Lash Lift vs. Lash Extensions

I would love to clear up a few differences between lash lifting and lash extensions. Lash extensions have been very popular the past few years & while lash perming has been around for a long time, the new lifting technique is becoming popular. I am going to go over the pros & cons of each as well as some horrific pictures of lash extensions gone wrong. 

LASH EXTENSIONS 

Lash extensions are beautiful when done correctly. They are also very damaging when done incorrectly. Lash extensions are something that you really need to do research on who you go to. I also think that it is best to see before & after pictures from this lash artist. I cannot tell you how many clients come in with extensions and they look HORRIBLE. I want to cry or go scream at their lash artist. I have also had a few clients who have lost all of their natural eyelashes due to poorly done extensions. I personally do not do extensions due to a bad shoulder & the pain it causes with the long application process. I have done extensions in the past and have gotten them applied to myself. If you are in the Lexington, KY area I have lots of recommendations on who you should go to. Clients who do not know anything about extensions might not know what to look for, or things that are bad in extensions so I hope these pictures clear things up. These are from various lash artists with clients who come in from other artists, these are not the work of the artists name. 

You should never have clumps of glue on your extensions. Also, cluster lashes are NOT eyelash extensions and are not supposed to last more than a day or two. If your lash "artist" offers clusters claiming to last longer than a few days, clearly they do not know proper extensions & I do not recommend going to them. HOWEVER volume lashes are okay & give the appearance of fuller lashes. This is where the artists creates "fans" and multiple lashes are applied to your natural lash. This is okay when done by a trained volume lash artist. 

This last photo is an awesome example from Savannah Vaughn who lashes here in Lexington. She is great and offers volume & classic extensions. The name of her business is Skin Savy. She is amazing at lashing. 

Extensions are great for those with short lashes who cannot lift. I also think it is great for clients who want a dramatic look. It saves so much time in the mornings not dealing with mascara. Extensions will last several weeks however they do require fill ins. The application process can be anywhere from 1-3 hours. The cons are they require maintenance, can have bad allergic reactions, long application process, if done incorrectly will cause damage, can cause irritation and they are not very natural. Pros are they look beautiful when done correctly, dramatic, less time spend in AM on makeup, you look great with no makeup, great for special events (weddings, photo shoots,etc.) 

LASH LIFTING

Lash lifting is permanently curling your natural lashes until they all shed naturally. Results will last 6-12 weeks. My client average is about 10 weeks between lifts. Lifts are much more natural looking. You can also tint the lashes after your lift if you have lighter lashes to give the appearance of mascara. This will last 4-6 weeks. Lifts are easier for some because they are maintenance free, unlike extensions requiring fill ins every few weeks. Also, I have never had a client have a bad reaction to the lift, with extensions lots are allergic to the glue used and can have an allergic reaction. Lash lifting takes around 30 minutes to an hour. If you have long lashes that criss cross & drive you nuts, lifts can help straighten & position your crazy lashes. I have only had about 5-10 clients who I had to turn away from a lash lift. This is because their lashes were too short for the perm. I always suggest Latisse or GrandeLash MD to help grow your lashes. The pros to lifting are it is maintenance free, no irritation, enhances your natural lashes, looks natural, gives the appearance of longer, fuller lashes. The cons are if the lashes are too short they cannot be lifted and if you are going for a false lash look, you may want to opt for extensions.

I have a previous post all about lifts HERE 

Here are some before & after photos of MY lash lifting work. 

If you are unsure if you should have a lift or extensions come in for a free consultation with me & I can discuss which one is best for you & your lashes. Contact me Megan Johnson, LE at (859)619-2155. Happy lashing everyone. 

iS Clinical: SUPER SERUM

Super Serum is just that....a SUPER SERUM. This is a 15% l-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and is packed full of antioxidants. This serum is brightening, anti-aging & has copper tripeptide growth factors clinically proven to treat premature aging. This serum is also great at controlling cystic acne. This serum contains safe skin brighteners. This is also AMAZING for stretch marks & scarring.

