There are few things that can highlight your look more than a beautifully full set of lashes. Sadly, technology isn’t to the point where I can take a pill that magically grows our lashes out overnight, giving me the luscious lashes I need. Until that point, I’m firmly in the camp of helping your natural lashes out with extensions, even if your genes have already blessed you with longer-than-average lashes.
For a long time, lash extensions were something you could only get at a specialty salon that required an appointment. Nowadays, you can get lash extensions nearly anywhere, and I mean literally anywhere. Just two days ago, I was getting boba tea and, to my surprise, the nail salon next door was offering extensions. I was shocked. Still, even with the potential to get lashes at a random nail salon with boba in hand, there is an even easier way to get the extensions you need; at-home extensions.
Today, the number of at-home extension options is exploding. With so many brands, it can be hard to push through the marketing and find a set of at-home lashes that is truly right for me and my lifestyle. After reading this, you should be set up for success and able to pick the perfect set of lashes for you.
Let’s get started.
What are lash extensions?
If you are new to the world of extensions, let me be the first to welcome you into the kingdom… you’ll never go back! At the core of it, lash extensions are designed to compliment your natural eye and lash shape to create a fuller, fluffier, and more luscious look. Not everyone is blessed with naturally long lashes, and a girl is gonna get some help when she needs it!
Generally, there are two methods of getting lash extensions: professional lashes and at-home lashes. Let’s take a quick look at both of them.
Professional
Professional lashes are any lash extensions that are installed by a trained and licensed individual. Usually, these professionals are going to be estheticians and cosmetologists, although certain states have various rules and regulations on how and who fills them. Professional lashes take about 1.5 hours, often requiring an appointment to be scheduled with a provider. Once installed, these lashes need to be refilled every 2-4 weeks.
At-home
The other option aside from professional extensions is at-home extensions. At-home extensions are shipped to your home and come with a detailed set of instructions on how to install them. For long-term use, at-home extensions can be replaced every few days, depending on their wear. There is a bit of flexibility as to when you can get them refilled since you would only use them as needed. Most people have a new box of lashes shipped to their house every 30 days, similar to a subscription box. These lashes are NOT the same type you get from a local pharmacy store. Pharmacy lashes are a one-time 12-24 hour use, while at-home extensions are higher quality and a longer-term solution.
What is the difference between professional and at-home lash extensions?
To all but the trained eye, at-home extensions provide a nearly identical look to professionally installed lashes. Still, there are some other differences, namely, in price and application. Here are some of the main differences between them.
Application
The application process for professional lashes is pretty hands-off. The most common way that professional lashes are installed is through a specialized glue that binds the fake lashes to your lid-line. After the glue dries, professional extensions can last as long as 4-weeks, although some people will notice they need to be refilled more often.
At-home lashes are a bit more involved, even if it is more convenient for most people. Additionally, there are two methods for lash applications, glue and magnets. The most common method is glue, although some brands have developed “snap-on” lashes that utilize magnets. Once applied, most extensions last for 5 days and have multiple refills within each box.
Price
One of the major differences between professional and at-home extensions is the pricing. Unfortunately, professional lashes are expensive enough to be considered a luxury. Professional lashes can vary in cost, mostly depending on the professional that is installing them. High-end salons can charge as much as $75-$100 for refills every three weeks, plus an initial charge of 2-3x that when you buy the first set. In addition to the installation cost, most estheticians and cosmetologists expect a tip, adding another 10-20%. If you are regularly getting your sets refilled on the recommended 3-week schedule, you could be paying hundreds of dollars a month.
The price for at-home extensions is probably one of the biggest selling points for the average person who wants to look good but doesn’t want to pay thousands of dollars a year on it. Depending on the brand, at-home extensions run between $20-$100 a month with no initial fee and no tip required. You could expect to save thousands of dollars over the course of a single year when switching from professional extensions to at-home ones.
Freedom
Making beauty appointments can be exhausting. Don’t get me wrong, it can be fun and relaxing getting manicures and touching up my roots, but it is really, really time-consuming. I get my hair done (2-4 hours) once every month and a half and get my nails done (1.5 hours) once a month. On top of that, I occasionally get facials at my local salon and will sometimes treat myself and get a massage (once a quarter). Adding another appointment to my list sounds terrible.
