How to Get Runway-Ready Lashes—With or Without Eyelash Extensions

1. THE TREND: BOLD EYELASHES

If there's one thing we noticed again and again at New York Fashion Week, it was the emphasis on bold, dramatic eye makeup. Though the eponymous cat eye trend took center stage at the tents, there's no better enhancement to a dark line than bold eyelashes.

2. THE INSPIRATION: PETER SOM

For his Fall 2014 collection, Peter Som went for a darker look than usual, from the blue, grey and black color palette to the messy, slept-in tresses to the bold eye makeup. Som paired dark, smoky eye makeup and pronounced lashes with an almost-nude lip and soft brows, further emphasizing the eyes.

3. THE TIP: A TRIPLE THREAT

To achieve runway-inspired eyelashes at home, Pierre Michel Salon make up artist Stacey Menzer recommends a three-step process starting with an eyelash primer. Her personal favorite? Tarte's multiplEYE Lash Enhaing Primer. "It always helps to condition lashes and give a little extra length, as well as volume," she says.

After applying primer, Menzer suggests using two different mascaras to properly address both eyelash volume and length. "Start by choosing a product made strictly for volume and wiggling it around from the root to the tip of the eyelash," Menzer says. "Next, re-touch lashes with a mascara made for length, making sure to pay attention to the corner of the eyes to give it that cat-eye boost."

For volume, Menzer relies on Too Faced's Better Than Sex Mascara, and for lengthening, she turns to Benefit's They're Real-a mascara with a rubber applicator that prevents clumping.

Pictured: multiplEYE Lash Enhancing Primer, $22, Tarte, tartecosmetics.com. Better Than Sex Mascara, $23, Too Faced, toofaced.com. They're Real! Mascara, $23, Benefit, benefitcosmetics.com.

4. THE TREATMENT: EYELASH EXTENSIONS

If you want bold eyelashes without using a slew of products, there is another option-eyelash extensions, which come in a variety of lengths, thicknesses, and even colors. "The treatment makes your eyes look bigger and brighter," says Monika Crouch, a makeup artist and eyelash extension specialist at Pierre Michel Salon, "enhancing the eye while eliminating the need to put mascara on."

The eyelash extension treatment takes about two hours while artificial hair is glued to each individual eyelash, and can be customized to create different looks. "One client could have a cat-eye with longer lashes on the outside corner," says Crouch, "while another can have a doll-eye with longer lashes in the center."

The process is completely safe, as many salons like Pierre Michel buy FDA-approved glue made in the United States, and utilize a hair-to-hair application process where the glue never even touches the skin. Eyelash extensions need to be touched-up every two to three weeks, and Crouch recommends getting an entire application re-done every two months. A full eyelash application costs about $350, and touch-ups run for about $100.

MORE ON DUJOUR:

A Miracle Primer to Destroy Dark Circles
The Low-Down on Bronde, the Hair Color of the Season
How to Get the New Must-Have Nail Shape