Aging LASHfully

Eyelash extensions have gained major popularity in the last few years. Not only do

they add beautiful volume and fullness to one's eyes, they can also aid in providing a more youthful appearance.

The major aging problems we see around the eye area--having the thinnest skin on the body--are wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles.

The action of rubbing your eyes not only weakens the delicate skin, therefore aging the skin, but can also cause infection and even damage your vision. Moreover, the action of rubbing your eyes can tug on the sensitive skin, causing it to stretch out which can result in the development of fine lines and lead to broken blood vessels around the eyes, which contributes to dark circles.

The main causes of puffiness are frequently rubbing your eyes or falling asleep with eye makeup on. Rubbing your eyes can also cause hyper-pigmentation of the skin, leaving eyes more susceptible to excessive sun exposure.

It's no surprise that sunlight can be highly damaging to your skin, but the skin around your eyes, in it's delicate state, even more so. Longer eyelashes can help deflect the sun from your eyes--protecting that delicate skin. Interesting to note, it has been said that pirates long ago wore thick black eyeliner to deflect the sun from their eyes while at sea.

Besides shielding your eyes from sunlight, it has been noted that simply having lash extensions causes clients to become hyper-aware of the eye area and therefore treat the eyes much more gently.

I've heard countless stories over the years from clients claiming the lightening and disappearance of dark circles and fine lines from wearing their lash extensions.

Other benefits that I see are clients needing less or no botox with the eyelash extensions on. Adding eyelash extensions can open and lift up your eyes using L, CC,D curls.

Lash experts Sophy Merszei and Lauren Wade of Maryland-based NovaLash Eyelash Extensions, weigh in on the many anti-aging benefits of eyelash extensions:

"Many women begin to notice how changing hormones can affect their lashes and brows. As estrogen and testosterone decrease, eyelash and eyebrow hairs can become lighter in color, finer in texture and grow more slowly," Merszei explains.

"A great remedy for finer, lighter lashes is to enhance them with extensions. Placing longer extensions in the center of the lash line can help slim and elongate fuller face shapes. If hormonal changes have flattened formerly full cheekbone contours, placing the longer extensions on outer corners can help create the illusion of fuller cheekbones," says Merszei.

Moreover, women in their 50's and 60's, who are looking for ways to avoid invasive anti-aging cosmetic surgeries, may find the answer in lash extensions.

"Lash extensions help to bring brightness and a lifting effect to the eye area," says Wade.

Some lash extension clients in this age range have even reported canceling plans for upper eyelid lifts after finding their eyes looking brighter and more opened up with their new lashes.

Whatever your age or goal, lash extensions will help brighten, refresh, and add that wow-factor to your eyes and overall appearance.

To read the entire NovaLash article, click here.