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What Happened When I Tried An Eyelash Lift To Speed Up My Post-Workout Make-Up Routine

They look amaze, but are they actually worth the hassle?

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Ever wondered how all those fitness bloggers look so glamorous after a workout?

There you are, a sweaty tomato with mascara smeared down your cheeks, and yet everyone online is still doe-eyed and fresh. How? Well, it’s all down to their eyelashes.

Yep, everyone’s had their lashes done. But we’re not talking about the tacky TOWIE-esque spider strips that come peeling away from your eyelid after getting stuck on a bit of your fringe.

No, eyelash lifts are all about the ~natural~ look these days. And boy, are they good.

Sick of slapping on mascara and liquid eyeliner only to find it smudged on my chin after a HIIT class, I had got a LVL Lashes treatment done. The idea, the therapist told me, was just to highlight what was already there - making the lashes seem doubly as long without adding extra weight.

‘A celebrity favourite, LVL lifts the natural lash from the root creating extra length and volume,’ the company say - stressing the low maintenance aspect of the lashes (crucial if you’re going to be regularly sweating and showering all over the place).

They also last up to eight weeks.

The treatment itself takes just under an hour and involves having your lashes prodded and tweaked - not painful. Afterwards, however, my lashes felt so voluminous that I could barely keep my open. It was like carrying a small caterpillar on each lid.

I'll be honest, my eyes hurt. They're mega sensitive anyway but the hit of chemicals made them flood so I ended up looking like I'd just been dumped.

For the first two days, you’ve got to avoid getting any kind of moisture on your eyes. We’re talking showers. Kettle steam. Rain. So obviously, I walked straight out into sleet straight from my appointment - without a brolly.

You’ve got to give the gym a miss for a couple of days before you start getting sweaty again. And you’ve got to sleep on your back for the first night.

So all of that was pretty inconvenient. My eyes stung and I couldn't rub them...and I couldn't wash my face or get into a comfy sleeping position.

But after 48 hours, everything settled down and I suddenly got to enjoy looking and feeling mega glam - even in my minging gym kit.

Gymming five days a week, usually before work, it’s the putting on makeup while still slightly sweaty post-shower that’s the most stressful bit. My Maybelline mascara just clumps and leaves little dots on my already huge bags... and I don’t really have time to make it look that good before rushing from gym to work. But the lashes saved me so much time. They’re permanently long and separate. My eyes look good as good at 5.30am when I leave the house as they do at 5.30pm when I finish work... and I don’t have any makeup on.

And they’re also totally sweat proof which is huge.

How to make eyelash lifts last longer if you work out regularly

- Always choose water-based mascara - not oil based

- Always remove your makeup. The most damage done to eyelashes is in weighing them down with gunky makeup for hours on end.

- Be gentle. How many of us scrub off our mascara with a pad? That's just going to pull the lashes in different directions - which now that they're longer, is going to be uncomfortable and look ridiculous. Just gently pat or stroke your lashes with some remover.

Lots of people diss influencers for being vain but actually looking decent - even in the gym - can have a massive impact on your day. If you’re feeling a bit grim, you can feel less...on it.

And why should your glow up beginafteryour workout, anyway?

'Words by Miranda Larbi'

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