Eyelash Extensions At Home With Blow

 Excuse me using a snapchat filter to show you the results of my eyelash extensions from Blow Ltd (what is this, 2015?), but I didn't have any makeup or eyebrows on, and needed the eyebag-curing magic of a filter. Some filters add huge lashes, but I promise you this one didn't, those babies are mine (fake as they may be). If you've never had lash extensions before, they're a pain-free way to give the added oomph of false lashes without having to worry about them peeling off or getting sore eyes from wearing eyelash adhesive for long periods. If like me, you have short stubby lashes, they can really transform your look, and they look a lot more natural than false lashes. These ones are applied individually to your existing lashes with quick-drying adhesive; it takes ages, and with care they should look good for a fortnight or so, sometimes less. You can choose to let them all drop out naturally as your own lashes fall, or to get infills every other week to maintain them.For a long time I had my lashes done at Blink Brow Bar in Selfridges and knew how to care for them. You need to be super careful in the shower to not get them too wet, try not to rub your eyes at all, and use oil-free mascara and makeup remover. I had a special occasion coming up and not much time in my schedule to go out for a beauty appointment, so I decided to try Blow Ltd who come to your house and offer a range of treatments, including blow dries, nails and lashes. I made the booking a week in advance, and on the morning my lash technician didn't turn up. I called Blow, who were very nice and apologetic, saying they would try and get hold of her (you're told the name of the technician but not given their number, they have yours). They got back to me and said she'd been stuck in traffic (though somehow not able to call me, hmmm...) and asked me if I'd still like her to come. I really needed the appointment, so I said yes, and she rolled up, a whole hour late. She was very nice, seemed very knowledgable, the lashes looked great, good job done. The next morning the lashes were mostly on my pillow. Whilst lash extensions look their very best on the day they're done, they will still be excellent for the next few days, so this was not at all normal. I called Blow, and again they were very nice and helpful. They offered another appointment, free of charge, but my special occasion was that day and I had no time to fit it in. It was really disappointing, and all a massive waste of time.I had the free appointment Blow offered me at a later date, and it was such a different story. The woman who arrived (on time) made my lashes look better than ever (the ones in the pic above), and I don't know what sorcery she used, but they stayed on for almost THREE weeks with minimal fallout. I knew I had to have this technician again, only slight problem is you can't book a specific person online. You get whoever is available at the time and date you choose. I phoned up and said I would work around this person's schedule as it's only her I wanted. They said my only option was to select the date, but they would double check with her if she was free. So I did this, and they confirmed she had agreed to the booking. On the day of the appointment you get an email with the profile of your technician. When I received this, it was not the lady I'd asked for. I called Blow, and once again they were lovely and understanding, telling me I could cancel with no fee. The doorbell rang, the technician had arrived, and I felt too bad to tell her to go home. This lady was also very nice and chatty, I explained what had happened and she told me the technician I liked had trained her, so I'd be in good hands.The lash extension appointment should take two hours, the previous lady I'd had did it in ninety minutes, I guess because she's so experienced and a trainer. I asked for full, long 'wow' lashes that would make people ask me if they're real or not, so it was a bit disappointing to have the technician look at them at the end and say "Hmm, we could have gone a bit longer." This was mostly frustrating because this appointment had taken three hours. When it got to the two-hour mark, the technician had asked me if it was okay to spend a bit longer on them. I thought she meant five or ten minutes, so I said yes. This extra hour was murder on my back (you have to lie on your own bed as they don't bring a table), and lying down in one position totally still for so long is not easy in any circumstances. It was doubly difficult as I'd arranged to go out for lunch with my mum, so she turned up expecting me to be all finished and ready to go, but had to wait. I could hear her rustling her newspaper in the lounge with hangry-ness. I dropped several large hints to the technician that she needed to wrap it up, even eventually saying 'are you nearly finished?' but she kept on going! It was so awkward, why was I being so polite in my own home when someone was sucking up more time than it would have taken me to go to Selfridges and back for lashes. The lashes were okay, not amazing, but good for someone like me who has hardly any lashes of my own. There just wasn't any wow-factor, no one asked all week if they were real or not.So, my final thoughts on using Blow Ltd for lash extensions now I've had three appointments. Like anywhere, for any beauty treatment or haircut, it all depends on the luck of the draw with the stylist, technician or beauty therapist you get given. There's a difference between someone with a just a qualification and someone qualified who also has mad skills to intensely change the way you look, and when you find the latter, hold on to them for dear life. I'd still recommend Blow, it's a convenient way to have beauty appointments in your home, that when done correctly should be time-saving and good value for money. My tips would be: don't try them for the first time the day before a special occasion in case they're not good and you end up disappointed - try one or two times until you find that golden technician. If you find someone amazing, work with Blow to make sure they can come back - even if you have to cancel another person you get sent on the day. And don't be afraid to be really frank with the technician who arrives, saying exactly how you want your lashes, and how long you have for the appointment. Blow Ltd is available in London, Manchester and Birmingham. Eyelash extensions start at £120.