Last month, I was scrolling through Instagram and noticed that everyone seemed to be sporting long, feathery and full eyelashes.
After a bit of digging, I found out they’re all getting a treatment called LVL from Nouveau Lashes, which is essentially an extreme version of the eyelash perm using more sophisticated chemical combinations, followed by a dye job to add depth to the lashes. Obviously, I booked in for the treatment *immediately* using my BLOW LTD app, which sends a qualified therapist straight to your home for ultimate comfort and convenience.
A bit of backstory; I’ve always battled with my natural lashes; they’re short and blonde (I am brunette) and without mascara, I can look like I don’t have any at all. For that very reason, I categorically get them dyed before every holiday so that I can go mascara-free on the beach. With a holiday imminent, I couldn’t wait to take my dye-job to new levels with LVL.
How does a lash lift work?
My LVL therapist arrived and explained the treatment. The first step is applying shields around the eye area to protect the skin and then taping down the lashes to ensure precise application. Then, time for the lifting balm, which stimulates a chemical process at the root of the eyelash to break down the disulphate bonds and allowing them to become malleable.
The next step is applying the volumising fix gel, which reforms the disulphate bonds into a new, curled up shape, and is what ensures maximum volume. Finally, a quick dye job to amplify the results and you’re good to go for 6 – 8 weeks!
How long does LVL take to do?
All in all, the treatment took 1 hour 30 mins, which is no bad thing if, like me, you love any excuse to close your eyes and have a nap. The results were eye-opening (sorry). I couldn’t believe I didn’t have make up on. It looked like I had a coat of mascara on – minus any clumps. My lashes were curled almost at a right-angle, making them seem twice the length, and the dye gave them that lustrous black finish.
How long do LVL lash lifts last for?
There’s no major aftercare involved, only that you can’t get your lashes wet for 48 hours post-treatment. I accidentally splashed one eye in the shower the next day and I swear the eyelashes on that side weren’t nearly as impressive from that moment on. On the first week, I didn’t need to put on mascara at all but by the second week, I was topping it up with a light coating.
While it says it lasts 6 – 8 weeks, I only experienced a noticeable difference for 4, but that might be because the dye wears off quicker than the perm, and without the dye, my lashes get lost, but LVL certainly ticked all the boxes for barefaced beach beauty and will be a firm fixture in my pre-holiday prep from now on.
These are the absolute best mascaras for optimal length and volume
