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27th September 2017
02:45pm BST
Our eyes are delicate, sensitive and beyond important.
Duh.
They're also one of our most noticeable features – the windows to our soul, yeah?
So naturally we want them to stand out and look their absolute best.
The likes of eyeshadow and mascara go a long way into making them pop, but once you try *good* lash extensions you'll never look back.
My obsession and addiction started exactly a year ago this week, when I got my first ever set of Birkin Lashes.
I was recommended by a friend to visit Ana of Birkin Lashes after I had a total, and very expensive, botch job done in the salon of one of Dublin's department stores.
I had just gotten a load of emergency tax back and wanted to treat myself to something nice. I'd always wanted to try eyelash extensions so I did a bit of (clearly shite) research and settled on this particular place.
And mother of God was I disappointed.
After paying €120 for a full set of Mink/Nova lash extensions I headed home. My eyes felt a little uncomfortable but I thought that maybe they would just take some getting used to.
I was wrong.
I woke up the next morning to find my eyes red and sore, and my pillow littered with little curly eyelashes – my heart was broken.
To my knowledge I hadn't been messing with them or pulling at them during the night.
I rang them, explained what happened and they told me that the beautician probably hadn't used enough glue and invited me back in to have them fixed.
Instead of removing and redoing them properly, the beautician just coated my lashes with heaps of more glue and shoved a pile lashes on top of them.
Upon first glance they looked grand. But fast forward a week and I was in agony.
Every time I blinked or sneezed it felt like shards of glass were poking into my corneas. The extensions were weighing down my natural lashes and getting caught in my bottom lashes. They were crunchy, droopy, tangled and so, so painful.
Friends and coworkers noticed I was constantly poking and pulling at them, which I really couldn't help. They were just so irritating and sore. At this stage I was f*cking done with eyelash extensions and just wanted to banish them to the depths of hell.
Until someone told me about Ana of Birkin Lashes, and how she was a literal miracle worker and could restore my lashes back to their original condition.
I needed to get the crappy ones removed anyways, so after hearing raving reviews of Birkin Lashes I decided to give lash extensions one last chance.
I got an appointment with Ana as soon as she could see me, explained my dodgey situation and she was absolutely horrified at the state of my lashes.
This was the before – try not to wince while looking at this total disaster.
Ana detangled and removed the nightmare lashes, cleansed them and then spent about an hour and a half Birkin-ifying them.
It wasn't an easy task. My lashes were sparse, bent, creased and damaged almost beyond repair.
But she worked her magic – and I came out looking like this.
I look sad in the pic, but inside I promise you I was ecstatic. Bear in mind I had lost almost half of my own lashes due to the weight of the last set, so these aren't as full as they could've beeen.
Fast forward a year later, I've been getting Birkin Lashes every 3-4 weeks and I'm beyond addicted.
They don't damage my natural lashes whatsoever, I have very little fall-out, but the lashes that do shed are of their own accord and in their own time.
Hence my frequent return visits so that Ana can reapply the lashes closer to the root and fill in any gaps.
Ana is inundated with clients who've gotten their lashes destroyed by inexperienced, poorly-trained/untrained lash technicians in Dublin and has to fix such atrocities on a daily basis.
For example, one 'mink' lash applied to FIVE natural lashes that are all stuck together with glue, as seen below.
That image gives me nightmares. Ouch.
All the lashes I lost last year have now regrown, so my sets are the fullest they've ever been.
But enough about me.
There are three different type of Birkin Lashes
If you're looking for natural but enhanced lashes then these are your perfect match.
Slightly more dramatic than the classics but still beautifully natural.
These are the most dramatic, voluminous and dense of the lot. I've only had the Hollywoods once – for a special occasion and they are definitely as dramatic as it gets. You'll feel like a queen – guaranteed.
I got a 'soft Hollywood' as I have less lashes than your average Joe, but this is what a full Hollywood Queen set can look like.
I cannot recommend Birkin Lashes enough (clearly) – they're my one consistent treat every month.
With them I feel like I can just wake up and go to work without makeup. They make me feel made up, without makeup, and boost my confidence loads.
They save me time in the morning and save me the hassle of applying and removing mascara every day.
The only downside? I feel SO naked without them (my natural lashes are thin and light in colour). I want Birkin Lashes forever.
Lash extensions may not be for everyone, but this is my lazy gal life hack so that I can get away with rocking out of bed and straight into work. If you've always wanted to try lash extensions but have been unsure and wary – this is me telling you that they're so worth it, are pain- and hassle-free and
Don't knock 'em 'til you've tried 'em lads.
Contact Ana on Facebook or give'r a text on (086) 457 5059 and tell her I sent you x
She's mad busy - so make sure to book 8 weeks in advance and be patient with her folks - she's in high demand!
Ana is spot on – there’s no bullshit with her. You’re there for one thing, and one thing only: the best and most perfectly applied lashes in all of Dublin city.
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