Okay, I'll admit it...I thought eyelash extensions were a bit "much" if you will. When I heard people were paying around $50 a month to maintain these puppies and it took over an hour to get them on, I rolled my eyes thinking, "What's so bad about applying mascara every day?" Well, don't knock it until you try it, folks.

With any luxury good or service, you really have to weigh the pros and cons as to why you want to do it. It's obviously not a need, and mascara and false lashes can help you achieve a similar look, so what is the big deal? Well, here's my break down of pros and cons for you to help you decide, as well as my experience and tips on lash care.

PROS:
1. They look more natural than false lashes. No false glue goop or crooked lashes here, my friends.
2. You wake up looking HOT and awake! You can actually say, "I woke up like this," and mean it. For tired moms, I highly recommend doing this before baby comes and during the first year.
3. Shorter beauty routine. When I wear lash extensions I rarely put on eyeliner, eyeshadow or mascara (You can add mascara if you want as long as it's not waterproof. Same thing for eyeliner).
4. Longer fuller lashes than any mascara can promise. There's just no question.
5. No smudgy, streaky messes when you cry or swim. I have been crying a lot lately, and these have been helpful during a hard time. I'd also recommend these if you swim a lot. (You can get them wet after 24 hours of application).

CONS:
1. They take 1 - 1.5 hours to put on, and 30 minutes to 1 hour to fill.
2. You can't get them wet for 24 hours
3. They cost a ton more than a tube of mascara or false lashes
4. They only last 3 weeks before you need a fill
5. You can't use any oil based makeover removers or moisturizers

To me, the pros out weight the cons, but it really comes down money for me. My lash lady, Nicole, charges $100 for a full set of lashes, and $50 for a fill. That's a screamin' deal. If you live in the Arizona area, you can book this deal until the end of August. Just direct message her on Instagram and tell her I sent you her way. Nicole has been doing lash extensions for over five years. She also does microblading if you are interested in that as well. There was nothing painful about the process, and she created a combination of long and short lashes to make them look as natural as possible. You better believe I'll be going to her through this rocky season of life.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer