Top 8 Habits That Make Your Lash Extensions Last

Let’s just come right out and say it: lash extensions ain’t cheap. They’re a luxury service! Women feel luxurious, fancy, extra, and beautiful when wearing them. So given the cost, it would make sense to keep them looking as good as possible, for as long as possible, right? Read on for the top 8 habits you can start right now to make your lash extensions last.

1. Cleanse daily. The purpose of eyelashes is to trap debris and protect our eyes. Our eyelids have tiny oil ducts that produce sebum. The combination of those two features? Buildup that can eat away at the adhesive of your lash extensions! I know it sounds gross. But if you add makeup to that equation, its a recipe for poor retention (and possible infection). Cleanse daily with a lash-safe cleanser like Lash Affair TLC - it contains natural tea tree oil to help stave off nasty infections and keep your lashes healthy. No baby wipes, no Neutrogena (or any brand you have to shake to mix), no baby shampoo - Neighbor Nancy may claim, “Those things are fine on MY lashes!”, but trust me - they’re not!

2. Avoid touching/picking/rubbing your eyes and lashes. Actually, avoiding touching your face in general is a best practice, as our hands are extremely germy and contain oils that can affect lash life, make us sick, or cause breakouts.

3. Avoid oily makeup and waterproof mascara/eyeliners. Oil is the enemy of extensions! Waterproof makeup requires extensive scrubbing to remove on lashes without extensions - it’s nearly impossible to remove from lashes with extensions! Sometimes, though, especially when you’re overdue for a fill, a lash safe mascara applied just to the tips of your extensions can “lock” them in place so they’re not twisting. The Best one to use: Lash Affair’s lash-safe mascara - it rinses clean, and doesn’t leave residue behind!

4. Brushing lashes throughout the day keeps them straight and helps the natural shedding process take place. We all shed 3-8 natural lashes each day; gently brushing them out with the spoolie wand provided helps the loose lashes shed away, which allows healthy new growth to push through behind it. Just a couple times per day works great for this.

5. Sleeping on your face is a good way to snag your lashes and pull them out while you sleep. Try sleeping on your back, or prop your face away from your pillow. Better yet, use a sleeping mask like these!

6. Are you a cryer? (If we weren’t before 2020, I bet a lot more of us are now!) Rinse tears away with water afterwards. Tears have proteins and salts that can eat away at the adhesive; letting tear residue sit on your lashes for very long or a lot can be damaging.

7. Gyms may be closed, but if you’re still able to work up a good sweat, that sweat can affect lash life. Like tears, sweat includes proteins and oils that are no good for lash life. Not to worry though, just rinse them with water when you’re done with your sesh and they’ll be fine!

8. Last but not least… get regular fills! Most lash-wearers need fills every 2-3 weeks. Going longer can be damaging, and here’s why: your lashes are constantly growing. As your lashes grow, the extension grows out with it. That weight gets placed further and further out on the length of the lash, which is what causes flopping and painful twisting. When your extensions are so grown out that they start to twist, the twisting can pull out your natural lash (or at the very least, create micro-tears at the base). Do yourself a favor and don’t push it. I know a lot of women do, due to cost, but it’s not worth it in the long run.

The long term health of your natural lashes is really what these habits come down to. If you decide, 5-10 years down the road, to stop getting extensions (gasp! did I just say that!), you don’t want to look in the mirror and have 3 lashes left. Extensions are a luxury investment. Take utmost care while you have them, and you’ll be rewarded for years.

Of course, finding a licensed, professional lash artist with plenty of experience is the other side of this coin. Stay tuned for my next post, where we will talk about the things to look for in a good lash artist so you don’t end up with disaster lashes!

Advertising in the Era of Coronavirus

A recent interaction I had with a stranger on the interwebs got me thinking about something I wanted to talk about here. During times like these, when people are fearful of the unknown, some people are sick, and the world feels scary - are businesses supposed to stop advertising?

