Ten things I learned when I got mink lashes for the first time

I've wanted to try semi-permanent eyelashes for a while now.

Plenty of gals focus on their eyes when doing their makeup and I'm no different. As a mascara fiend and eyelash curler aficionado, I've tried pretty much everything in the quest for fuller lashes bar going to the professionals so it was high time I gave it a go. I got mine done with the lovely Harriet at The Blink Bar on the main street in Ranelagh in Dublin and had a great experience. I opted for a full set of mink semi permanent lashes. Here's my before-and-after.   And here are my top ten things I took away from the experience.   They don't damage your own eyelashes  This myth is something that puts a lot of people off trying semi-permanent lashes but it's not at all true. When applied properly, they shouldn't have any negative effect and can actually be less wear and tear on your lashes than applying mascara and curling them every day.   Mink doesn't mean mink Yes, I'm a dope, but I did wonder. The lashes are synthetic, meaning no real minks are harmed in the process.   You can't just walk in and get them done You'll need a patch test at least 24 hours beforehand to make sure you don't have a bad reaction to the glue. This just involves going in quickly to have one or two put on each eye. If your salon doesn't do patch tests, I'd be going elsewhere.   Having them applied is a seriously relaxing experience You wouldn't think having things glued to your eyelids would be but it really was. I was surprised when Harriet told me a lot of people fall asleep during the process but sure enough I dozed off a little too. The Blink Bar has a super-calming atmosphere and it was lovely to just lie back and not look at my phone for the 90 minutes the application took.   I was obsessed with myself after having them done Here's a text exchange I had with a friend afterwards.   There's a bit of care involved in maintaining them If you're having them done, make sure you shower beforehand as you can't get your eyes wet for 24 hours afterwards or even expose your eyes to a lot of steam for 48 hours in case it loosens the glue. You can only use water-based makeup remover on your eyes and need to be combing them with a clean mascara wand or eyelash comb regularly.   You get up to six weeks out of them If you look after them properly, that is. They'll fall out naturally with your own eyelashes, meaning you'll want to be thinking about refills around four weeks after getting them done if you want to keep them up.   They're serious time-savers  Getting extensions really simplified my makeup routine. There's no need for mascara with them and I find they're dramatic enough without eyeshadow so most days I just put on a base and fill in my eyebrows.   They're not cheap but they're worth it A full set of mink semi permanent lash extensions at The Blink Bar costs €85, which is a fair price for the time they take to be applied and the effect you get with them. As with any beauty treatment, you'll find yourself justifying them if you really like them. Everyone has indulgences - it might be getting highlights regularly or a fresh Shellac every few weeks - so you could just make having them done your monthly treat.   I'd definitely get them again A week after getting them done, I'm still a big fan. They are fairly dramatic for every day but I'm really happy with them. They'd be especially good for going on holidays or over Christmas, or really any time you have a couple of nights out coming up and want a bit of extra glam.   Thanks again to Harriet at The Blink Bar. You can find her on Instagram here. Her website is TheBlinkBar.ie.