and Fine Lashes and How to Remedy Them

Hello guys! Time to answer some reader queries. This one was sent to me in Facebook by an avid reader named Del. She asks:

Hi Ms. Martha!

I have fine and short eyelashes and I'm having a hard time curling them despite using Shu Uemura's eyelash curler. What is your advise on this? And what are your thoughts about eyelash perm? Thank you!

- Del

Hi Del!

Thank you for the question. First and foremost, I wouldn't suggest eyelash perming to you because as the name implies, the procedure is meant to perm or CURL your lashes, and it's usually done to people with long and droopy lashes. Even aestheticians in eyelash salons will not recommend this procedure to you since your lashes are fine and short.

Instead, I'll recommend some things that will help your lashes reach their full potential:

INVEST IN GOOD LENGTHENING MASCARAS AND VOLUMIZING MASCARAS

A good curler such as Shu Uemura's is not enough. I strongly advise that you invest in good mascaras such as Maybelline, Benefit, Lancome, and Chanel. I've tried them all, and they work.

In here, I'm wearing Chanel Exceptionelle Mascara. Those are my real lashes, and Chanel just gave it a major volume boost. You see, good mascaras make a huge difference, so invest!

Photo credits: telegraph.co.uk

EYELASH EXTENSIONS

This is what you need, not eyelash perming. However, I would not suggest this procedure as it takes a whole lot of care and maintenance. Personally, I haven't tried it, but almost all of my girl friends have done it. I have interviewed some who are sporting EEs, and here are some of their experiences:

1.) It can lead to lash fall when the extensions start coming off, especially if your eyelashes don't cling well to the roots.

2.) You can't be careless and just rub your eyes relentlessly because it will cause the extensions to fall out.

3.) When they're washing their faces, they have to take extra caution when they're rinsing their eyes.

4.) They can't swim

5.) They can't go to a sauna

6.) They can't use waterproof mascara, only water- based mascara. (Some of them don't use mascara anymore)

7.) Requires money due to bimonthly maintenance

8.) Tugging and pulling can cause premature lash fall

You see why I don't recommend it? It takes a lot of effort! Haha. In spite of these facts, eyelash extension is still pretty cool because it really makes a beautiful difference once they're already on your eyes. Eyelash extensions are pretty good too because it lessens the time you spend on preparation. Bottomline, if you really want it, and you're willing to follow its care and maintenance instructions by heart, then do it.

Photo Credits: combmyhair.com

CASTOR OIL- AN AFFORDABLE, NATURAL, AND EFFECTIVE REMEDY

Let me tell you a short story: In one of my theatre plays, I had to wear false eyelashes because according to our in- house makeup artist, falsies will make my eyes pop on stage. And so I used it. My only fault was, I went for those cheap eyelash glues that are literally like glue. Had I known better during that time, I would've invested in latex- based false eyelash glues because I've encountered a freak accident with those darn glues. After one of our night shows, I took off the falsies and literally saw my real lashes come off with them! I cried so hard, but alas, hope has fled, and I was left with nearly bald eyes. I recounted my story to my grandmother, and she told me that she and her sisters used to use Castor oil on their lashes, and it made their lashes grow longer and thicker. So I followed her advice and after two months, the bald spots have started growing hair. I continued doing it for four months and voila! My lashes have grown back!

Since this natural remedy has worked on me, I strongly recommend it to you. But caution though, as Castor oil may sting. It can also blur vision, so I applied it during the night, when I'm about to go to sleep.

Castor Oil is available in drugstores. Buy a small jar and a fine eyeshadow brush as well. Transfer some oil to the jar so you won't contaminate the whole bottle. Dip the eyeshadow brush (make sure it's clean) in the jar, and apply some oil to your lash line, and as close to the roots as possible.

Like what I would always tell my readers, consistency is key. Results will vary depending on your body's reaction to the product, as well as length of usage.

As far as I can remember, Castor Oil is quite thick, smells foul, and requires patience and good tolerance. If you think you can't stand it, well, how bad do you want full and long lashes? :)

Photo Credits: fatburningfurnace.com

OLIVE OIL- FOR CONDITIONING AND STRENGTHENING

A lot of sources also say that Olive Oil can induce hair growth, although I haven't tried it yet. But I used it before and as far as I remember, it made my lashes strong and healthy, but I haven't seen any significant change in length and fullness. (Another factor was, I didn't observe either. Haha!) If you have low pain tolerance, you can try Olive Oil because it doesn't sting as much as Castor oil does.

LASH SERUMS

If all else fails, your last hope is Science to help you achieve fuller and longer lashes. Lash Serums have been proven effective, albeit they can be really expensive. I did try an affordable one from L'oreal. It worked, albeit my lashes have stopped growing after a period of usage.

The efficacy of lash serums also depend on your body's reaction to the chemicals in the product. Another factor would be the formulation. The effect of the serum you'll use also relies on its innate ability to produce longer and fuller lashes. Translation: Expensive serums work better than the cheapie ones.

There you go! I hope this has helped you, Del. And I also wish that all my readers have learned something from this post. :)

Got a burning question? Then shoot 'em up to martha.stabarbara@yahoo.com or click the MESSAGE button on The Beauty Junkee's Facebook Fan Page.