14 DAY TRIAL // Fake eyelashes are back in style, having seemingly been elevated to the rank of newest addiction. As it turns out, cosmetic salons around Tokyo and other major cities in Japan are unable to put up with the wishes of their almost desperate customers. This is because an increasingly number of women, from trendy teenagers to fashionable housewives, want to increase their natural beauty with a pair of synthetic, but equally stunning eyelashes.
Even if the procedure isn't risk-free, and the prices are not always affordable, Japanese women are ready to take the example of many Hollywood divas, and accentuate the intense effect of their eyes. The eyelash extensions that are now commonly used are actually attached, one by one, to the natural hairs. The result is normally thicker, longer eyelashes, which last around 2 to 3 weeks and that can safely be worn everywhere, even at the pool or in the shower.
For about £30 to £70, and with some extra 2 hours of time to spare, any woman can get a new pair of floor-sweeping, ultra-thick and mysterious-looking eyelashes. Another advantage, apart from the fact that they compliment all face shapes, is the amount of make-up you'll be saving up on. Female fans in Japan are also convinced that no mascara is needed either.
Still, there are voices saying that the new trend is not as safe as one might think – earlier this year, cosmeticians joined official authorities in bringing to public attention the possible risks one could face when going for long, fake lashes.
For starters, they are saying that the extensions stick to the lashes because of a cyanoacrylate adhesive. If the product is not applied by a trained expert, it can seriously damage the eye. Eriko Furukawa, a Tokyo specialist in consumer care, tells The Telegraph, "Sometimes, glue gets in the eyes and they get bloodshot, or inflamed, or the eyelid swells or natural lashes get damaged."