I have been wearing my Flutter lashes for 12 days and I am utterly attached to them. Quite literally, in fact, because (for those not in the ‘eyelash know’) Flutter lashes aren’t false lashes, they’re extensions – pre-curled, couture extensions that are painstakingly glued to each individual lash. The photograph to the left shows the finished result – I went for the most natural look possible, due to work commitments, but when you compare the lashes to my non-existent set in the picture below… Well, there’s a spectacular difference, I think!

What I love about my new lashes is that my eyes look fantastic even with absolutely no makeup on! Normally, unless I slick on a bit of mascara, I look very pallid and tired. My eyelashes are pale and short naturally, and unfortunately they add absolutely no definition to my eyes whatsoever. The Flutter Lashes really make a difference to my face – my eyes are defined, and because the lash extensions are pre-curled, they make my eyes look much more open and bright!

So. The practicalities. Firstly, you must be able to lie still for quite a long time (I was there for two hours) and if you’re a chatterbox (like me), you must be able to talk without moving your whole face. Rather like a ventriloquist. (Not to blow my own trumpet or anything, but I am brilliant at talking without moving – I have to do it all the time at work when a makeup artist asks me a question whilst doing some kind of intricate eyeliner operation.) Secondly, you must be prepared for a bit of maintenance. Actually, quite a lot of maintenance. As the Flutter extensions are attached to each natural lash, when new lashes grow in, you’ll need to have new extensions attached, otherwise you’ll get gaps. So you’ll be needing to have infills done every few weeks. To keep the glue sealed, you musn’t use anything around the eyes with oil in it – so water-based eye makeup removers and mascaras only! – and if you do clean around the lashes, you can’t use cotton wool as the fibres snag on them. (Trust me on the cotton wool thing – I didn’t take it seriously and had two lash ‘deaths’  where the fibres snagged and plucked the lashes out!)

So the upkeep on lash extensions is pretty high – you’ll need the time and money to be able to have a session every 2-4 weeks, but practicalities aside, I really think that they’re outstanding. They completely take away the need for mascara (unless you want a very dramatic look) and therefore the need for tedious mascara-removal at the end of every day. They’re possibly the biggest thing that you can do to simplify your makeup routine, and the best non-surgical non-chemical procedure that you can have to really dramatically change your appearance. Once they’re sealed, they’re waterproof and completely hassle free. I’ve had no discomfort – in fact, I’ve been enjoying not having bits of mascara dropping into my eye every two seconds of the day!

If you’re thinking of having lash extensions, then I couldn’t recommend Flutter more. I’ve seen some really shocking lashes where the ‘technician’ hasn’t had a clue what they were doing, and Flutter are the exact polar opposite of this; all of the girls are trained to the highest, most exacting standards, and you can guarantee that you’ll have long-lasting, incredible-looking lashes. It is expensive (I’m sure you’ve been waiting for this part!) – an initial full set starts at £140, and then infills every 2-3 weeks are £60. If you’re in central London, the price rises, and if you want Kathryn (lash-guru and founder of Flutter) to take care of you, then you’re looking at £200 for a full set, followed by £90 for infills.

If you can afford it, and you’re looking for a non-surgical way to make a real difference to your face, then I think this is the way to go. I’m already addicted to mine – I can’t imagine going back to my lash-less former self! It may be a problem with modelling jobs however – I can’t imagine makeup artists liking being told what they can and can’t use around my eyes, but we shall see; the longer I can keep them, the better!

For more info on Flutter Couture Lashes (sadly only available in London, Surrey and Kent at this time) you can see the website here.