Unfortunately, professional lash extensions require a regular appointment on my calendar every three weeks. Each refill could take up to an hour, NOT including driving there and back. Even more, once I set my appointment, a reschedule could shatter my carefully constructed calendar into oblivion, and it does happen.
Conversely, at-home extensions are shipped to your house and only require a bit of time to place. Once you get the hang of it after a few times, it gets even faster. I incorporate my lash installation into my morning makeup routine (provided I wake up early enough). I do a new set every five or so days, or I wait longer if I feel like it. In terms of freedom, at-home extensions can’t be beat.
Look
The question of look is, arguably, the most important. Even if at-home lashes were 99% cheaper but looked like hot garbage, it would never be worth it to choose them over the professional ones. Thankfully, that isn’t the case.
Professional lashes do have some variability when it comes to their quality, but that mostly depends on the skill of the professional. If you have your lashes installed correctly and by a pro, they look great. Someone who installs hundreds of sets of lashes each month is bound to have some skill!
At-home lashes do have a learning curve when you first try them, but after that, they can look equally as good as a professional set. Additionally, you have to figure out which ones you prefer since each brand has its own line of “looks” to choose from. Once the bumps are smoothed out, however, I would say that an experienced at-home installer could create a look nearly identical to a professional one.
Ease of application & Glue quality
10/10
PROS
✓
Ultra-light lashes that look the most natural
✓
Clear bond is easy to apply and remove
✓
By far the easiest wand to use
✓
Great value for the price
The Bottom Line
My absolute top choice out of the internet’s favorite lash brands is NOONLASH . While some of the runner-ups came close and even surpassed NOON in a few of our comparison elements, I found NOON to be the best option overall for myself and likely for most people out there looking for a natural feeling, durable lash.
Noonlash offers a brilliant alternative to salon lash extensions, and the freedom to put them on or take them off whenever you desire is truly liberating.
Look
NOONLASH offers a feather-light and natural look that’s hard to beat, and they come at a fantastic price point. One of the standout features of Noonlash is their application – they are designed in easy-to-apply segments with a clear band, resulting in the most natural appearance possible. When I wore NOONLASH out and about to dinners, on errands and even to pilates, I received so many compliments and questions about where I did my lashes. I have to admit I GRINNED each time when I got to share that I did my lashes at home in just a few minutes.
If you have hooded eyes like me or prefer a more subtle look, trying a “half lash” with Noonlash is an excellent choice. I wore NOONLASH as a half lash most days and they blended seamlessly with my natural lashes and felt incredibly lightweight. Feel
One of the other advantages that Noon has over the competition is that they felt SO much lighter than the others. I don’t personally have sensitive eyes, but if you are someone who constantly finds themselves tearing up or having trouble with mascara application, the Noon lashes may be a better fit than the others. And don’t worry about them feeling heavy or uncomfortable; Noonlash’s 100% Korean silk lashes are wispy and light – the closest to natural hair out of all the lashes we tried.
Durability
NOONLASH is durable, but also versatile. Not only can you wear them for up to an astonishing 5 days straight , even while you sleep, but you can also remove them and reapply them as individual segments up to 10 times. I wore them for about 3 days straight and then decided to wear them on and off depending on what I had going on that day. To keep them looking fresh, all you need to do is apply a sealant daily. To store, I kept them in their nifty lash storage case that they provided with my purchase.
Ease of Application
I will 100% admit that NOONLASH was on par with two of the other brands when it came to application. Application for DIY lashes takes a few tries to learn and it really has to do with the tweezers you have and also your own experience. NOON’s tweezers are comfortable and easy to hold and their significant divot makes them easy to use on all eye shapes and sizes. Like all other lash brands, NOON struggled with glue build up on the applicator when I put on my lashes, but this was easily solved by keeping a little wet wipe nearby and cleaning my tweezers as I went.
Glue Quality
The glue applicator was great, and the glue itself was about on par with everything else. Other people online claim that they love the glue! If I don’t have to think about it, that’s enough to call it a success in my book.
