Xtreme Lashes for the girl who has everything else

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April 28, 2007

Deck

By ROBIN CAUDELL The Press Republican Sat Apr 28, 2007, 06:47 AM EDT

PLATTSBURGH -- In the quest for the perfect prom look, the perfect eye lashes to "extend your beauty" are within reach with Xtreme Lashes at Archer Body Works in Plattsburgh.

Every year, Dena Archer is on the lookout for a new specialty to offer locally. She was researching permanent makeup when she discovered Xtreme Lashes.

"I don't have long eyelashes myself," Archer said. "It was the new, biggest thing in Hollywood."

She attended an Xtreme Lashes training in New York City. Beforehand, she practiced handling synthetic lashes with tweezers.

"It's something simple. It's something anyone can do. It makes your face smile."

Synthetic lashes are bonded to natural lashes with a medical-grade adhesive. The lashes come in a variety of lengths, colors and thicknesses. Colors include black, dark brown, golden brown, auburn, blue, red, green, pink and purple.

"They can look more glamorous or have a natural look."

The synthetics are bonded to clean, dry and mascara-free natural lashes. Archer covers the lower lashes with pads. She isolates each natural lash, picks up a synthetic lash and dips it in the bonding agent.

"It takes two hours to do the initial set. They come out as you lose your natural lash. You come back every three weeks for a fill. That takes about an hour."

This Wednesday, Nancy Brown, the owner of Cut-N-Curl Beauty Salon on Couch Street, was getting a glamorous fill.

"If you watch the Oscars, the women are wearing them," Archer said. "Women don't have lashes. It's the men who have them. We're the only species where the males aren't adorned. I think their eyelashes are their adornment. It's how they attract women. They have to have something. It's a nice feature. They are the ones who have them but most women don't. Look at the birds. The males are bejewelled."

Xtreme Lashes is based in Texas.

"Texans like big hair, big cars, big lashes. There you go."

Archer gets a lot of fun out of the process because of her clients' excitement.

"Women spend a lot of time on their eyelashes with eyelash curlers and mascara. It's a big transformation in a small amount of time."

The first 24 hours are crucial to let the bonding material set. Swimming and touching your eyelashes should be avoided to keep lash loss to a minimum. Sleeping on the stomach and waterproof mascara are also no-nos.

"As far as mascara, Xtreme makes a mascara that's compatible. It doesn't break down the bond."

While conducting research on the process, Archer found Xtreme to be the most reputable company and thorough in its training and certification.

"It's tedious. It takes awhile before you get used to handling eyelashes with tweezers. Everybody I do, they fall asleep. I find it's a compliment to the chef. I have perfect strangers in here and they fall asleep."

There hasn't been a great demand for color lashes. Luscious black lashes are the choice of most women.

"This would be great for brides too or people who have had chemotherapy and have lost all their lashes. You have to have a certain lash length to support the weight."

An initial set costs $150. Fills are $50. Archer has offered lash enhancement since January to complement her services of massage therapy (Swedish, deep tissue and shiatsu), Synergie Cellulite Reduction Treatment and microderm abrasion. In the latter, fine aluminum oxide crystals are used to do a very fine sanding of the outer most layer of the epidermis.

"It minimizes fine lines and pore size. It makes your skin look really fresh and reduces discoloration and acne scarring."

After her treatment, Brown admires her Bambi-length lashes in a mirror.

"People are happy when they come here and happy when then leave," Archer said. "I get to see the best side of people."

rcaudell@pressrepublican.com