Too impatient for lengthy lash appointments, GTG’s beauty director SJ leapt at the chance to try a new lash lifting treatment that promises to be speedy and equally effective. Here's how she got on
When it comes to having lash treatments I am in constant inner turmoil. On one hand I love the results - hello instant wide-awake looking eyes - and that undoubtedly a lash treatment means you can save precious time in the morning as you no longer need to wear mascara (even if it is one of the best budget mascaras). But here’s the rub. They take so long. As a busy working mum, I have neither the time nor the inclination to spend the best part of an hour - sometimes more - in a salon just on my lashes. So when the team at Elleebana contacted me about the Elleebana Lash Lift that takes just 20 minutes - they pitch it as the fastest lash lift in the world - I immediately booked myself in.
What is Elleebana?
Elleebana are lash experts, originally from Australia. Their USP is that their products are of the highest quality and they use superior ingredients and formulations to their competitors and it’s also this that contributes to their treatments not taking as long. The logic being the better the tools, the more effective and efficient everything will be. In the past, I have had eyelash treatments from less reputable sources and the ingredients were so potent I thought my eyeballs were burning. So I am very much for Elleebana’s brand ethos.
Their technicians are based all over the UK (they have a salon finder on their website) but I headed to the Everlasting Academy & Salon on London’s Wimpole Street, where members of the cast of Made In Chelsea also get their lashes seen too and if anyone knows a good lash treatment it’s going to be them.
What happens in the Elleebana lash lift treatment?
- Prep. I go to my appointment without my contact lenses in because I’ve been told that there’s a small risk (as with any eye treatment) that my lens could move during the appointment. When I get to the salon and I’m settled on the very comfy treatment chair, my lashes are cleaned.
- Rod placement. Next, silicone ‘rods’ are placed on my eyelids (these are the orange pads you can see in the picture) and almost act like a hair roller for your lashes as your natural lashes are lifted up and over them to create curl and bend at the root. And it’s the unique design of the Elleebana rods that makes this treatment speedier compared to others. “We don’t have to stick the rods to the eyelid because they’re a ‘flex rod’ which literally just sits on the eyelid and from the perfect shape,” explains Kelly Fitzmaurice who is Head of Education for Elleebana Europe and doing my treatment. And they fit like a glove, so much so I didn’t even realise they’d been put on. They also come in different shapes so if you want a natural-looking lift then you will get ones like mine but there is an almost l-shaped rod that will create a more dramatic lift look.
- Lashes are glued. Glue is then applied to my lashes. I know this may sound a bit scary but don't worry, your lashes wont stick to the roller or get stuck. It's simply used to lift, separate and mould the lashes around the rod to start creating the lift and shape. Again, I felt nothing just a gentle motion of my lashes being lifted. There is no pungent smell, the glue is water-based and doesn’t cause any damage to the lashes. “Other lash systems use quite strong glue which can take quite a long time to remove in the final step. With ours, we can just rinse with water to gently remove the rod away from the lashes without anything stay stuck to anything,” Fitzmaurice explains.
- Lotion one. Using a tiny brush, Fitzmaurice brushes the lotion from the root of my lashes up to three-quarters of the length in seconds and this is left on for six minutes. “Your lashes are naturally slightly acidic, this lotion makes them more alkaline to allow the next product to penetrate.”
- Lotion two. The second lotion goes on and is applied from root to tip and is left for another 6 minutes. This is the step that chemically alters the structure of the lashes making them stay lifted and curled. Think of it almost like perming solution, just far gentler and with no horrible scent.
- Rinse and finish. After that, I tilt my head slightly to one side and warm water is used to rinse away any remaining lotion as well as the rod my lashes are moulded around. The treatment took 20 minutes and the results should last 6 to 12 weeks.
What about aftercare?
Fitzmaurice recommends leaving your lashes alone for at least 24 hours. Avoiding drenching them in water, exposing them to steam or heat and trying not to rub them too much. And then you can carry on as normal. The less you do to your lashes, the longer the results will last. I teamed my treatment with a lash tint (which took another ten minutes after my lash lift) as my lashes are so fair so I didn’t need to use mascara for a few weeks but you can put makeup on after 24 hours.
Who is the treatment good for?
The treatment is suitable for anyone and can be paired with a last tint in the same appointment. Lash extensions have to be left for at least 24 hours afterwards to allow the natural lash pH to return.
And the only people who shouldn’t have it done (straight away) are those who have put their lashes through a lot.“If you’ve picked lash extensions off or not had them taken off properly, or you’ve had a lash lift elsewhere and the products weren’t suitable or have been left on too long and over-processed then your lashes can be damaged and liable to break,” explains Fitzmaurice. But even then, not all is lost. “Your lashes have a natural cycle so leave it at least 8 weeks, use a lash treatment serum to make sure the follicle is nourished as well as the lashes that are growing and then book in.”
SJ’s verdict
Image: Sarah-Jane Corfield-Smith after Elleebana lash lift treatment
I think my before and after pictures speak for themselves on how effective this treatment is. The speed of the treatment is exceptional and I felt comfortable thought out; no stinging and no harsh smells. The results lasted around seven weeks. I am a swimmer so I think it would have lasted longer without being submerged in chlorine every week. Would I book in again? Absolutely.
The Elleebana Lash Lift Treatment starts from £45 and is available at salons nationwide. To find a provider visit: https://elleebana.com/salon-finder/
SJ saw Kelly at https://everlastingatelier.com/