In a day and age where instant gratification is a way of life, why wouldn’t I want to experiment with the idea of effortless beauty? Yes, it comes at a bit of a heftier price. But perhaps that’s a price I’m willing to pay in order to have a more carefree morning as I start my day.

Time is priceless, after all.

Of course, that begs the question: Why care at all? Although completely valid, that’s a conversation for another day. But right here, right now, I want to talk about something very specific: eyelash extensions. Not to get all serious about a very non-serious topic — it’s purely cosmetic — but it’s something I’ve been contemplating for awhile.

Everyone is asked this question at least once: What’s your favorite feature about yourself? And I have to admit, I love my eyes and eyebrows. Considering how much I gripe about my thick thighs, hooked nose and all the other things I don’t like about my body, I’m damn well sure I’ll celebrate the things I do love. I don’t think that’s narcissistic at all.

That brings me back to eyelash extensions. The time it takes for me to cake on the mascara to just the amount of length and thickness I like is ridiculous. And then taking it all off at night? I’ve fallen asleep more times than I’d like to admit with it still on. I even got a nasty stye on my lid recently because of it.

But up until now, I couldn’t justify the price to get them done. That is, until I heard about Nataliya of The Beauty Studio Toronto. I can go into detail about the procedure, the materials she uses, blah, blah, blah. But what I really want to focus on is her dedication to her customers.

Charging less than half the cost of other salons, I was instantly intrigued by her particular services. A mother of three, Nataliya is all about keeping it real.

She rents a room out of a clinic in the Junction. She doesn’t have a receptionist. She uses quality products, but knows how to cut costs by not buying into the bullshit those brands try to feed her and even less suspecting consumers. With this and more in mind, it’s no wonder she’s able to charge significantly less. In fact, I think she could raise her prices and still be a bargain, but she’s loyal to her customers. That’s the impression I got meeting her only once. Talk about a good first impression.

And beyond that? Nataliya is a Skin Therapist first and foremost, but has experienced bad eyelash extensions herself in the past. So she continues to offer this cosmetic service in order to provide people with the best set they can get. She’s very passionate about what she does and it shows in her work.

We had a long discussion about the ideals of beauty during the two hours it took her to do my first ever set of eyelash extensions and it was interesting to hear her perspective. Especially when it comes to how she helps the confidence of her patients. I suggest you visit her with an open mind next time you’re considering eyelash extensions. You’ll not only walk away with amazing lashes, but perhaps a new perspective on the industry in general.