*UPDATED: October 2020*
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Today, I am breaking from my typical blog post topics and bringing you a beauty product review. This is not a sponsored post – I purchased this product from the NYK1 website and paid the listed offer price, less 10% with the use of an affiliate code courtesy of my friend Linda.
I have 2 objectives with this review:
- To express what I think about this product based on my 2 month experience of using it
- To request that the company NYK1 send the ‘Lash Force brow and lash serum’ to selected UK based Black Bloggers (Beauty & otherwise) to sample and review
My nominations are:
- @moormela – Tosin & Grace #moormuas
- @davia.courteney – Davia Courteney Bennett, Founder of @_werbeauty
- @thekarenarthur – Karen Arthur, Designer
- @tonikemi – Antonia Kemi Omisesan, Makeup Artist
- @autistictyla – Tyla Grant, Autism Advocate, Fundraiser
- @detailorientedbeauty – Arly, Writer & Content Creator
Why Lash Force?
I placed an order for this lash serum in May 2020 after reading Linda’s review following 2 months of consistent use. At that point the world had been in lockdown for 2 months and my lash extension infill appointment had been in mid-February – so my lash extensions had all fallen off and my natural lashes were looking rather… sparse and tired:
These “before” photos were taken on the day I first unscrewed the cap on the lash serum. I had already applied a layer of the serum before remembering to take a photo (it even reminds you to do so in the instruction leaflet, so just do it – you won’t regret it).
Who is NYK1?
I knew nothing about the NYK1 brand to be honest – probably because I’m not a beauty blogger. I only knew what Linda had mentioned in her review – she mentioned something about it being created and sold by a small family-owned UK based beauty company – I didn’t realise until it arrived through my door that NYK1 are actually based down the road in Wakefield. Awesome, I thought this counts as “Shopping Local”. I think they have other cult beauty products in their range but I don’t know what they are. My priority is my eyelash growth (and my eyebrows) because I don’t wear makeup anymore since having my first child. I now mostly see it as a complete waste of my SLEEP time to be applying, blending, drawing, brushing, dusting various cosmetics onto my epidermis when I could be in my bed (and don’t even get me started on brush washing). BUT… if you have a product that will allow me to enhance my eyelashes or eyebrows – and STILL allow me to have a lie-in, then you have piqued my interest and I will be investing time and money to try it.
I’m NOT a Beauty Blogger
Did I mention yet that I am not a beauty blogger? I just needed to make that super clear so we all understand each other. Okay, so I ordered the Lash Force serum directly from the NYK1 website. They also have an official store on Amazon – I guess that would help *actual* beauty bloggers who will sensibly post a link to the listing using the Amazon Associates program and earn a minuscule commission (I’m currently trying to wean myself off Amazon dependency – but this is not the time or place to go into that political rant). Delivery was as speedy as can be expected given pandemic standards. I did find it a little underwhelming to receive. Not that I was expecting a confetti cannon and singing telegram with it (although that would be amazing) – just that since I was really looking forward to trying it, and it arrived looking exactly like every other parcel I had ordered that week (not gonna lie – there were more), it was just a bit anticlimactic to open the parcel to find a slightly squished silver cardboard box, with an ever so slightly blurry printed instruction leaflet within.
Did I read the leaflet? No, not really. I saw the pictures, skimmed through the directions and glanced at the precautions, then went straight ahead with unscrewing the nicely weighted silver tube and began slathering the serum on my eye lines. I used Linda’s preferred method since she has hooded eyelids like mine – so with one hand I lifted my eyelid, and using my dominant hand I dab/lined the serum under my top lash line, only just avoiding the water line. And then because the lashes on my inner and outer eye are particularly small and wispy, I doubled up* the serum on those areas. As an after thought I then lightly line my lower lashes and drew some of the serum on my brows too – but not a lot as I was prioritising lash growth and was having slight misgivings about the hygiene and risk of cross contamination of using the same applicator and product on both my brows and lashes in one application (I even thought to myself that maybe I should have two tubes – one for eyes, one for brows, but that’s not a very Yorkshire way to spend). Then, I sat myself in front of a mirror to take pictures and scrutinised every single lash as the serum dried. I think I was hoping for some sort of Magic Beanstalk effect.
At this point I think I finally read through both sides of the instruction leaflet, noticing the precautionary note that some irritation and sensitivity is possible as the serum works by stimulating the cells around the eyelash line. Although irritation and sensitivity is actually a sign that the ingredients are working, it’s obviously not good for you and your eyes. So note to self: *Don’t overdo the application (more on this later). You should be able to tap on the above image and be able to pinch and zoom in to read the ingredients list if you want to double check for any specific allergens, or just out of scientific interest.
