Ladies with stick-straight lashes: I feel you. While mascaras and falsies get their job done, they are 1. time-consuming to put on, 2. unnatural looking and 3. nobody wants to spend ten minutes every morning trying not to stab themselves in the eye. But yet, the thought of eyelash extensions seemed daunting because of how overly dramatic and fake I pictured them to be.
So when I heard about Flutters Lash & Nail Parlour’s new eyelash extension service that rides on the “no-makeup makeup” trend, I was eager to give it a go. I mean, au naturel and semi-permanent lashes? Sign me up.
Here’s how it went!
I headed down to Flutters at OUE Downtown, which was conveniently located in the CBD – OLs take note! Decked out in baby blue with gold accents, the storefront is practically impossible to miss.
The interior of the shop had a bubblegum retro feel, with soothing pastels and neon lights all over. There’s a common sitting area for waiting customers, as well as a manicure desk station and a pedicure station with comfy sofas and plush cushions.
After filling out a form, the Eyelash Technician assessed my eyelashes to see which eyelash extension service would suit me the best. She noted that my lashes were rather short, sparse and downward-pointing. The truth hurt, but hey, that’s what we’re here to fix.
I was initially drawn to the Girl-Next-Door ($95) service that came with 40 lashes per eye and had a soft and subtle look. But, after observing my eyelashes, I was recommended So-fine Souffle ($125) service that came with 60 lashes per eye, suited for sparse lashes as the individual lash extensions would fill in the gaps perfectly.
Apart from the So-fine Souffle service, The Classic Vintage Beauty ($115) and The Late (Lash) Bloomer ($135-155) are other customer favourites
Even after selecting a service, it’s still possible to customise these few things:
As for me, I went ahead with their recommendation and selected the C curl with a thickness of 0.12mm and varying lengths of 10 and 12mm to make the lashes look more natural.
We then moved on to choose the nail colour for the Classic Gel Manicure ($55) I’ll be doing along with the lashes – that’s right, you can get both of these services done concurrently within 1.5 hours. For time-strapped ladies, this means a 2-in-1 session that’ll save you heaps of time.
I opted for colour SC-171 from Presto Gel-Polish, a muted white with tiny blue-gray speckles. For a lack of better explanation, it looked like an aesthetic granite kitchen table top. Since most patrons are OLs working in the precinct, you can expect a wide range of office-friendly nude colours to choose from.
On to the extensions! I was brought into a separate room with 4 beds and after snuggling into the soft duvet, the ladies began working straight away. All the while, soft acoustic music was playing in the background and I almost dozed off a couple of times.
Customers are usually advised to remove their eye makeup before the appointment, but the Eyelash Technician will still do a basic cleansing of your eyes and lashes with an oil-free cleanser just to be extra hygienic. After that, gel patches will be placed under your eyes so your lower lashes won’t get in the way while the applying the extensions.
Flutters uses Japanese silk lashes that are thinner than most eyelash extensions. They are then dipped into black adhesive glue and applied to your real lashes. The So-fine Souffle package comes with 2D lashes, meaning that there are two strands in a single lash for a lush voluminous effect minus the density and clumpiness.
Carefully applying the lash extensions one by one
For someone who screams at a needle prick, the whole procedure surprisingly wasn’t painful at all. Half the time I couldn’t even tell if anything was even being attached to my eye. Apart from the very slight and muted sting of the eyelash glue, everything else was painless.
After the lash extensions were applied, a mini fan was used to quicken the drying process and secure the lashes in place. No blasting of hot air from hair dryers here – the air was cool, gentle, and very, very soothing.
Once your lashes are good to go, you’ll be handed a Flutters Lash Care Kit that comes with three mini cotton swabs to clean dirt off your lashes, a comb and brush, and a spoolie to keep your lashes curled. Flutters also offers touch-up services are available at $50-80 if you visit within three weeks of your appointment.
Goodbye eyelashes straighter than a ruler! The first thing I noticed when I glanced into the mirror was how big my eyes suddenly looked. The curve of the lashes really helped to create the illusion of wider, more awake eyes, and every blink looked like – you guessed it – a flutter.
Thanks to the Criss-cross technique from Taiwan that mimics the normal overlapping growth of your lashes, the results were pretty natural looking. Not to mention, if someone were to look at you from afar, it’ll just look like perfectly drawn eyeliner.
Don’t miss out on their nail services as well. The Classic Gel Manicure that I went for was a full package that included pushing back your cuticles, clipping off dried edges, shaping your nails and applying cuticle oil – essentially the all-in-all nail care package.
For time-strapped ladies and busy OLs, a quick 1.5 hour trip down to Flutters after work is all it takes to get both your lashes and nails done all under one roof, and at agreeable prices – the convenience, comfort and expertise at Flutters makes every penny worth it.
So the next time you need a last minute fix before attending an event, or if you’re just craving a quick perk-me-up pampering session, you know who to call.
Flutters Lash & Nail Parlour
OUE Downtown branch
Address: 6A Shenton Way, #03-17 OUE Downtown Gallery 2, Singapore 068815
Opening hours: Mon-Fri: 11AM-9PM | Sat-Sun: 11AM-6PM
Telephone: 6220 0920
Boat Quay branch
Address: 24 Lorong Telok, #03-01, Singapore 049036
Opening hours: Mon-Fri: 11AM-9PM | Sat: 11AM-6PM (Closed on Sundays)
Telephone: 6588 3437
This post was brought to you by Flutters Lash & Nail Parlour.
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