Grammy Beauty: Betty Boop Lashes

The ultimate accessory on the Grammy Red Carpet wasn’t diamonds or daring décolletage – it was lashes. J-Lo started the lash trend awhile back – remember those mink lashes from the 2002 Oscars? This year, the look was a little more natural. Long, thick, and very very black, my instinct tells me that some of these luscious lashes aren’t homegrown. When done right, as in the case of Mary J. Blige and Christina Aguilera, the effect is stunningly glamorous. But when stars get a little lash happy (hello, Tyra Banks), the result is more scary than sultry, more drag queen than diva.

The easiest, and cheapest way to emulate this bombshell look is with a good black mascara. L’Oreal Volume Shocking Mascara will add length, and my personal favorite has always been L’Oreal FeatherLash. It has a more liquidly texture than a lot of the others, so you can add several layers without any clumping.
Check out SheFinds Best Mascara Guide for more of our favorites.

If you have a little more time, go for some falsies. Smashbox mod chic collection has a set of thick, black lashes that stay put, and look pretty authentic. Try the look with minimal monetary investment with e.l.f.’s Dramatic Lash Kit, which is only $1.

Lash extensions are catching on big time lately. The process is a delicate one, so be careful about where you choose to get this done. Dashing Diva Salon offers a “Virtual Lash” service, by appointment only, in which 50 to 70 high-quality synthetic lashes are applied to your natural lashes using surgical grade glue that won’t irritate the extremely sensitive area. Depending on the look you’re going for, the lashes are available in a variety of colors, curvatures, and lengths. Go punky with blue or red accents, or glam with a heavy set of solid black. The procedure’s not cheap, around $200 for the initial application and touch-up applications (recommended every 2-4 weeks) will run you about $75 a pop. These lashes are pretty solid, they’ll hold up to sweat, tears, exercise, and any other strenuous activities you partake in.

Hard-core lashionistas desperate for a permanent lash fix now have the option of an actual lash transplant. This $3,000 per eye treatment involves having hair follicles removed from the head, and then sewn into the lash line, which sounds terrifying. The good news is, it only needs to be done once, because like a head hair transplant, when the eyelashes are transplanted they keep on growing naturally.

Whether you’re strutting down the red carpet or down the hall to you bedroom, work your doe-eyed diva persona to the fullest.