Njanja Kimani of N&K Lashes is interviewed at her Westlands studio on November 19, 2021. Photo | Diana Engira | National Weather Service
On Dubois Road in the center of Nairobi, a new type of business is booming. False eyelashes, also called false eyelashes. Dozens of shops on this small road have become one-stop shops for beauty products, and fake eyelashes are restocked almost every month.
"Eyelash grafting is a big business. I sell as many as 100 pairs of eyelashes to retailers and wholesalers every day," said a shop owner.
“The adoption rate is so high and the trend is constantly evolving. Sometimes, it’s customers who notify us that we need to import new eyelashes,” another seller said.
A step away, a young woman is buying three boxes of fake wine from the store next door. Then there was a middle-aged woman who bought magnetic eyelashes in another store, and another requested reusable eyelashes that were out of stock.
A few years ago, buying, selling, and trimming eyelashes was not a busy market. Falsies are rare, and are the patent of wealthy women. Now, they seem to be unaware of social class, age or cultural restrictions, and the increasing focus on false eyelashes has made considerable profits for beauty entrepreneurs.
Njanja Kimani, the co-founder of N&K Lashes, is one of the eyelash entrepreneurs and users.
"There is one point that the cosmetics arrived and failed to be delivered. A pair of high-quality false eyelashes will completely change your appearance, from beautiful to eye-catching," she said, adding that even with little makeup, eyelashes can be extended. Give personality effortlessly.
Eyelash grafts on the market are packaged in three forms: strips, clusters or single shapes, made of mink, artificial mink and synthetic materials.
Synthetic eyelashes are made of silk fibers, thicker, more curly, fuller, affordable and eye-catching. Mink eyelashes are made of mink fur, which looks more natural.
Ms. Kimani started wearing eyelashes because her makeup artist profession required her to look alike. Unfortunately, she was unable to obtain high-quality eyelashes for her to use.
Perceiving a gap in the market, she began to import and sell mink strip eyelash extenders at a price of 1,500 shillings each, which also included glue, scissors, tweezers, mascara applicator and curling irons.
As the name suggests, striped eyelashes combine individual eyelashes into a band, which is then applied with a removable adhesive.
"They are very light and can blend into your normal hair. They are also reusable. The flexible strap makes it suitable for all eye shapes," she explained.
Her clients are women from all walks of life, from college students and corporate women to brides and party attendees.
Banded eyelashes must be worn and removed daily. Therefore, the wearer must master the skills of putting on and taking off eyelashes to prevent damage to real eyelashes and purchase eyelashes.
Thanks to the YouTube tutorial, most of Ms. Kimani's clients already understand this process.
For those who may not have time, using single eyelashes is a popular choice. Cindy Njoroge, founder of Karey Lashes Kenya, repaired a single eyelash.
"Single eyelashes are more elegant and natural than striped eyelashes. With these lengthened eyelashes, each eyelash (silk, half-human eyelash or mink) is glued to the eyelash line with semi-permanent waterproof glue. This process usually requires two Hours, the result will last for four weeks,” said Ms. Njoroge, a six-year beautician, adding that a touch-up is needed every four weeks to maintain the appearance.
Cindy Njoroge, the founder of Kary Lashes Kenya, showed off her single eyelashes in an interview on November 19, 2021. Diana Engira | National Weather Service
When she started six years ago, eyelashes were not common. In order to get a client, she had to "do thorough advertising work."
Ms. Njoroge's business has grown during Covid-19, not only because it is a mobile salon service where she can go to the client's home, but also because she wears a mask to make her eyes the focal point of her face.
Repairing false eyelashes to extend eyelashes is nothing new. Beauty trends can be traced back to the Hollywood glamour of the 1930s and 1940s and are now making a comeback. There was a time when women thought that natural appearance was more sexy, but nowadays few women do not pretend to attend a dinner or party.
For two years, Tracy Obinju has been wearing a pretense and discovered it through YouTube.
She said that she uses eyelash extensions to increase the volume and length of short eyelashes.
"This is the next natural thing. Eyelashes are the icing on the cake; a bridge from a great to an exciting look," she said.
Depending on the desired appearance, there are many factors to consider when choosing the correct appearance. Curl, volume, length and reusability.
The volume varies from smallest to largest, and is defined by the number of individual eyelash extensions gathered together. The larger the cluster, the larger the volume, ranging from 5 mm to 18 mm.
The beauty industry has made great contributions to the development of Kenya. Globally, the market value of false eyelashes in 2021 is 1.4 million U.S. dollars (157 million shillings) and is expected to reach 2 million U.S. dollars (225 million shillings) by 2028.
Ms. Kimani sells four pairs of eyelashes a day on average, while Ms. Njoroge requires an appointment to meet up to 14 customers per week. The initial fee is between 5,000 and 7,000 shillings, and the subsequent contact fee is half price-UPS.
In addition, the demand for eyelashes has also stripped away related industries, such as eyelash brushes and cleansers, eye sensitive adhesives, eyeliner and false mascara.
What is behind the increasing acceptance of this beauty product?
Ms. Njoroge pointed out the empowerment of women. Unlike previous modesty that meant walking around wearing zero makeup and unflattering clothing, women today want to look prettier and more feminine, so they invest in things that support the achievement of these goals.
Cindy Njoroge, the founder of Kary Lashes Kenya, showed off her single eyelashes in an interview on November 19, 2021. Diana Engira | National Weather Service
As people’s awareness, accessibility, and universal acceptance of these beauty trends have increased, this trend has proliferated, making them a way of life.
One of Ms. Njoroge's clients is gospel artist Shiku Gachengo, who spends 4,000 shillings on eyelashes a month.
"I have loose eyelashes in my life. Seven months ago, I stumbled on false words. Before I discovered them, I didn't know I needed them. Now they are just a part of me, they are what I need," she said .
For older women, eyelash grafting can eliminate the impact caused by the ruthless passage of time.
"They make a person look younger because they increase the volume and length of a person's natural eyelashes, and they are discreet," Ms. Njoroge added.
For young women looking for a bold, dramatic look, they can create this effect by placing eyelashes.
This is how Sheila Kaberi looks when she wears her eyelashes. In her series, she has 3D, 6D and 8D striped eyelashes, and the price is between 200 and 1,500 shillings. She learned all about eyelashes from YouTube videos.
"They are not as heavy as people think, and they will not hinder my eyesight," said Ms. Kaberi, a student and makeup artist, even though they were "dirty and smelly" at first. "Without them, I think something is missing."
For busy women, eyelash extension can greatly reduce the time spent on makeup.
Ms. Gachego chose single eyelashes because they look natural, comfortable and easy to take care of, and can effortlessly create a "wake up and go" lifestyle.
The temporary nature of eyelashes also makes them attractive. If you don't like this look, you can change it or remove the eyelashes altogether.
In addition to the initial investment in buying them, they must also be kept fake to make them look neat and appropriate and to avoid infection.
“The peeled eyelashes should be washed and cleaned with warm water and a mascara brush,” Ms. Kimani explained.
"For example, a pair of mink eyelashes can be worn up to 25 times if they are properly maintained."
As for individual eyelashes, once fixed, avoid water, moisturizer and any type of oil for two days. Brush your eyelashes once or twice a week.
"If it is done by a well-trained technician, there is no risk of infection," Ms. Njoroge said.
"The eyelashes are here to stay. I should say that eyelashes are very addictive. Once you start, you will never look back," Ms. Gachengo said.
"I compared the before and after photos of my eyelashes. This is the look you want to keep," she said.