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What is an Eyelash Extender?

Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

An eyelash extender is a type of cosmetic that, like mascara, makes the eyelashes look thicker, longer, and darker. What sets it apart from mascara is the fact that it is made of fibers that attach to the eyelashes. Mascara, on the other hand, is a thick liquid that simply coats the eyelashes. One of the most common kinds of fibers used in eyelash extender is rayon.

There are two basic kinds of eyelash extender. One kind is a sort of all-in-one cosmetic for the lashes. It includes both mascara and eyelash extender fibers and can be applied in one coat. Another type of eyelash extender requires the use of mascara for proper application.

A woman applies mascara over eyelash extenders.
A woman applies mascara over eyelash extenders.

This second version of the product requires an initial application of mascara to wet the lashes and creates a base for the extender. Then the extender, which comes in a dry powdered form, is brushed over the lashes, especially on the tips of the lashes. Once this has been done, a second coat of mascara is applied to the lashes to complete the procedure and set the extender.

Powdered eyelash extenders are usually used by professional makeup artists.
Powdered eyelash extenders are usually used by professional makeup artists.

Eyelash extender can be thought of as a sort of hybrid between mascara and false eyelashes. It is meant to create a more dramatic effect than mascara alone can create. An advantage of eyelash extender is that it does not require adding a set of false eyelashes on top of the existing eyelashes. Instead, the product uses the existing eyelashes as its base structure.

Some types of eyelash extenders require the use of mascara for proper application.
Some types of eyelash extenders require the use of mascara for proper application.

Like mascara and false eyelashes, eyelash extender comes in a few colors. While it is possible to find mascara in almost every color of the rainbow, especially from cosmetics companies that specialize in products for edgy looks, eyelash extender usually only comes in brown and black. Of the two available colors, black is the most common.

This kind of cosmetic is not especially easy to find. There are a few cosmetics companies that sell the kind of extender that is blended with mascara and distribute this produce through drug stores. While this kind of product may create slightly more dramatic looks, the powdered extender is often the version of the product that creates the most dramatic results. Eyelash extender that is combined with mascara usually retails for somewhere between $5 USD (US Dollars) and $10 USD. The powdered version, which is often used by professional makeup artists and is sold as such, retails for somewhere between $20 USD and $40 USD.

Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.

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Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel

In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.

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    • A woman applies mascara over eyelash extenders.
      By: haveseen
      A woman applies mascara over eyelash extenders.
    • Powdered eyelash extenders are usually used by professional makeup artists.
      By: mikelaptev
      Powdered eyelash extenders are usually used by professional makeup artists.
    • Some types of eyelash extenders require the use of mascara for proper application.
      By: bedya
      Some types of eyelash extenders require the use of mascara for proper application.
    • Black is the most common color of an eyelash extender.
      By: MartiniDry
      Black is the most common color of an eyelash extender.