Extension wearers get an eyeful -- of lashes

In a blink of an eye, another fashion trend is born.

At this year's Academy Awards on March 5, many female celebrities will be showing off not only their fabulous couture gowns and expensive jewelry, but the latest beauty enhancement to hit the red carpet: eyelash extensions.

According to current celebrity buzz, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton have them, as does Jennifer Lopez, although hers reportedly are made of mink. Madonna is said to have paid $10,000 for lash extensions that are studded with diamonds.

Ultra-long lashes have been embraced by glamorous Hollywood superstars as they strive to look their best for the camera, but only recently have extensions begun to make their way into upscale beauty salons in Western Pennsylvania.

Skin care specialist and spa director Eva Sztupka began offering eyelash extensions to her clients at ESSpa Kozmetika in Aspinwall about a month ago, she says, after taking an Xtreme Lashes training class in Boca Raton, Fla., to learn how to apply them properly.

She charges $100 to $400 for the service, depending on desired length and thickness of the lashes and the number used for each client, ranging from 20 to 40 lashes per eye. An average cost is $250 for an initial application, which can take as long as an hour per eye to delicately apply the extensions with tweezers.

"It's a time-consuming treatment," she says.

The semi-permanent synthetic lashes are more realistic-looking than the older one-piece glue-on false eyelash strips. Each lash extension is applied individually to a woman's own top lashes using a special adhesive. Mike Daoudi, marketing director and co-owner of the Spring, Texas-based company Xtreme Lashes, who will be applying lash extensions for stars at the upcoming Oscar awards, says a pair lasts up to two months but will require touch-ups every two to three weeks because 25 to 30 percent of the lashes will fall off in that time.

During the procedure, "You don't feel anything," he says. "We cover your lower lashes and the whole time, your eyes are closed. Some women fall asleep and get a manicure and pedicure done at the same time."

At Salon Vivace in its Pine and Mt. Lebanon salon locations, esthetician Traci Jurkovic applies lash extensions for $110 a pair. She also offers a lower-priced semi-permanent alternative, Perma-lashes, which are individual lash clusters that last one to two weeks and cost $30 a pair. The extensions add more length and are more suitable for constant wear for three to six weeks, she says, while Perma-lashes add volume for a dramatic look for special occasions.

"You cannot achieve the same look with mascara," she says. "The more you put on, the clumpier and thicker it looks. And the lashes are healthier than mascara, which is a breeding ground for germs."

Jurkovic says that while lash extensions are the newest trend, a few clients still wear strip lashes.

"They're more of a dated look, a Pamela Anderson look," she says. Compared to the newer options, she says she thinks "they look fake."

Not too many salons in the Pittsburgh area offer lash extension services, according to Jurkovic, "because you need a real steady hand and an eye for detail. It's an art, just like anything else."

In Greensburg, Edna Crosby, stylist and owner of The Hair Loft in Greensburg Shopping Center, says she saw the new beauty trend in full force on a trip last summer to Los Angeles, where her daughter is pursuing an acting career.

"It's huge, it's crazy," she says. "They have eyelash bars out there that are set up like jewelry counters with hundreds of selections. You can get basic to elaborate (lashes), depending on what you want to spend, from $50 to $10,000."

They also come in various shades such as blue or purple, "just like mascara."

She says lash extension prices at her salon vary, averaging $50 a pair "unless you want some like Madonna's. Then we have to call the jeweler."

Daoudi says one of the most popular variations on the current trend is adding color highlights to eyelash extensions, with auburn or red wine a favorite new shade. Layering effects also can be achieved by having combinations of short and long lashes applied.

"You can have all kinds of fun with these lashes," he says.

Jurkovic says once a woman experiences having lash extensions, chances are she'll want them again.

"They're very addictive," she says.

Lash Extension Tips

Eva Sztupka, skin care specialist and spa director at ESSpa Kozmetika in Aspinwall, provides some basic rules to follow to maintain and extend the look of Xtreme Lashes, the brand of lash extensions she uses in her salon: