I paid full price for this service.
I did it. Other than getting my eyebrows microbladed (far more intense!), this is the first "cosmetic procedure" I have done in more than 2 years and after going through the pain and maintenance of eyelash extensions years ago, a Yumi Lash Lift was always something I had wanted to try as it seemed far less annoying to keep up with. The next question is: what is a Yumi Lash Lift? Essentially, this is a patented semi-permanent treatment that boosts and lifts your natural lashes making your eyes look more open and you more bright-eyed and bushy tailed! In some of the before and after photos, some people looked like they had falsies on once they had the procedure done and even after looking at the results of short Asian lashes, the procedure seemed pretty promising! Now, that I have had it done, I can't say I don't enjoy not having to curl my lashes as well as having extra length I never knew I had!  |
| Photo credit: @tianna_tran |
Rollin' Beauty looks totally undercover on the outside, but inside is a whole other world! From the twinkling chandelier, quilted white walls and perfect lighting, I immediately noticed one of my favourite scents - lavender piping out from a diffuser in the corner as well as soft music playing. For such a "technical" procedure, I appreciated the spa-like details that reminded me I could also relax.
Tianna started by letting me know that this pain-free lash lift procedure would take anywhere from 60-90 pain-free minutes to complete and last anywhere from 8-10 weeks depending on where I was in my lash cycle. Based on this, the second lash lift may last longer as we would have a better idea of whether my lashes were about to shed or grow in.
Depending on the length of your lashes, the size of the lash curl will be different. The shape and size of curl is determined by disposable silicone molds coming in small, medium and large. Each mold is thrown out after use. I have fairly short lashes, so the small mold was the best option.
Before your appointment, make sure you are free of eye makeup. My lashes are short, but they do not point downward and have a bit of curl to them. My left set of lashes is the most finicky since they do not grow in a straight line so I was anxious to see how this side would turn out. A friend of mine who has uneven eyelids asked me if the Yumi Lash Lift would just accentuate how uneven they are and when I posed the question to Tianna, she said that she adjust the amount of "lift" the lashes had on the silicone mold so that the height of the curl would look even. She said it would look closest to how the lashes look when curled with an eyelash curler.
Tianna started by applying cooling eye patches directly underneath my eye. Just like when you get extensions and then started to INDIVIDUALLY lift each of my lashes and adhere them to the silicone mold with a glycerin-water based glue. This glue is gentle enough even for the most sensitive of eyes. I would always tear up when getting extensions because the vapors from the glue were so irritating. The actual "lifting" process is the only time I felt anything physical happening with my eyes, but it was completely painless. I felt a bit more of a pinch on my left eye, but I suspect it was because my lashes grow in at different heights and lengths.
Once all of my lashes were glued, the undereye patches were removed and the Lift Serum applied on each lash. The serum had a bit of a scent to it, but rest assured as all YUMI products are EU-approved (we know how tough they are!), hypoallergenic and formaldehyde-free. This heat-activated serum is what actually causes the lashes to curl so once each lash has been coated, Tianna covered my eyes with a layer of Saran Wrap and then applied a hot compress over top to activate the serum. The lift serum can be left on anywhere from 8-12 minutes depending on how coarse your lashes are. Coarse lashes can be stubborn to lift! Mine are fairly thin so we went with 8 minutes.
Once the Lift Serum was removed with a Q-tip, a Fix Serum was applied to set and hold the curl for 4 minutes. Part of the Yumi Lash Lift service is to tint the lashes as well. Tianna does only a black tint which I think makes sense because what's the point of having a lash lift if your eyelashes are invisible? Doing the tint took another 8 minutes. If you already have dark lashes, the tint just makes your lashes look more glossy. The procedure ended with a coating of Nourishing Cream applied with a spoole to my lashes that gave them this twinkly, sexy wet look. There is also a Yumi Keratin Mascara ($100 CDN) that can be purchased as a strengthening and conditioning treatment to be used alone or underneath mascara in between lash lift treatments. I might pick it up the next time I get this done, but it's not like my lashes are dying without it. I think it's just a "nice to have". Tianna did give me a spoole dipped in this mascara to use over the next 24 hours as my lashes should be regularly brushed to keep them fluffy and fresh looking.
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| Immediately after Yumi Lash Lift |
After care for the next 48 hours is pretty basic with the added caution not to use coconut oil on the lashes as it removes the tint.
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| 36 hours after Yumi Lash Lift with no product on lashes |
I find that without any mascara on my lashes, there isn't too much of a curl. They look much straighter from the side than head on and overall I do like the fact that my eyes look much more alert and brightened all because of something as simple as a lash lift. Applying mascara for the first time was a bit of a challenge because I am used to having to push my lashes up a bit, but for those of you who regularly apply mascara to curled lashes this is no different. I like that when it comes to maintenance, there really isn't anything I CAN'T do with my lashes. I can still wear false lashes should I choose to do so, but I just have to look down more as the more vertical stance of my new lashes can interfere.
Unlike extensions, I can sleep on my face, get my eyes wet, use cream eyeshadows and not worry that one eye is losing extensions more than the other! I remember having gaps on one eye because the extensions were falling out faster and it was super annoying.
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| 36 hours after Yumi Lash Lift with no product on lashes |
Final verdict: Would I have this done again? You bet! At $150, I didn't find the cost to be too much higher than when I was getting lash extensions and for the convenience of having Tianna come to my place, I am all for it! I might not be super regular about getting this done every 2 months, but I like that there is nothing to "remove" if I decide not do it again or if I would like to wait a bit. My lashes will just go back to their natural selves until I want the lash lift again. The process was very comfortable and based on how my lashes end up this time, I may splurge and just get the $100 mascara because I did like the gloss it seemed to give.
When it comes to services like this one that I find super intimate, I prefer someone I know and trust and Tianna made me feel super comfortable. Obviously, I'm going to tell all of you to go to her should you want a Yumi Lash Lift because I liked her work and of course the convenience of having her come to me! Let me tell ya, she can parallel park that beast ANYWHERE so location will not be an issue!
Find out more about the other services Tianna offers as well as more about Yumi Lashes at www.tiannatran.com!
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