The Anatomy of Lashes: What Are Lashes Made Of?
Fluffy, flirty, and full, your lashes draw attention to your eyes and complete your favorite makeup looks. Unless you were born with amazing, voluminous lashes, you’ve probably spent some time looking for ways to amp up your own natural lashes, making them longer and thicker.
Lash-enhancing products range from mascaras and serums to extensions and treatments, but if you’ve ever wondered what you’re putting on your lash line, you’re not alone. It’s completely normal to question what your lash extensions are made of, and the team at Lashify® has the scoop on what’s inside the products you use to enhance your lashes.
First, let’s talk about what your natural lashes are made of.
What Are Natural Lashes Made Of?
Even if you think you don’t have much in the way of natural lashes, there’s a lot going on in your lash hair follicles. Most people have lashes that measure about one-third the width of their eye or about 7-10mm in length.
The natural lash is made up of a protein called keratin. Keratin keeps your lashes strong, and the lashes form from keratinocytes in the base of the hair follicle and gradually build until they push through the surface where you can see them.
Melanin is also an important part of your lashes, giving them their color. Here’s the catch: You can only have as many lashes as you have hair follicles, so if it’s more volume you want, you’ll have to use lash enhancement, like extensions.
You can add length (albeit temporarily) with products like mascara or serums, but for increased volume, extensions are the most common solution.
What Are Lash Extensions?
Extensions are individual fibers, clusters, or strips applied to your natural lashes to create additional volume and length. There are numerous types of extensions, including salon extensions and at-home lash extensions, and several different types of lash fibers.
Synthetic
Synthetic lash fibers are usually made from some type of polyester material. This material is cheap to produce, heavy, and typically considered uncomfortable by most wearers.
This material is also known for producing lash extensions that are less than natural looking. If you want wispy, fluttery lashes, synthetic lash extensions are probably not the way to go.
Animal Fur
Mink and sable lashes are a celebrity favorite; chances are you can find a local lash tech who offers them. You can also find them online through various retailers. Many of these retailers claim their mink lashes or sable lashes are cruelty-free, but that’s not entirely true.
Animals bred for their fur are often kept in deplorable conditions and never allowed to roam free. Even if the fibers are taken from fur combed from the animals, they were never intended to be kept in captivity.
Don’t worry; you can still get full, fluffy lashes without the involvement of animals, but if you think silk lashes are the solution, get ready for the plot twist.
Silk Lashes
Silk seems like the obvious alternative for cruelty-free lashes that are still wispy and lightweight. However, you might think differently once you learn that trillions of silkworms are killed to harvest the silk.
Silkworms produce silk to make their cocoons. Once they are made and hidden inside of them (waiting to become a moth), they are harvested and killed so the silk can be kept. Again, it's not a cruelty-free lash fiber, but thankfully, there’s a cruelty-free solution that looks and feels like the softest, wispiest animal fur or silk and involves zero animals or insects.
Korean PBT Silk
Lashify Gossamer® lashes are made from 100% Korean PBT silk. This is a manmade silk that is completely cruelty-free while still giving you the look and feel of soft animal fur.
Korean PBT silk is ultra-lightweight and more durable than fur or silk. It also resists water better and holds its shape. It’s a win for your lash line and tiny woodland creatures and insects.
Other Lash Enhancement Products
The ingredients in mascaras and lash serums can make you raise your eyebrows. If you’re looking for clean cosmetics, you can certainly find better options, but most mascaras contain parabens, polymers, preservatives, and petroleum — four p’s you really don’t want near your eyes.
Lash serums can also be problematic. The most popular prescription lash serum is actually an eye pressure medication used off-label for lash growth. It can cause side effects like darkening of the eye skin and the whites of the eyes.
Extensions are a great option and offer more noticeable, longer-lasting results. You can get lash extensions at a salon or do them yourself at home.