Benefits:
-reduce fine lines & wrinkles
-improves look of raised scar tissue
-improves stretch marks
-pigmentation
-UV photoprotection
-Paraben Free

This serum is simply amazing. I would bathe in it if I could afford it. This has helped improve my surgery scars so much...I cannot believe I didn't take a before & after picture. I always use my Vitamin C every morning (it is like coffee for your skin...brightens & gives a great glow).

The biggest difference between this and the Pro-Heal serum I posted about here is that the Pro-Heal is better for anyone who has redness issues (post inflammatory hyper pigmentation or rosacea).

address redness with iS Clinicals Pro-Heal Serum

iS Clinical is one of my favorite skincare lines. Today I wanna chat about their Vitamin C Serum called pro-heal. This Vitamin C Serum is perfect for those with redness issues such as rosacea, acne, dermatitis & even insect bites. Pro-heal is also great post treatment skin. Pro-Heal Serum is healing, reparative, full of anti-oxidants, and contains olive leaf extract and pure vitamins E & A. Vitamin C also helps prevent UV damage. EVERYONE should be using a topical Vitamin C Serum...I cannot stress this enough.

Benefits: 
-provides extremely powerful antioxidant protection 
-improves acne prone skin
-improves redness in skin
-reduces fine lines & wrinkles
-revitalizes aging & compromised skin 
-paraben free

Active Ingredients: 
-l-ascorbic acid: This stable form of vitamin C provides photo protection and anti inflammatory properties. 

-Retinol: combats free radical damage, helps diminish fine lines & wrinkles, improves cellular turnover rate

-olive leaf extract: natural antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, helps control acne prone skin


If you are looking for a vitamin C Serum & have redness in your skin, this Serum was made for you!

iS Clinical Active Serum: Miracle in a Bottle

Many of you all have seen me rant & rave over iS Clinicals Active Serum. After a blogging break due to should surgery, I figured this post was appropriate to tell you guys all about the benefits of active serum.

This is my HOLY GRAIL of products and as I like to call it...miracle in a bottle. This serum is always featured in magazines...find out why all the hollywood stars lean to this product to keep their skin looking flawless.

This is iS Clinicals best selling product. This serum provides quick results in just a few days while providing long term benefits. This is anti-aging, anti-acneic & brightening. Good for all ages and skin types.

What are the benefits?
-decreases fine lines & wrinkes
-paraben-free
-improves skin tone & texture
-reduces hyperpigmentation
-decreases acne
-smoothes & softnes
-helps decrease the appearance of pore size

Who is this for?
Anyone....seriously all ages & skin types. Anyone looking to improve aging, acne & brighten the skin

How to apply:
-This serum comes in a glass bottle with a dropper. Apply a few drops in the evening after cleansing the face. I am extremely oily so I use this some mornings. Some of my clients who tried using this in the AM had an increase in oiliness, so I would suggest PM only. If you feel too dry using daily try every other night. You may feel a tingle sensation when applying.

Ingredients:
This is a perfect blend of acids and ingredients.
-Sugar cane extract is a source of glycolic acid that exfoliates the skin by dissolving dead skin cells.
-Bilberry extract is a source of lactic acid that exfoliates the skin while brightening and hydrating.
-White willow bark extract is a source of salicylic acid that dissolves oil and reduces breakouts while exfoliating.
-Arbutin and mushroom extract lighten pigmentation by inhibiting melanin-producing enzymes.

This serum has changed my skin. I can get cystic acne especially around my cycle and now if I get one it is healed SO much faster & the cystic acne is much smaller if I even have one at all. I highly recommend trying this amazing product.

Why fall is the best time for a peel.

It is finally fall & that means its time to peel back those layers of dead, dull, sun damaged skin. I love doing a few deep TCA peels starting in the fall and going into winter time. After summers full of lake fun (always wear my SPF) I still know I get some sun damage. Peels are perfect this time of year because we will be out of the sun. Anytime we are doing peels or lasers for sun damage, when you go back out in the sun without SPF it can all come back. Pigmentation peels away much easier in fall when we aren't exposed. Lactic Acid is great for lightening the skin and getting rid of sun damage. TCA is also a great peel this time of year for sun damage, TCA will have around a week or so of downtime with mild flaking. Treat your skin right this fall with a nice chemical peel. Here is some information on chemical peels from a post I did awhile back called Chemical Peels 101:


It amazes me how many clients are scared of chemical peels. I think we have all seen the Sex And The City episode where Samantha's skin looks crazy post peel. I blame that episode for the fear in many clients. I also think the name "chemical peel" scares people off a bit. Tonight we are going to discuss different types of peels & why you should try one at your next appointment. I love alternating clients between peels & microdermabrasion...it is good to switch things up! 