The First Two Weeks
During those first few days I was obsessively pulling and stretching and scrutinising my eyelids each time I passed a mirror. If I had felt it possible, I would have counted my lashes. I kinda wish I did. I was convinced that there really had been a Magic Beanstalk effect on my lashes by day 2. So on day 6 of application, I sent photos to Linda to confirm or deny the difference that I truly believed had happened.
Linda confirmed: She could definitely see a difference. So from there on in I followed the most diligent lash care regime I have ever known – generously using day and night after my regular skincare routine by lining my lash line delicately with the brush, and then smushing the excess serum from the applicator “stem” into my brows. After all, if I could see effects within the first 2 days of beginning application, then what results could be achieved in 2 months?!
By two weeks I was obsessed with the new lash growth on the inner lash line near the tear ducts. They had gone from sadly weak, to visibly stronger. For the first time in nearly a decade I allowed my mind to consider the idea of mascara. If you are also examining these pictures to notice any difference in brow growth it is important to note that I continued regularly tinting my brows using my henna-jagua blend which gives a deeper brow colour for around 10 days. You should be able to notice some of this brow tint in the progress photos.
Side Effects
After one month of usage I was loving the effects of the serum. My lashes were not only longer, but they felt stronger, with greatly improved lash retention and new growth. I was also able to pinpoint the following side effects from using the serum:
- Sensation of dryness, and increased sensitivity around the lash line – as though the delicate skin around my lash line had been over-rubbed (like after a long day of wearing eye make-up and contact lenses, and you have thoroughly wiped off all cosmetics with make-up remover). Bear in mind that I still hadn’t been wearing any make-up, so if you regularly apply eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, etc, I don’t know what you might experience with this increased sensitivity around the lash lines.
- Dark skin tone around the lash line. The instruction leaflet does highlight that this is a possible side effect, and after some research online I also learned that this is a result of increased blood flow to the lash line, stimulated by the serum (common with most lash serums). I rarely have darkness around my eyes due in large part to some amazing genes in my family, so to see myself with dark eyes was a first. I figured this would be a good time to buy mascara since any mascara rub around my eye would be less noticeable on the discoloured skin.
- Eyes stinging after application. This side effect didn’t start until after 7 weeks of using the serum and I attribute this to my heavy handed application. On most days I would even double up on the serum whilst it was drying. I couldn’t see any point in exercising restraint because it was working so well for me – it’s working therefore Must. Use. MORE. But, due to the stinging sensation in my eyes, I was forced to just night time usage to allow time for my eyes to recover.
Mascara Play!
I’m not known for being a particularly patient person, so I did two things once I realised I could consider mascara use. Firstly, I picked up the cheapest mascara I could find ASAP on my annual Sainsbury’s trip to stockpile Super Facialist Vitamin C cleansing oil while it was on it’s annual price reduction (once again, please remember that I am not a beauty blogger). It turns out that the very cheapest mascara in Sainsbury’s is £5. I somehow managed to resist the urge to use the car vanity mirror to immediately whack it on my newly enforced lashes. Secondly, I also researched mascaras for Chinese lashes which are notoriously fine and straight. There’s truly a gazillion options when it comes to mascara and to be brutally honest I have no clue if there is a genuine and significant difference in terms of the science of it all other than in terms of ophthalmic healthy and safety. So, based on half-assed research via Google and skim reading reviews I opted for a fibre lash mascara and added the L’Oreal Double Extension Beauty Tubes mascara to my basket when I was doing my annual replenishment of L’anza Protein Shampoo. I know, I’m sounding more and more like a beauty blogger, but I promise you I am not a beauty blogger. Anyway, you can see the effect of both the mascaras in the photos I have added above and below. The ONE THING I will say about the L’Oreal mascara is that it is solidly waterproof and smudge proof. I was wearing this on a day when I had a particularly tough counselling session (#mentalhealth is so important so make sure you are talking about it) – it was a very tearful day. Lots of crying and nose blowing. There was still mascara on my lashes by bedtime, and there was no smudging whatsoever. I have to emphasise that I have never in my life had a mascara that did not smudge with my hooded Asian eyelids – smudging, or at the very least, smoky stains around the eyes is the norm for me so this product seriously impressed in that respect. With that in mind, this mascara has of course been known to be difficult to remove – but since you now know that I have an oil cleanser, you’ll understand why I have had no problems with removing this very hardy mascara. But I hate the style of mascara brush/wand (clumps, difficult for detailed root application). The Rimmel mascara wand was much nicer to use, so in the end I used the silicone lash wands from my appointments with Georgie. So much better.
