If you think false eyelashes are glamorous, wait until you see eyelash extensions. Just as their name implies, they're a lot like hair extensions—but for the eyes, natch. At first, I thought the concept was a little goofy, and that mascara was doing a perfectly good job of making me look doe-eyed and lovely. But then I was offered the chance to try a set for free, and, well, now I feel naked without them. For a step-by-step account of the in-spa procedure, read more

I headed to The Lashe Spot in Chicago, where estheticians use semi-permanent Xtreme Lashes brand. While I reclined in a comfy spa chair, Ignacia, my esthetician, started by applying an anti-wrinkle pad to isolate my bottom eyelashes. From there, I had to keep my eyes closed, but Ignacia walked me through the process. She swabbed each eyelash with a bonding agent, then used tweezers to affix the extensions individually. As you can imagine, this process takes time. A lot of time. But about 90 minutes later, I could barely believe my eyes.

My lashes were full, thick, and long—and best of all, they looked completely natural, too. Over the next few weeks, strangers commented on what beautiful eyelashes I had (when does that happen?!) and I never got accustomed to waking up and looking bright-eyed. My lovely look lasted about two months (since the extensions are attached to single eyelashes, they fall out when the eyelashes do).

The only thing holding me back from getting extensions again (and again and again) is the price. The Lashe Spot charges $350 for first-time clients, then $100/hour for refills; prices vary from $200 to $600 in spas across the US. So while the end result is genuinely amazing, it's expensive. But for a big occasion such as a wedding, it's worth the splurge.


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