The original comment had to do with the tonedeaf-ness of Kim Kardashian posting that her shapewear is back in stock. Now, I'm not one to defend a Kardashian; I couldn't care less what they do - but the comment struck me. I'll admit, my own fears during this crisis got the best of me. I responded. Not attackingly, because that's not my intent, but in a way that helped the commenter think about the situation realistically. Kim is running a business. Why should she completely cease all operations, including advertising and marketing right now? As far as I know, the majority of her sales happen online, not brick-and-mortar. If her consumers are still financially capable of spending money on her items, shouldn't they be allowed to continue purchasing online while they're housebound?

I really want to be sensitive to people's needs during this time, but I'm also a realist. I see things through the lenses of a business owner AND a consumer, so while I don't want to lose business, I also want to advertise in a way that's sensitive to the state of everyone's mind right now. Perhaps Kim never sent out one of those "what I'm doing about COVID" emails we've gotten from every other company. Maybe if she had included some type of comment on COVID *within* the shapewear restock post, it would've been taken better.

Or, it could just come down to the size of her platform and her followers' expectations of her (and other celebrities) - people do tend to look to them for support, relief, guidance, whatever. People expect accounts like hers to lead them through scary times. Do people have that same expectation from other businesses? Perhaps the original commenter held her to a different standard because they don't see her as a "business", but rather a person who holds power? With that, I agree. Kim does have a massive, massive following - and a responsibility. She really should address the elephant in the room, before touting her shapewear. But to expect her to cease all talk of the things she sells that bring her income - is that really realistic?

Watching TV last night, the commercials struck me. I noted that none of them mentioned COVID. It was businesses as usual for all the companies continuing to advertise - appliance stores, home improvement, outdoor stores, etc. I'm also getting snailmail from companies like PayPal, Fred Meyer, local dentists, and yoga studios. Should I be offended that their continued advertising feels tonedeaf? Does that even affect me personally? I'll admit, I noted it, but I didn't feel any certain way.

So I really just wanted to open a dialogue and find out what goes through everyone's mind during times like these. What drives your feelings when you see advertising - of any kind? What are your expectations of businesses right now? Where do you see the economy in 2 months/4 months/6 months? Please comment below and know that I'm monitoring the comment section; this is a safe space!

New Location, April 1st!

As many of you know, I’ve been diligently looking for a bigger space for my little business for well over a year. It has been challenging! I really wanted to stay relatively close to home and my daughter’s school, which limited me to a fairly small radius. But looking back, I do believe the universe was trying to make sure I was really ready!

I’m excited to announce that as of April 1st, Luminaria Studios will be located at 2305 SE Washington St, Suite 109, just one block north of Birch Salon where I’m at now. This new space will have a glam, old-Hollylwood vibe (much like my current studio!) with three treatment studios, a waiting room, office, and bathroom. Parking is free and plentiful, right up to the front door. The universe really rewarded me with this gem!

Soon my goal is to share the treatment rooms with motivated Independent Contractors who can offer a mix of beauty and self care services that will make you GLOW! That said, if you have friends or know someone looking to relocate or start a new venture in the beauty industry, please send them my way.

If you’re a current client with appointments booked out, please note that after the first of April you will need to come to my new location for your service. If you don’t have future appointments scheduled, I highly recommend getting on my books to ensure you have the time/day you prefer! My hours won’t be changing, so those two evenings a week that I am open continue to be a hot commodity that book quickly. And I will remain “by appointment only” for now; no walk-ins allowed until further notice.

Questions, comments, concerns? Please text or call Jen at 503.679.5327 or comment below! I really look forward to sharing my new chapter with all of you, and continuing to offer the same amazing service.

Massage Clients: Be Empowered to Protect Yourself

In light of recent news regarding inappropriate conduct at some Massage Envy locations, as a Licensed Massage Therapist I want to let clients know this is NOT acceptable. It saddens and angers me that there are opportunistic people in the world preying on the vulnerabilities of their clients. However, please know there are ways you can avoid these situations. First and foremost, remember that you are in control. Massage therapy is just that - therapy. It is for the purpose of reducing pain and improving movement, sleep, and mood. If something doesn't seem right, speak up. A respectable and reputable LMT will cooperate and do whatever it takes to ensure your comfort. You do not have to continue a service that makes you feel uneasy. Also: as a woman, I know it can make us feel even more vulnerable to be seen by a male therapist. There are many, many amazing male therapists who live and work by Oregon's strict ethics and codes of conduct. But if you feel uncomfortable, speak up. Request a female when scheduling. This is your money, your time, your therapy. You have control. I want my clients to feel safe, respected, heard, and taken care of. If any of those things are not met, I want my clients to know they can speak up without being judged.

Below, I've listed these tips and some advice that you can use to protect yourself and put yourself in the drivers seat, and what to do in the event you feel uncomfortable during your treatment:

• YOU ARE IN CONTROL. You have the ultimate say in all things that happen in that room.

• SPEAK UP. You can stop that massage at any time - even if it is 5 minutes after it starts. Be confident that it is OK to say something, or even move off the table/out of the way.

• IT'S YOUR DOLLAR. You're paying for a service and have high expectations, as you should. Do not continue a service that doesn't meet your expectations. Likewise, you do not have to pay for any treatment that involves misconduct.

• COMMUNICATE. A good therapist will ask you up front about likes/dislikes, needs, and areas to avoid. Please communicate during the massage about these things as well.

• DON'T BE AFRAID TO REPORT INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT. Massaging the muscles that connect to the pelvic bone is common and acceptable practice; touching genitalia is NOT. Report conduct that is beyond normal massage therapy, that is obviously in violation of codes of conduct and ethics, that is illegal. Go to management first; if there is no manager, go directly to the police. Either way, in situations of obvious and blatant misconduct, police should always be involved. You can also report to Oregon Board of Massage Therapists directly.

• KNOWLEDGE IS POWER: Massage Therapists are educated to work on all muscles - including those of the glutes and upper thighs. Some people feel vulnerable around the glute area. That is completely ok. If you don't know you're uncomfortable with glutes being worked until you're in the middle of the massage - speak up right then and there. Don't let it continue if it makes you feel uneasy. If you know ahead of time that you don't like certain areas touched, communicate that before the massage even starts. We've all had experiences in our lives that dictate our level of comfort in vulnerable situations, and a respectable, professional therapist will not make you feel bad for ending a service or even moving on to another body part. It may seem obvious, but it is important to reiterate here: working the muscles of the glutes and upper thighs has absolutely nothing to do with genitalia. If an LMT is clearly touching your private parts, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. Stop the service immediately! Do not let it continue. Also: it is against the law to not be draped. You must be draped at all times, with only the body part being worked on exposed. If a therapist states he/she "prefers to work without sheets", end the service immediately. That is inappropriate and illegal. (Likewise, I refuse to work on any client who requests to be massaged without a drape. I've been asked. It will never happen.)

As a Massage Therapist, I do everything I can to make my clients feel at ease, comfortable, and their needs are being met. I know that our relationship can feel "off kilter" with regards to "power" - meaning, the client is laying disrobed on the table, under a couple layers of fabric. This can feel vulnerable and for some people, can make them feel powerless. We as LMTs must respect that, and the vast majority of us do. We are upheld to strict codes of conduct, to ensure clients' safety. Here in Oregon, we have high standards on education and continuing ed. We're required to attend 4 hours of ethics training to renew our licenses; that includes accepting the responsibility of being a whistle-blower when we are alerted to misconduct. Please don't let these recent events deter you from an indispensable and proven therapy such as massage. Do not let it make you fearful of the treatment room. Let it empower you to make good choices and to do your research. Remember, you have control.