I had fake eyelashes, bleach blonde hair and extensions - but I ditched it all for a glow-down and I'm happier than ever
British content creator Georgie McKenzie took to her TikTok @georgiemckenzie_ to show off her low maintenance transformation.
In a clip, which has racked up over 18,000 views, the beauty shared before and after snaps from her 'glow-down'.
The first picture showed Georgie with bleach blonde hair, fake tan and thick black eyelashes.
She wrote: 'I spent so long covering myself up with blonde hair extensions and massive eyelashes that I almost forgot the real me.'
In the second snap Georgie can be seen with her natural brunette locks, no hair extensions or false eyelashes and minimal makeup.
The TikToker, who often shares lifestyle Vlogs on her page, wanted to enhance her natural beauty, rather than covering it up.
Her aim was to promote the idea of 'less is more' and going back to what you naturally look like, however she admitted her 'Botox was staying.'
Many were so impressed with her 'glow-down' they rushed to the comments to leave their own thoughts.
One person said: 'Oh you are STUNNING.' Another added: 'BREATHTAKING.'
Someone else said: 'So real for the Botox, also absolutely gorgeous! Feel like all of us girls need go through this stage at some point, it matures you for the better when you learn to love your real self.'
A fourth added: 'I LOVE this trend. You look stunning girl.'
Voluptuous eyelash extensions were a hot beauty trend until recently, but now Gen Z-ers are taking to social media to describe their regret over 'eyelash blindness'.
Women from all over the world have recently taken to TikTok to share their moments of clarity after realising that they were 'blind' to the fact that their very long and thick eyelashes were OTT.
The videos shared appear alongside the viral TikTok song Gnarls Barkley - Crazy cover by Stephen Glickman, that includes the lyrics 'I remember when I lost my mind...' to emphasise the moment of 'blindness'.
One American TikToker was seen shaking her head in shame as she showed off her new natural eyelashes before revealing her previous look, featuring extremely thick and long extensions.
Eyelash extensions skyrocketed in popularity with many opting for the semi permanent treatment to save themselves applying mascara, or applying daily false lashes.
Another US based TikTok fan shared a video of her 'eyelash blindness' sharing the heavy make-up and thick dramatic lashes she wore on her wedding day.
She's since realised she's not a fan of the dramatic look and got rid of her big extensions.
Usually, those who wear extensions will have synthetic, faux mink, or silk fibres attached each eyelash strand.
The treatment can be customisable and clients can opt for either a very natural or more dramatic look.
A full set of eyelash extensions can include around 80-150 individual strand glued to the upper eyelash - unlike strip lashes which are usually used for just a day.
According to a report by Luxe Cosmetics, the US eyelash extension market was valued at $1.36 billion in 2020 but the growing popularity of the beauty treatment means this is expected to rise to $2.31 billion in 2028.
This will reflect growth of 6.9 per cent suggesting while some are rejecting their old luscious lashes, the industry is still expected to grow.
Similarly, the UK beauty and personal care industry has been rapidly increasing in recent years, outpacing many other sectors in the retail industry.
It was set to be worth £26.7 billion in 2022, an impressive increase from 2020 figures.
The blog also highlighted a large increase in companies with 'lash' in their names suggesting that there has been a rise in expert technicians in the last few years to manage growing demand.
The use of the term 'lashes' grew from three in the 2000s to 1,350 in the 2010s.
However, experts have previously urged eyelash addicts to act with caution when considering whether they should get the treatment.
Many who have been unaware of the dangers of extensions, or haven't known the proper care they need, have ended up with nasty infections.
Some have even ended up with mites in their false lashes.
A quick search under the #lashmites hashtag onTikTok reveals hundreds of posts, highlighting people who slept in their mascara and woke up with a condition known as blepharitis, which can cause everything from swollen eyelids and scabs to the appearance of tiny mites.
Often, people will try to avoid washing their lashes after getting extensions in a bid to keep them on for longer - but this is usually what leads to damage.
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