Salon Lash Extensions vs. DIY Lash Extensions
Lash extensions give you the volume, length, and curl you want and can last anywhere from two to three weeks. You can have lash extensions professionally applied, but here are a few considerations to make before you book that appointment.
- It’s going to take several hours. Your initial lash application will take anywhere from two to three hours, so don’t schedule this on your lunch break.
- The cost ranges from $200-$500 for a full set, and you’ll need fills every three to four weeks, which can cost between $75-$150.
- The glues used to adhere your extensions typically contain formaldehyde-releasing chemicals and cyanoacrylates, which can irritate sensitive skin and eyes.
- It’s important to go to a reputable salon. If your lash extensions are placed incorrectly or with unsanitary tools, you could risk injury to your natural lashes and your eyes.
Salon lash extensions can also cause your natural lashes to become brittle and break, taking the lash extension with them. An alternative? The Lashify DIY Lash Extension™ System.
The Lashify Difference
Lashify changes the way you handle lash enhancement. Instead of spending time and money at the salon, you can break up with our lash tech and be your own lash pro, styling your lashes in the convenience and privacy of your own home.
Our Lashes
Our Gossamer lashes are always vegan and cruelty-free, and they also use Underlash Technology™ to keep them completely comfortable and weightless. They’re easy to apply and completely hygienic.
Our Bonds
Our Bonds contain no formaldehyde or cyanoacrylates. Instead, they contain natural lash-nourishing biotin and lavender to help support your natural lash growth even when you’re wearing your Gossamer lashes.
Our Bonds also never fully cure. They feature Micro-Flex™ technology, which allows Gossamer lashes to bend and flex with your natural lashes, preventing them from becoming brittle and breaking.
Reusability
Gossamer lashes are designed to be worn for up to 10 days with proper care, but they can be removed and reapplied as frequently as you’d like. You can reuse your Gossamers numerous times and build a lash wardrobe you can change depending on the occasion or even your mood.
All you need to get started with Lashify is the Control Kit™.
Get Control of Your Lash Anatomy
The Lashify Control Kit was designed to put the power of lash enhancement back into your own hands. It contains everything you need to get a great set of lash extensions easily.
Each Control Kit comes with:
- Two sets of Gossamer lashes. Pick your curl style, length, color, and shape from our Amplify, Bold, and Curl collections. These lashes can be worn alone or combined in unique patterns to form different looks. Check out our lash maps for inspo.
- Fuse Control® Wand. To make applying your Gossamer lashes a breeze, we developed the ergonomically designed Fuse Control Wand. This wand hugs the curve of your eyelid to make the application completely fuss-free. The Petit Curve Wand is the solution for smaller hands and faces.
- One set of Wandoms®. Because our Bonds never fully cure, they are naturally sticky during application. To make sure you don’t get your Gossamers in a sticky bind, you need Wandoms. Wandoms keep the tips of your Fuse Control Wand protected from stickiness.
- Whisper Light Bond™. The Lashify Bond is our most popular. Whisper Light features Micro-Flex and comes in two different colors (black and clear), so it's easy to get your Gossamers attached perfectly and without visibility.
- Glass Finishing Coat. Want your Gossamer lashes to last on and on and on? Glass is the solution. Glass Finishing Coat seals your Bonds and Gossamers to help ensure they have plenty of staying power.
- Samples. We include samples of Pre Cleanse and Melt Away in each Control Kit. Pre Cleanse preps your lashes for application, and Melt Away helps you easily release them when you’re ready to take them off.
Everything you need comes in one easy, convenient, and hard case to keep your tools and Gossamer lashes safe.
Know What You’re Made Of
Awareness is important, and once you know, you can make better decisions. Lash enhancement without animal cruelty is possible with Lashify.
Just think: you can save time, money, and animals by switching from the salon to Lashify. That makes you an everyday hero.
Sources:
Your Eyelashes Should Be This Long, Science Says | Scientific American
Anatomy, Head and Neck: Eyelash - StatPearls | NCBI Bookshelf
