Have you ever looked at a woman with a particularly enviable pair of eyelashes and wondered what brand of mascara she uses? Chances are that if the possessor of this flawless fringe is locally based, it is the handiwork of Julie Nguyen, owner of Lash Moi. Although the salon’s two locations are based in Maryland, women consistently flock from all over (during this interview, a Marymount student was getting touched up during a study break) to receive natural-looking lengthy lashes that can run up to $450.
Despite specializing in what may seem to be a frivolous service to some, Nguyen has used her profession to benefit women suffering from hair loss due to disease and ailments. We spoke with the salon owner about the cutting-edge technology offered at Lash Moi and her efforts to empower women one lash at a time.
On lash extensions and permanent makeup:
“For lash extensions, there needs to be hair there for us to put one extension on one eyelash. We have four customized looks: Xtreme lashes, Mink Moi, Glamour Moi and Boopz. We make sure to look at the lashes first to make sure that we don’t stress that natural lash. If someone has sparse or thin hair, we have to look at it and see what we can do.
[For eyebrows] microblading is a hair-stroke technique; it’s more 3-D, and it looks a lot more natural. It is done with blades, and everything is done by hand. It can take anywhere from two to three hours. A lot of clients travel for this because it is still a relatively new process that’s not done many places.”
On maintenance:
“Lash extensions actually cut back on the time it takes to get ready. It’s an instant eye-lift. When you put it on, it makes you look more youthful. If you want to use eye makeup, we have special eyeliner and mascara that won’t harm the lashes. Avoid
anything oil-based or glycolic-based as well because the retention of the extensions won’t be as good.
Every two to three weeks you should come back for a touch-up. It depends on how well you take care of them and the natural lash cycle. The cleaner the lashes are, the better the retention. If you want to get them removed, we recommend that you come in and remove them professionally. There is a remover that you can get over the counter, [but] be gentle and make sure that you aren’t tugging or putting any unnecessary stress on your lash. The lashes will naturally shed within 60-90 days depending on your lash cycle.
Permanent makeup is a two-step process, so you come in for the procedure and then four weeks later for a follow-up.”
On working with clients suffering from hair loss:
“A lot of my clients have gone through gastric bypass surgery, alopecia and chemotherapy. We work with Tigerlily and have met a lot of women through there that have come in to get their lashes done. It’s amazing how strong women are and to be able to give them a little reason to smile [with the services].
While they are going through the chemo, I usually recommend that they wait until the treatment is over and let the hair grow in a little bit. When they are going through treatment, the hair is a lot more delicate. Any touching or stress on it will pull it out. With the permanent makeup, if they know that they are going to get chemo within a certain timeframe, they can actually consult with a doctor and get in early to get permanent makeup done so that when do lose their eyebrows and lashes, the permanent makeup is already there.”
In an effort to make every woman feel beautiful despite her circumstances, Lash Moi is offering a complimentary basic Boopz lash set for anyone who is going through or is a survivor of breast cancer through Nov. 15. Women who are interested can email morgan@lashmoi.com to book an appointment.