Price/Value
When it comes to price and value, NOONLASH, is significantly cheaper than Lashify, but of similar (if not higher quality). NOONLASH’s starter kits come with 3 lengths (10mm, 12mm, 14mm) and each length comes with 10 total segments. Theoretically, if you wore each length up to 10x each (though most people mix and match), you’re getting beautiful, natural looking lashes with up to 30 days of non-continuous wear for a fraction of the cost of salon lashes. It’s a bit more expensive than Velour Lashes and Falscara, but with the opening order discount, the prices are quite comparable. I think for the added benefits of the lighter feel, clear band, and overall quality, it’s definitely worth it.
Runner Ups – Velour Lashes & Lashify
Ease of application & Glue quality
8/10
CONS
X
lashes easily rip when removing from package
The Bottom Line
Velour Lashes earn a respectable grade of B+. They are not only budget-friendly but also impressively lightweight and straightforward to apply. The lash segments are designed to be easily manageable during application, making the process hassle-free.
Don’t get me wrong, I liked the Velour Extensions Kit . They didn’t fall TOO behind in any category, but they were not close to “salon quality” like their box claimed or like NOON lived up to. So goes the world of beauty care. Here is my comparison.
Look
Velour’s segments were a good width and the fibers looks great on. However, I found the thick black band holding the clusters together a bit conspicuous on the lash line. To mitigate this, pairing them with eyeliner can help create a more seamless look, but this wouldn’t be a great solution for anyone looking for that natural, salon lash that looks amazing even without eyeliner or eye makeup.
Velour’s layering was also pretty, but could appear haphazard and messy both in the package and on my eyes.
Feel
Velour’s segments were very fluffy and light to the touch. I would even say they felt softer than my own natural lashes.
Durability
Two major drawbacks:
1) Velour’s lashes easily ripped when removing them from the packaging. I lost multiple segments this way.
2) My lashes kept falling off after after just one day of wear. Their bond is advertised as “multi-day wear”, but when I tried to wear them continuously as advertised, but both times my segments did not survive the day. This may be more of a problem for Velour’s glue than their segments.
Ease of Application
Despite the tiny applicator, Velour lashes weren’t any harder to apply than the other lashes I reviewed. I would have appreciated more of a curve in the applicator like NOONLASH & Lashify , but it was still useful and would be a great travel companion.
Glue Quality
Velour’s biggest downfall is probably their glue. I can’t 100% say if it’s an issue with the glue not being strong enough, the lashes being too heavy or maybe the lashes and glue not adhering to each other properly, but I could not wear my Velour lashes for more than a day
Price/Value
One of the best selling points for Velour Lashes is their price. They aren’t the cheapest on our list (generally not a good award to win), but they are some of the best valued.
Ease of application & Glue quality
8/10
PROS
✓
Relatively easy to apply
CONS
X
Expensive without any real reason
The Bottom Line
Lashify earns a solid B+ rating, boasting beautiful lashes that rival Noonlash. However, the major downside is the higher price tag. While they offer a range of lash styles, which is certainly appealing, the cost might be a deterrent for some – it definitely is for me.
Functionally, Lashify operates similarly to Noonlash, allowing for easy application and removal. They provide a great option for achieving gorgeous lashes at home, but whether the additional styles justify the higher price depends on personal preferences and budget.
Look
When it comes to look, Lashify can be good, but it really depends on the type of lash you pick. Some of the options are really thin in their appearance and don’t seem to fill as well as others. There are some looks that could be great, but their website is so hard to navigate that I almost missed them.
Feel
For all the price, Lashify is very comfortable! I did not feel like I had anything on and they lasted multiple days of wear. One drawback was that the glue stiffened up the segments quite significantly.
Durability
The durability of the Lashify was great. It was on par with my other favorites like NOONLASH. I easily got a few days of wear with my Lashify without any interruption or issues.
Ease of Application
One of the interesting things about Lashify is its application. They have a patented applicator that has the biggest divot out of all the tweezers I tried. However, I’m just not sure if the applicator was more ergonomic or easier to use than the NOONLASH applicator or even the tiny Velour Lash applicator.
Glue Quality
The Lashify & NOONLASH glues were my favorite. They work well and kept my extensions secure.
Price/Value
The real downer for Lashify is their price. I mean WHAT is making these so expensive? I’m not joking when I say that a single set (enough lashes for two eyes) is 4-5x the price of Velour Lashes or NOONLASH, and they are not nearly that much better. Even more, their starter kit is $150, which is equivalent to getting your lashes done at the salon.