Lash Serum vs Lash Extensions?
Having invested in regular lash extensions with my mate Georgie for nearly two years, I think it would be fair to wonder how I would compare using NYK1 Lash Force, followed by mascara, versus having Russian Volume Lashes. Truthfully? There is no comparison. Although both are treatments for lashes, it’s very difficult to compare on the same playing field since I would consider them to be complimentary treatments. You don’t need to choose one or the other, you could have both. Infact, the serum would be excellent for strengthening and retaining your natural lashes whilst they are working hard carrying lash extensions. Then you can use mascara once the extensions begin to thin out and you have an imminent infill appointment coming up. There really is no substitute for expertly crafted and applied lash extensions. They are super bougie and glam and a billion times better than wearing false lashes.
However. Under the current state of 2020 lifestyles, I have opted to not return to the salon to continue with lash extensions due to:
- Diminished cash flow – one tube of Lash Force Serum is enough for lash and brow applications for 2 – 3 months (it’s 8ml if the volume means anything to you). I can still hear the product sloshing around inside the tube, which is impressive considering I have been heavy handed with my applications for 2 months. At its currently reduced price of £37.95 (which is the equivalent price of a high quality lash extension top-up which should be taken every 6 weeks) it doesn’t take my calculation to realise I am spending less on my lashes, even after buying 2 tubes of mascara. Make sure you hunt for an affiliate code from a social media influence when you order, which will save you another 10% off that price.
- Social distancing guidelines and contamination control risks. I’m still holding off on opening up for studio henna appointments as I feel the risk of contamination is still too high, particularly as we have family members who need to be shielded. Until we have a viable vaccine, I would need to curb family visits to relatives who have desperately missed the socialisation they lost due to lockdown.
- Genuine pride and excitement in my new natural lashes. I’ve never had lashes like this, so I want to flaunt them and enjoy them and stare at them whenever I please.
The Final Results
3rd August 2020 3rd August 2020
After a month and a half usage when my eyes became sensitive to the ingredients I decided to stop applying the serum under my lash line, and continued with applying over my lash line (like applying liquid eyeliner) and it has really helped. So please note that if you have sensitive eyes, it may be best to stick with the advised application instructions, and not go rogue like I chose to.
I am SO PLEASED with the results from the Lash Force Serum. After 2 full months of consistent use my lashes are longer, thicker and have much better retention. I even enjoy the slightly darker lash line due to increased circulation there. I am so much more comfortable without lash extensions/mascara than I’ve ever been before. I will be buying it again to replenish and I will be recommending it to all my family and friends.
October 2020 UPDATE
At the end of September I ordered my second tube of Lash Force lash serum and was pleased to see that NYK1 have implemented some beautiful packaging updates!
The previous oblong black box has now been replaced by a strong, sturdy stiff card tube with lid – like a thicker cardboard version of the Lash Force tube itself. The directions are now high quality printed onto a long strip which is rolled and placed inside the cardboard tube, providing a layer of padding to the tube of serum which remains the same. It’s luxurious and feels very high end – I’ve actually kept it in my bathroom cupboard as it’s really sturdy for storage. I also have a lash update for you following 3 months of constant use, with no mascara:
2nd October 2020 2nd October 2020 2nd October 2020
And for convenience, here’s the photo of my natural lashes back in June:
3rd June 2020 3rd June 2020
<<end update>>
Now: Do you recall my 2 objectives with this review?
- To express what I think about this product based on my 2 month experience of using it. E.g Let you know how great I think this product is
- To request NYK1 send the ‘Lash Force brow and lash serum’ to selected UK based Black Bloggers (Beauty & otherwise) to sample and review
I think (1) has been well and truly covered, which just leaves (2) to be fulfilled – so what do you say, NYK1?? The ball is now in your
Once again, my nominations are:
- @moormela – Tosin & Grace #moormuas
- @davia.courteney – Davia Courteney Bennett, Founder of @_werbeauty
- @thekarenarthur – Karen Arthur, Designer
- @tonikemi – Antonia Kemi Omisesan, Makeup Artist
- @autistictyla – Tyla Grant, Autism Advocate, Fundraiser
- @detailorientedbeauty – Arly, Writer & Content Creator
And finally, a huge thank you for reading and making it this far on my overly-articulated blog post. While you are here, please consider making a donation to one or more of the following deserving organisations: