This story first appeared on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter in which our beauty writers share their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. But we liked it so much we wanted to share it with all of our readers. If you want more first impressions of buzzy launches, quick takes on what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram, and deep dives into the week’s best beauty launches, sign up here. The Strategist Beauty Brief is delivered every Wednesday.
I have very oily skin, eyelids, and lashes. So when I get lash extensions, I get less than two weeks of peak fluttering fullness. Around day 10, I start finding lashes everywhere: on pillowcases and in my sheets. In the sink and nestled in the cotton fibers of my bath mat. Because I get so little longevity, I stopped doing lashes altogether for about three years. It seemed like a waste of time and money.
But, this summer, because it’s so hot, and really just because I’m trying to be cute, I decided to give them a try again. I told myself I’d be the model lash-extensions wearer: I would keep them dry for 24 hours, I’d sleep on my back, I wouldn’t rub my perpetually itchy eyes.
The first time I got extensions back in late March, I failed at all the above, of course. But I did start using Envious Lashes Protective Coating, a serum that’s supposed to help your extensions stick around, developed by my favorite lash artist Clementina Richardson, owner of Envious Lashes. It’s a clear sealant made of biotin and vitamin E that you brush on with a spoolie. Clementina suggested it because she’s familiar with my history of premature lash fallout. She said to apply it twice a day, morning and before bedtime — I definitely didn’t hit 100 percent compliance, but I got it right most of the time.
I started to notice a difference around day nine, when I realized I hadn’t seen any errant lashes on my cheeks or on my desk. At week three, that first set was at about half fullness. This is huge for me — by week three, my lashes are typically very sparse, with just a few stragglers hanging on in the middle of my lash line.
So far, I’ve tested the serum on three sets of lashes and the results are consistent: I’m getting about an extra week of near-full flutter. I asked Clementina what the secret is and she said the formula protects the glue used to adhere the lashes from skin oils and moisture. “It’s kind of like a nail-polish topcoat — a topcoat for glue.”
Since the longevity of my lashes is so abysmal without sealant, I can’t guarantee the results will be as dramatic for folks whose lash extensions have a regular lifespan. But the serum is only $20, so I think it’s really worth a try. I won’t do lash extensions anymore without it.
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