By Marie Bargas
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In the halcyon days following Hollywood’s prestigious Awards Season, celebrities, stylists and the chic elite remain undecided about the breakthrough procedure of applying semi-permanent eyelash extensions… and rightfully so. Last October the Los Angeles Times’ own Valli Herman reported waking up at 3:00 am just days after the lash extensions were done in Beverly Hills to discover that “groups of my upper lashes had been glued together and hardened into sharp clumps that poked my lids if I squinted or cried.” On the other hand, celebrities including Paula Abdul, Marcia Cross, Eva Langoria, and Naomi Campbell are enjoying the benefits of lash extensions without too much fuss. At a time when cosmetic surgery procedures and cosmeceuticals have redefined the beauty industry these inconsistencies in quality are not surprising, but terribly disappointing.
(Photography courtesy of Nova Lash)
As of today, the FDA still has no regulations pertaining to eyelash extension glue, so it’s best to be very careful about choosing an eyelash extension product, especially if you are prone to allergies. According to Nova Lash Owner/Founder – Sophy Merszei, a Molecular Biologist and Cosmetic Chemist, the chief irritant found in many imported eyelash extension glues is formaldehyde. In fact Nova Lash is the only lash extension manufacturer/distributor in the United States that does not use formaldehyde in its glue so far. Nova Lash also carries a glue formula for “sensitive eyes” which the others do not. Some competitors import their glue from Korea where formaldehyde is used in cheaper glues for it’s ant-bacterial, anti-fungal and bonding properties. While, OSHA has already determined that formaldehyde is genotoxic, showing properties of both a cancer initiator and promoter, the American Association of Poison Control cautions that toxicity is based upon the concentration of the toxin at the site of contact, and possibly another solvent in the formula may be causing the problem either partially or completely. Until more research is done, consumers need take into account their own allergies and skin sensitivities before suffering the painful consequences.
To find a salon that uses Nova Lash please log on to www.lashextensions.com.
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