4 Ways to Get Perfect Lashes on Your Wedding Day

By Jennifer Tzeses


Every time I look at a magazine or check out TMZ, celebs seem to come at me with larger-than-life lashes. Granted, some are a little scary. But others are long, lush, and lust-worthy. Which got me thinking: Why should celebs be the only ones with gorgeous eyelashes? Shouldn't us "little people" get a chance too? (Especially for something as important as a wedding!)


After doing some digging, I realized there are lots of ways you can get your lashes to look fuller, longer, and thicker for your wedding day. For the lowdown on some of the best in-salon lash treatments, I chatted with Courtney Akai of Courtney Akai Lash Boutique in New York City. I also scouted out some great options you can do at home if there just isn't room in your wedding budget for a salon visit. Think of these treatments as your official license to lash out (in a good way):







Try dye
If you're naturally blonde or your lashes seem to fade into your lids, try a LashDip. "It's a semi-permanent coat that darkens, lifts, separates, curves, and beefs up lashes," says Akai. Basically, a dark, waterproof formula is applied to each lash. Color is buildable, so you can pick the level of intensity you want. Your look-at-me-lashes will last for about 6 weeks and run you about $250 for top and bottom lashes. Lashes this luxe mean you can skip the mascara on your wedding day, so there'll be no streaky makeup if that bridal march gets to ya.


Get extensions
Unlike fake-looking falsies of the past, lash extensions appear natural but are no less dramatic. "A full set of extensions can lengthen lashes up to 50 percent and thicken them by at least 30 percent," says Akai. The process is a bit painstaking (getting a full set takes about two hours), since single lashes are applied one at a time using semi-permanent glue that won't irritate the eye or damage the natural lash. The best time to get this done is a month before your wedding, followed by a touch-up a few days before. "This way, you can test the look you want for your wedding and make any last minute tweaks," says Akai. Extensions last 6 to 8 weeks, depending on your lash cycle. A full set of eyelash extensions is $250 to $500; a half set is $125 to $250 and just bottom lashes are $140. Lash removal and monthly touch-ups range from $75 to $150 per hour. The best thing is, you can swim, shower, or brave a tropical storm and these babies won't budge. (Which means you're set for your honeymoon as well as the wedding.)





Use a serum
Nature may have given you a flimsy set of fringe, but you can tinker with genetics by trying a lash-growing serum like Obagi ELASTILash Eyelash Solution, $60. This non-prescription boosting treatment has been shown to plump lashes in 4 to 6 weeks when applied daily, without the scary side effects of other treatments (such as brown spots in your iris or eyelid darkening). Swipe it on your top lashline before bed and it'll work its magic. You can buy it in your dermatologist's office.













Choose a mascara with power
A flirty, wide-eyed look is a swipe away thanks to Lancome Hypnose Doll Lash Mascara, $25. This new formula, which was seven years in the making, has a cone-shaped brush to help coat even hard-to-reach corner and lower lashes. The secret to this mascara's ultimate flutter effect is the nylon powders that sculpt and curl, and shaping polymers that lengthen and plump lashes. Since the effects are instant, you can doll up your fringe whenever you want!