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Lash blast

By Adriana Ermter | August 25th, 2009 | 11:25 am

4 comments

Photography by Peter Stigter

Photography by Peter Stigter

I’ve got a great pair. They’re traffic stopping, authentically beautiful and genuinely all mine. Of course, I’m talking about my eyelashes.

Super long and thick, my lashes naturally curl upwards. They define and separate with the application of any mascara, regardless of price, performance or formulation. They consistently attract the attention of friends, colleagues and strangers who all ask: are your eyelashes real? And I never have to wear falsies. My eyelashes are perfect just the way they are.

I can say that. I have crap thin blonde hair, miniscule eyebrows and jiggly thighs–my eyelashes are all that I have.

Yet it still burns me when I see models in television and print ad campaigns, clearly wearing a row of false eyelashes, while promoting the next must-have mascara. It’s not fair. It misrepresents. And for women who may not recognize a faux lash line when they see one and expect those results from the mascara, it could also be very misleading. Mascara manufacturers need to pony up and show the real deal. Gain authenticity in an aesthetically driven industry by delivering their product on real eyelashes. I predict that if they did, they’d sell tons more tubes of the stuff, not to mention have every magazine beauty editor happily wagging their tongues about them.

I would.

Right after I stop batting my fabulous fringe at myself in the mirror.

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  • http://www.imabeautygeek.com Janine

    I remember expressing my bigtime envy over your gorgeous eyelashes not too long ago, and I loved your answer, that they’re a beauty blessing you GET to have (except worded more like your post). They ARE beautiful.

    And you’re right about mascara advertising. I don’t know how cosmetics companies have got away with falsies-advertising for so long. I’m actually surprised at the idea that anyone is fooled — it’s so obvious in so many ads. And, frankly, not that pretty!

  • http://beautyeditor.ca Michelle

    I actually think false lashes are kind of gross and weird, unless it’s for a verrrry dressed-up event or something. So I’m not sure why everybody is aspiring to them. Was at a press event in NYC earlier this year and one of the American editors had false lashes on – for 9am! It looked pretty, in a way, but also STRANGE. Like those poor little kids on Toddlers & Tiaras!

  • Sarah

    The false advertising in the cosmetics and beauty industry is disheartening. When I was a young teen I fell for every ad claiming that celebrities and models used their lines and certain mascaras would make your lashes look as thick as the model’s in the ad. I was constantly disappointed and wasted money on dozens of mascaras that didn’t deliver. If the companies would be honest, they would gain my trust and I’d be more likely to buy from them. The false advertising makes me feel like the companies are greedy and don’t care about happy customers.

  • Melissa

    As a graphic designer in the fashion industry, its my job to produce perfect photographs. This includes adding makeup, covering blemishes, photoshopping undereye circles, etc. etc. I go out of my way to EXPLAIN this process to all of my women friends so that they understand that what they see in advertising ISNT what they get. Unfortunatley, most regular women see these images and automatically accept them as “real”. I promise you, there is not a single woman on this planet with eyelashes like those, perfect skin, or a natural lens flare in her eye. Im not proud of perpertuating this cycle, but I try to do my part by spreading the word, if it looks perfect – it isnt real

Neither the author nor FASHION Magazine necessarily agrees with the comments posted here. Editors will not correct spelling or grammar. FASHION Magazine reserves the right to edit or delete comments entirely.

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