I’ve always been a quickie beauty junkie. I never understood spending long afternoons idling in a salon getting talons softened, hair moisturized and having a ball. I do it not to scare people and for the good of mankind.
However, I do have one fixation. Eyes. They stay the same, whether you become the collateral damage of emotional eating or heartbreak. Some girls are all about the lips, the blush, the hair; I was an eye girl.
Although I would paint my lids from demure silvers to more drag queen blues, I loved playing with my lids. I even bought colored contacts but never pushed through with them because the thought of sticking something in my eyeballs was a little too Robert Rodriguez for my taste. Then it took on a life of its own. It all started with this amazing but now defunct line of lash growing serum that made my lashes grow like a toddler in its first growth spurt. I was so shocked that when I put my shades on they would crinkle and when I curled my lashes they said hello to my eyebrows.
Then Allergan put a stop to it because they created the formula. It was medication for glaucoma and, incidentally, users noticed major hair growth and tenants of Sephora took notice and created pricey but way effective products. I was skeptical, but when my lashes started looking like the tail of a Persian cat, I was hooked. I became obsessed with mascara, serums, curlers and eyeliners. I wanted to have caterpillar eyes!
1. Get a lash perm. I know it sounds along the lines of getting an eyebrow tattoo but I swear by this procedure. First of all, I have lashes as straight as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s and as stubborn, too. So even when I curl them they tend to droop like Rush Limbaugh on one tablet of Viagra. I’ve tried everything to keep them girlishly flirty but all I end up with are my famous panda eyes. My liner and mascara conspire to fornicate on my eyelid and create eye art that’s more Courtney Love than Edie Sedgwick. So I bravely had one done. They gently put some solution on my well-sealed eyes and for your own good don’t even try to test its gentleness. I was assured it’s been approved for eyes but I don’t want to go Stevie Wonder just for an eyelash fixation. After 10 minutes, I had perfectly curled lashes. Lash perms can be done at Browhaus at Serendra (cellphone 0917-8472112), and Greenbelt 5 (tel. 856-9140). I had tried eyelash extensions that made my eyes go from caterpillar to spider legs in a week. So I decided to not go there anymore especially if it all falls off and my eyelids are bald. Nothing to fixate on anymore!
The perm lasts for maybe two weeks and looks wonderful. I’m a fan.
2. Oscillation from Lancome and Double Lash Extend from L’Oreal. The two best mascaras in the world. They both give greed a good name. Oscillation I have been using for two months now and it fattens lashes like a reverse Weight Watchers ad! Its vibrating motion separates lashes, making them perfect for permed lashes. The latter has fiber lengthening liquid that adds real tips to lashes, giving them superb Persian cat length and lushness. Best used at night.