Tricks For The Lushest Lashes

Long, dark eyelashes are blinking out from all the beauty pages this season. They're one of the hottest trends for spring. If you're lucky enough to have been born with a great set, it's your time to rejoice. If not, The Early Show has help.

Makeover master David Evangelista visited the broadcast with a few of the best options for plumping up lackluster lashes and says it's a look worth a little extra effort. "When your lashes look great, you don't have to wear a lot of makeup," he told co-anchor Hannah Storm. "It's fun, it's flirty, and it just looks beautiful. It looks healthy."

Eyelash extensions

In this process, which is performed at salons, an aesthetician applies individual synthetic lashes to your lash line with a special adhesive. It takes 1-2 hours to complete and the results are dramatic, lasting up to two months. Evangelista used the services of Vashaya Ramsey, at the John Barrett Salon in New York. Price: $150-$450.

Tip: Visit a certified cosmetologist who has had in-class training for extensions
Tip: Do not use oil based products on eyes with extensions
Tip: Get touchups every 2-4 weeks

False eyelashes

If you like the idea of lash extensions, but don't want to spend the time and money, Evangelista recommends trying false lashes. Today's versions have come a long way from the artificial-looking falsies of the past. They are now carefully crafted and designed to blend in with a woman's natural lashes. They also come in a variety of colors and lengths, so you can customize your look.

Evangelista recommends Shu Uemura's false lashes, which run between $12 and $25 for a set. First, he curls the natural lashes, then applies a drop of lash adhesive on the top of his hand. Using a tweezer, he lightly slides the faux eyelash base on the adhesive, then places the lash on the eyelid. He recommends starting from the outer corner, working towards the inner corner of the eye, using longer lashes at the outer corners, shorter ones in the center.

False eyelashes also come in a band. If you opt for that version, Evangelista recommends starting by applying an eyeliner on your upper lash line. Smudge it slightly to create a smoky effect before applying the false lash. This will help to conceal the lash band. If you need to adjust the length of the lashes, cut the inner corner, since lashes at the outer corner tend to be longer. Apply the false lashes as close to your natural lash line as possible; press the band down for a few seconds. Curl false and real lashes with a lash curler and then apply mascara.

In addition to Shu Uemura lashes, Evangelista uses Sonia Kashuk's Demi Eyelashes with Glue, $4.99 at Target; and M.A.C.'s 1 Lash, $10.

Tip: Look for natural length false lashes
Tip: Trim false lashes from inside corner if they're too long
Tip: Use mineral-based makeup remover to take off lashes

Mascara
The fastest way to fantastic lashes is, of course, with a great mascara. New formulations avoid the clumpy, lumpy, smudgy look that many women object to.

Evangelista suggests curling lashes first with a high quality curler like Kevyn Aucoin's The Eyelash Curler, $20. Place curler at the base of the lash, and curl for five seconds.

The next step is to use a lash primer or conditioner, which will help lengthen and add volume to lashes, as well as moisturize brittle lashes and help mascara last longer. Popular with makeup artists: Clinique's lash building primer, $12.50; Trish McEvoy's Lash builder, $20. Evangelista says some of the best mascaras on the market today come as a two-in-one package, like L'Oreal Paris Volume Shocking 2-Step Volume Construction Mascara, which has a lash defining base coat and a volume constructing top coat in one package; or Maybelline Intense XXL Volume + Length Micro-fibre Mascara.

When choosing mascara, look for a product with a brush that grips the hairs and doesn't deposit too much mascara onto the lash. Some companies are using comb-like wands, others are changing the size and shape of their regular wands. One of the hottest new mascaras, Max Factor's Lash Perfection, ($7.75 at drug stores), has a plastic-bristled brush that combs color straight through lashes, providing maximum definition and volume.

Formulation is also key, and Lancome has come up with some of the more popular formulas. Evangelista likes Lancome's Hypnose Custom Volume Mascara, $21, and Lancome's L'Extreme Instant Extensions Lengthening Mascara, $22. Prescriptives' False Lashes mascara creates volume, length, density and curl and contains conditioners, $19.

To apply mascara, wiggle the wand at the base of the lash, and extend slowly along the length of the lash, up to the tips. To lengthen lashes, hold the wand vertically and run the tip against individual lashes, especially at the outer corners of your eyes. Evangelista also suggests using a lash comb, about $5 in most beauty supply stores. The comb gets rid of lumps and clumps, for a more natural looking lash. Use the comb after mascara has dried, starting at base of lash and combing up to the tip.

Tip: Bend the brush at an angle for easier application
Tip: Never pump wand in and out of the tube
Tip: Blot the wand against a tissue before application