Many retailers, such as Lilly Lashes and Tatti Lashes, use mink fur on their false eyelashes because they say they are very fluffy, lightweight and comfortable.
Mink lashes
are often sold as “100 percent cruelty-free” or “safely collected on a farm” or even “taken only after brushing the mink”. Did you know that your false eyelash extensions are made with the hair of an adorable mammal called mink? And no, they are not by-products nor are they free from animal cruelty. In fact, more than 50 million minks are raised around the world every year, mainly because of their fur.Sugarlash PRO mink eyelash extensions have a natural semi-matte finish that mimics the appearance of natural eyelashes and an extremely lightweight body. Mink lashes are thinner than other types of eyelash extensions and are commonly used in volume sets because they are so lightweight. They are tapered for most of the body of eyelash extensions, so each eyelash is up to 30% lighter than a silk eyelash extension. Sought after because of their extremely natural look, mink lashes are perfect for people who want natural-looking sets of lashes, people with very fine natural eyelashes and sets of volume or megavolume.
The term “mink lashes” refers to eyelash extensions made with a synthetic material called PBT. Mink and other animals on fur farms are often killed with the cheapest methods available, including gassing them, poisoning them, or beating them to death. In any case, mink lashes are very unlikely to come from “brushing”, and much more likely that they were obtained from animals that were killed for their fur. This means that the expensive fur coats in your closet and that pile of makeup brushes on your dresser are also possibly made of mink fur.
What makes mink lashes — by definition a toiletries item — an even more questionable purchase is the fact that European minks are in serious danger of extinction. Many people who love the look of false eyelashes have no idea that what they're wearing is actually mink fur. Thanks to their base, flat lashes look much thicker than silk or mink, and look more spectacular than any other type of eyelash. Like silk and mink lashes, flat lashes are made with PBT, however, they have a unique flat base that places them in a category of their own.
Mink, silk and genuine leather eyelash extensions are the most common in the industry and differ from each other in texture, appearance and weight. If you compare silk and mink lashes of the same thickness, you'll notice that silk lashes look softer and softer and result in a more natural look. This flat shape allows eyelash extensions to truly adapt to natural lashes, allowing for longer retention than mink lashes.
