First, the aesthetician will rub some Vaseline under your eyes to prevent the dye from seeping into your skin. After placing a thin, cotton pad under your bottom lashes, she’ll instruct you to close your eyes and will start applying the dye. She’ll tell you to relax your eyes as she works. You’ll have the urge to squint, but you must try to resist. Aside from the fact that it will result in the wretched naked millimeter, when you do relax your eyes after squinting, some of the dye may seep in. After the dye has been applied, the aesthetician will cover your eyes with cotton pads and let it set for about five minutes.
I’ve had this treatment done so many times that I rarely get any dye in my eyes during the application, but the removal process is another story. To remove the dye, the aesthetician will gently wipe your eyes with cold water. At this point, you will definitely have the urge to squint, but the water mingling with the dye makes it even more likely that you’ll experience a bit of seepage after relaxing the eyes so it’s important to keep them still. I usually speed up the process by telling the aesthetician I don’t mind if there’s a little dye under my eyes. After a couple of face washings, my skin is back to normal. If the removal process is unappealing, you can skip it altogether and just wait for the dye to fade.
Few spas charge more than $20 for an eyelash tint and the color lasts for about a month, so it’s an easy look to maintain. For blondes and redheads everywhere who’ve always coveted the glamorous lash look à la Audrey Hepburn, this treatment is an absolute godsend. But be forewarned, first-timers: a common side effect of the initial lash tint is that you will find yourself virtually glued to the mirror every chance you get, practicing your new and improved come hither look.