Okay, but you decide if they’re worth trying – Glamnetic, Falscara
Ease of application & Glue quality
8/10
The Bottom Line
I really wanted to love Glamnetic and I almost did. Glamnetic was so easy to apply because of their wide segment width. However, this also led to overtly unnatural looking lashes. You would only wear them for a night out or an event. They are reusable, but they aren’t a true professional lash extension replacement and after experiencing irritation while wearing the lashes and again after gently trying to remove them, I’m not sure I’d wear them at all again.
Look
The Glamnetic lashes can look great. They appear full, and because they are a complete set they always feel really cohesive. The only problem is that if you aren’t great at applying eyeliner, they are so obviously present.
Feel
Glamnetic’s fibers are not the thinnest, though this could also be due to the lash style I tried. The segments were also heavier on my lids. I am also unsure if it was the lash band or the bond that caused my irritation, but needless to say, the lashes did not feel great on me.
Durability
I could not tell how durable the lashes were because I had to remove them due to irritation. Their bond seems durable, but maybe too durable. The bond would not come off with their included remover or with any makeup or lash remover I owned. Instead, it stayed on my lashes for days.
Ease of Application
Glamnetic was super easy to apply. Their applicator wasn’t the easiest to hold, but the width of the segments made for a simple application.
Glue Quality
The glue would not come off and ended up ripping some of my natural lashes.
Price/Value
Glamnetic is cheaper than NOONLASH and Lashify , but much lesser quality. It’s also more expensive than Velour Lashes,
Ease of application & Glue quality
7/10
PROS
✓
Great introduction to DIY lash extensions
CONS
X
Look a bit cheap and thin
The Bottom Line
I placed Falscara in the third tier, mostly because of their lack of style options and an apparent lack of quality. They are ok for some, but they aren’t the best. Still, they are the cheapest, so anyone on a budget may find them to be the perfect fit.
Look
Simply put, I found the Falscara lashes to look cheap and thin. This could potentially result in a lash that looks more natural than the others, but it isn’t going to be very glam. Still, they do have a use-case for someone ballin on a budget.
Feel
As their design would suggest, the Falscara lashes are pretty lightweight. This does come at the cost of their lash density and fullness, but they can definitely be comfortable. If being a bit extra isn’t something you are familiar with and being uncomfortable (even for beauty’s sake) is appalling to you, Falsacara may be a good toe in the water.
Durability
Falscara falls around the same place as the others when it comes to durability. Provided you don’t mess them up, they should be good for at least 3-5 days. What’s interesting is that Falscara claims up to 10 days, but I don’t know if at-home lashes were really made to go that long.
Ease of Application
The application process was pretty straightforward, like the others. There is a mascara applicator brush that can be used when applying.
Glue Quality
Since these lashes are so cheap, I just don’t think that the quality of everything is what it needs to be. It’s glue, it’s sticky, it works.
Price/Value
Now this is the category that really helps out Falscara. These are, without a doubt, the cheapest lashes on our list. Truthfully, they aren’t horrible lashes, either. At their price point, they may be the best value on the list, even if I don’t prefer them.
Conclusion
In my opinion, at-home lashes are set to overtake professional lashes in most settings, especially for people who don’t have a lot of disposable income. Knowing that, it’s worth being educated on the topic! Here’s a recap.
Professional extensions are:
Usually more expensive
Last 3-5 weeks
Require a professional
Take a few hours out of your day
Look great
At-home extensions are:
Much cheaper
Last 3-5 days per set or 10 times with non-continuous wear
Can be applied at home
Takes less than 10 minutes (with practice)
Look great
Even still, there are a lot of options within the at-home lash category. I recommend setting a budget and picking a style from a company that you think looks best. If you are new and a bit nervous, maybe try one of the cheaper options (or maybe even a magnetic set)! If you are a bit more experienced in the lash game, you get to experiment a little and see which one makes you look your most voluptuous self. Your wink game will never be the same!
Enjoy!
Note: Shareably has relationships with some of the brands listed in this article and may receive a varying commission if you purchase the products!
Sherry Shi is a contributor at SBLY Media.
