Silk vs Faux Mink Lashes

As a lash technician, you’re probably well aware of the controversy surrounding mink lashes. In recent decades, there has been growing demand to end the use of mink fur to produce eyelash extensions due to its role in animal cruelty, yet some retailers still continue to use the fur, with many marketing their mink lashes as ‘cruelty free’.

A  report by Glamour magazine last year found that, despite a number of brands claiming that their product is ‘cruelty free’ due to them simply collecting mink hair that has shed naturally to create their lashes, this isn’t the case. The issue, animal rights' campaigners argue, is the conditions in which minks are kept, making it impossible for mink lashes to ever truly be cruelty free.  

As a result of increased consumer awareness, many eyelash extensions wholesalers (such as London Lash) have worked hard to create genuinely cruelty free faux mink lashes, all while maintaining the same fluffy appearance of the real deal. We take a look at two of the most popular mink lash alternatives on the market: faux mink lashes and silk lashes. 

What Are Faux Mink Lashes?

Let’s take it back to the basics. Faux mink lashes are a vegan friendly, cruelty free alternative to mink lashes, designed to replicate the quality and weightlessness of real mink fur. 

What Are Faux Mink Lashes Made Of?

They're a premium type of synthetic lash made from manmade fibres called PBT. Not only are faux mink lashes great for those who want to avoid real mink lashes for ethical reasons, they’re also ideal for those who suffer allergies to fur. 

What is the Difference Between Faux Mink and Silk Lashes?

Silk lashes are a mid-weight type of eyelash extensions and are made from a synthetic based silk fibre. They tend to be more natural looking than faux mink lashes - at London Lash, our range of Chelsea Silk Lashes have a more matte finish, whereas our range of Mayfair Faux Mink lashes have a bolder, shinier finish.

 

 

Both silk lashes and faux mink lashes can be used in both Classic and Volume lash sets - it simply depends on what you prefer. Some lash technicians prefer using our Mayfair Faux Mink lashes to create fans, as the strip that they arrive on is a little less sticky than the Chelsea silk lashes. 

Do Faux Mink Lashes and Silk Lashes Come in a Variety of Thicknesses, Lengths and Curls?

Yep! Our faux mink Mayfair eyelash extensions are available in thicknesses ranging from 0.03 to 0.20, while our silk Chelsea lashes start from 0.04 and again go all the way up to 0.20. Both types of lashes similarly come in a range of different curls and lengths, it just depends on the overall finish you wish to achieve. 

Which Lasts Longer: Faux Mink Lashes or Silk Lashes?

As long as your lash pretreatment routine is up to scratch, you'll find that lash retention with either of these types of eyelash extensions is superb. Both silk and faux mink lashes should last up to 8 weeks, but again this all depends on whether you follow a proper pretreatment routine and how well your clients take care of their lashes/at which stage of their natural lash cycle they are at.

Funnily enough, a huge disadvantage of real mink lashes is that they can withstand far less than synthetic lashes. Real mink lashes do not stay curled, meaning this is something you have to stay on top of yourself while wearing them - not ideal if you're getting eyelash extensions for their low maintenance nature! 

Similarly, you have to take extra care not to get them wet, as this can rapidly decrease their longevity and increases the chances of you getting eye infections such as blepharitis due to not cleaning your lashes! 

Are Silk Lashes Cruelty Free?

As with faux mink lashes, silk lashes are made from a synthetic fibre. This makes them completely cruelty free and animal friendly! 

Lashes made from actual silk are extremely rare, almost all of the silk lashes on the market are made from this synthetic silk fibre.