small businesses — Bmore + Friends

I've always loved the way eyelash extensions and false lashes looked on other people. So I attempted falsies twice myself (and by "myself," I mean I bought them and relied on friends to apply them for me). Once, I wore them as one-third of a half-assed Halloween costume that consisted of $5 cat ears and a tail. The second time, I wore them when I was a bridesmaid for my best friend's wedding.

In the photos, they looked great, but up close, I'm not so sure that was the case. They didn't look natural exactly, and I believe "lumpy" was the word my mother used to ask why my eyeliner looked different at the wedding.

Whomp whomp.

So when Lilly at the Loft reached out and asked me if I wanted to be a "lash model" for a lash technician in training, I jumped at the opportunity for professional lash extensions.

The Loft offers two kinds of lash extensions -- natural and full. With a full set, the technician attaches a synthetic lash to each of your own individual lashes. For a natural set, every other lash receives an extension. I had a natural set done.

If you, like me, have never had professional lash extensions, the process is super easy. You lay back on one of the Loft's super comfy chairs and let the tech take care of the rest. She'll clean any makeup off of your eyes, put what felt like under-eye masks below your eyes, and tape the skin around your eyes to hold your lid taut. At first, I tried to keep my eyes as still as possible, but my technician Tiffany said that wasn't necessary; she had no trouble as she got to work attaching the synthetic lashes to my own, occasionally brushing them. At one point, I was so relaxed, I started to drift off to sleep.

Tell me I'm not the only one who wants to live here.

I was a *little* nervous about the outcome, and I must admit, I'm still getting used to them. But I LOVE the way they look. Even without makeup, I feel like I look so much more awake. I don't need mascara at all, and I think they make my signature black winged eyeliner look that much more badass. And even though when I look in the mirror my lashes look so much longer to me, the compliments I keep getting from everyone are about how subtle and natural they look.

All that said, aside from the beautiful results, here are the things I really loved about the Loft:

Tiffany! When she is officially bookable, if you want lashes, you should 100 percent book her. She was super sweet and easy to talk to. On average, it takes about two hours for lashes to be applied, so it is nice to have someone cool to chat with.
It is a woman-owned Baltimore business. There are few things I love more than supporting small businesses that are both local AND woman owned. Since Tiffany was in training, she got feedback from the other technicians who were there, and it wasn't lost on me how supportive the other women were of her. #shinetheory
This place is BEAUTIFUL. It is a small space in the Garment Factory building on Conkling. (Hot tip: Go around to the *back* of the building and ring for the second floor. This took me a few minutes to figure out.) As soon as I walked in, I immediately felt chill. The decor is perfect, I was offered tea, and even though it isn't a full-service spa, it totally feels like one.

So in summary, if you're interested in getting your lashes done, whether for a special event or just for fun, I 100 percent recommend the Loft. They also offer brow and skin services, and I am super curious about (also probably highly in need of) facials, so that may be my next Loft adventure. Stay tuned!

xo,
S