                             

Many clients don't understand there is generally 3 levels of peels...light, medium & deep. Being acne prone and working in the medical field I have tried just about every peel ranging from no peeling to my face falling off in sheets. I have found I have better results doing light "lunch-time" peels more frequently rather than a series of deep peels. Not to mention the down time is much better. Let's discuss chemical peels.

Benefits of chemical peels: -improves skin texture
-reveals healthy glowing skin
-removes dead skin cells
-preserves youthful appearance
-increases moisture retention
-improves skin barrier function
-stimulates collagen & elastin
-reduces surface pigmentation
-reduces fine lines & wrinkles
-reduces acne & acne scarring


Downtime: All the peels I perform at Skin Studio By Megan are "lunch-time" peels. They can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes per treatment. Lunch time peels speed up renewal process on top layer of skin. The downtime is very minimal if any. The skin may appear red after treatment and that will fade within 30 minutes to a few hours. No makeup for at least 2 hours. You also may feel tight & dry for a few days. A few of my peels have minimal flaking for 3-5 days. The downtime is similar to microdermabrasion.



Types of peels: 

Lactic:
milk-based
hydrating & exfoliating
normal-dry
sun damage
hyper pigmentation
lightening 

Glycolic: -dissolves desmosomes that hold skin together
-normal, oily, acneic & dry
-minimizes poor size
-mild-moderate acne
-pigmentation

Salicylic: -normal, oily & acneic
-resurfaces & refines skin & pores
-dries up oil
-excellent antioxidant
-inhibits inflammation 

TCA:-re-texturizing
-melasma
-acne
-hyper pigmentation
-evens skin tone 

Mandelic: -great for acne prone skin 

These are just a few popular peels at Skin Studio By Megan

Remember there are tons of different peels out there. Just because you had a glycolic peel at one office doesn't mean it will be the same at another. Peels vary in pH levels & percentages. 

Not sure which peel is right for you? Message me at skinstudiobymegan@gmail.com for a free consultation. 

Lash Lift

I am loving my new treatment called elleebana lash lift. This is a semi permanent mascara treatment that lifts and darkens your own natural lashes. This is perfect for clients who want the look of extensions without the maintenance. This process is done in around 30 minutes to an hour & is comfortable. 

-add volume, lift and curl

-smudge-proof

-minimal after care required! Swim, shower & play with no fuss

-can last 6-8 weeks, average is 10 weeks but can last up to 12 weeks. 

-superior formulation with nourishing & conditioning 

Toss away your eyelash curler for good. 

Here are some before & after pictures of my clients. 

The lift only is $60

The lift & curl is $80

Contact Megan at (859)619-2155 

to schedule yours today! 

Brush On Block

I am so excited to be carrying Brush on Block at Skin Studio By Megan. This is a broad spectrum mineral powder sunscreen SPF 30. This is perfect to apply under or over makeup! Aka the holy grail for women who still want to wear foundation at the lake, pool or beach. This makes reapplying so convenient & easy. 

-sweat & water resistant

-simply brush it on

-refill for only $17

-no more greasy lotions, sticks & sprays

-non-irritating. Sits on top of the skin and is not absorbed into the skin making this perfect for sensitive clients or acne prone. 

-ideal for men, women & children 6 months & older

-paraben FREE

-cruelty FREE

-vegan friendly

-lasts 2-3 months with average use

-green tea leaf extract is a natural antioxidant 

-safflower seed oil is an emollient that moisturizes & protects the skin 

-chamomile extract & honey suckle help prevent skin inflammation & irritation 

Get your brush on block for $32. Refills are only $17!