When her fiance was asked if he noticed any difference he replied, "No, but if it makes her happy then that's enough. But I think it takes too long," he added at the beginning of his three-hour wait.
Perming eyelashes originated in Korea a decade ago, but it never reached the level of popularity there that it has in Taiwan. It is also a relatively new phenomenon in Japan, according to Makae, who added that her friends have it done whenever they come from Japan to visit.
The process takes 45 minutes to one hour and lasts six to eight weeks. Depending on the salon, it costs between NT$400 and NT$800. A small, white tube is fitted around the upper and bottom eyelashes and a diluted perm solution is applied to the tips.
According to Lee, perming does not make the lashes weaker and it is safer than using a metal eyelash curler, which pulls the lashes at the roots and can cause them to break or fall out.
The downside to perming eyelashes, however, is that it makes them appear shorter than before. To get longer, curlier and fuller lashes, they need to be fake, said Lee, who added that more women are opting for fake eyelashes instead of perming.
In the past, synthetic lashes were glued onto the eyelid and could easily cause infection, but now they are attached to a person's real lashes and can last up to three months.
The technique has proven popular and since its introduction on the Taiwan market from America less than a year ago the number of clients wanting fake eyelashes has doubled.
NT$1,500 and one hour later, Hsu Hsing-hsien's (
"It looks natural, right?" Hsu asked, adding, "I think it looks good, I look good."
Her eyelashes might be artificial but her happiness is real.
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