With the wearing of masks, makeup looks are needing to be reconsidered; makeup has become less of a priority since our faces are partially covered. The emphasis is now increasingly being placed on beautifying our brows and lashes – the new cornerstone of beauty.
To gain insight on this from a local expert, we spoke to Makeup Artist and Eyelash Aesthetician, Marie-Charlotte Maiden, who shares with us her knowledge on one of the top trending ways to amplify our eyelashes.
Seychelles NATION: Tell us about your background as a makeup artist and eyelash aesthetician.
Marie-Charlotte Maiden: Surprisingly, I didn’t always want to be a makeup artist and eye lash aesthetician. I am a qualified chartered accountant and attended The Guy Morel Institute for several years. Subsequently, I achieved my ACCA Advanced Diploma in Accounting and Business. However, the idea of being chained to a desk churning out numbers seemed daunting in the long term.
I craved a creative outlet; a medium of expression. Media platforms like Instagram was a quick and inexpensive way to share my creativity in short 60 minute videos which I shot from my bedroom, and clumsily edited on a laptop in pajamas, nursing a hot cup of tea.
Something that was a past time turned into my profession when I was approached by individuals who wanted their makeup done for an event or photo shoot. I have been part of amazing opportunities such as The Seychelles Fashion Week for three years running as lead makeup artist which garnered international coverage.
Fast forward one year, a fellow eyelash aesthetician and beautician was going on maternity leave and recommended that I trained and started offering eyelash extensions to compliment my makeup services, and helped me attain my foothold in the industry. I obtained my certification and thus started my arduous journey to perfecting my craft.
Seychelles NATION: You mentioned that emphasis is now being placed on eyelash extensions as one way to really amplify the eyes. Tell us about eyelash extensions, what does the procedure entail, and how can they help people who find that face masks are concealing their makeup?
Marie-Charlotte Maiden: Covid-19 and the associated guidelines and curfew has curtailed the number of parties and events. Beautifully made-up faces are now hidden behind the stiff folds of sterile face masks. However, eyelash extensions are a great alternative to a full face of makeup. Who needs mascara when you’ve got eyelash extensions, right?!
Eyelash extensions are the new makeup for any woman or man. Masks look better with a set of eyelash extensions! As a makeup artist, I can attest that the brows and eyelashes are the focal point of the face. Enhancing the eyes can make an individual feel glamorous and confident. Personally, makeup doesn’t feel necessary after an appointment with my own lash tech.
William Shakespeare wrote “The eyes are the windows to your soul” thus, why not adorn those windows with a beautiful set of blinds. Wake up and instantly look and feel ready to face the day with your beautiful lash set.
A full set of eyelash extensions is a two-hour procedure whereby faux mink lashes are adhered to the natural lash with a specially formulated glue, safe for close proximity to the eyes. The eyes need to remain closed to protect them from the fumes. The lash technician will clean the lashes first, followed by a coating of lash primer to enhance the bond of the synthetic lash to the natural lash. The eyelash extensions are painstakingly applied one-by-one.
Eyelash extensions are very much a form of artistry as the lash tech has creative liberty when producing their set. There are different types to choose from: Classic, Hybrid & Volume. Classic is applying one fake lash to one natural lash; volume is applying a fan of multiple lashes per natural lash; and hybrid is the best of both worlds – a mixture of classic and volume lash fans to create a slightly denser set but not as dramatic as a full volume set.
There are different lash styles to pick from such as the popular Cat-eye, Doll-eye, Natural-eye and even Squirrel. The eyelash technician needs to gauge what would look best for different eye shapes, taking into consideration the natural length and density of the clients’ eyelashes. More importantly, we need to try to achieve the client’s desired outcome and/or try and surpass it!
Seychelles NATION: Are there any considerations, contraindications or myths relating to eyelash extensions that you’d like to talk about? Would you like to offer any maintenance advice?
Marie-Charlotte Maiden: Eyelash extensions are not for individuals with epilepsy, hyper sensitive skin, sties, herpes, contagious eye infections (i.e. conjunctivitis), or cuts around the eyes.
The popular opinion is that eyelash extensions ruin your natural lashes. If it is done by a certified eyelash technician, if the client avoids touching and pulling on their lash extensions and avoids using oil-based mascara, that danger is negated.
Clients must avoid any oil-based products like certain face washes, and try to avoid sleeping with their lashes buried into their pillow to ascertain great retention. In addition, lash wearers must avoid extreme heat. So no steamy showers, ladies!
For maintenance, I generally advise my clients to avoid moisture as much as possible. However, that does not mean that you cannot wash them. They must be washed daily to avoid makeup, natural oils and dirt build up. Clean lashes will improve retention and guarantee overall lash health.
Source: Seychelles Nation