Chris Appleton. Nikki Wolff. Lisa Eldridge. Sam McKnight. These are all household names within the beauty industry; the hair and makeup experts whose magic has transformed the locks and looks of A-list celebrities the world over. But behind the scenes, there’s another name on every beauty insider’s lips: Camila Kirk-Reynolds.
Dubbed ‘the queen of lashes,’ Kirk-Reynolds has spent the last 17 years performing eyelash-based miracles for an impressive clientele list – including Angelina Jolie, Jessica Chastain, Naomi Campbell, and British royalty. And it was a celebrity encounter whilst working as a make-up artist on the set of The Other Boleyn Girl, starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johannson, and Kristin Scott Thomas, that first introduced her to eyelash extensions.
‘Whilst filming, I noticed that Scarlett was having her lashes tinted, Natalie was wearing mascara, and Kristin was having strip lashes made for her by hand,’ Kirk-Reynolds recalls. ‘I wanted to create something that was more than tinting, less than mascara, but not as wasteful as hand-knotting real hair strip lashes. I went on a hunt immediately after filming and found eyelash extensions, which weren’t known back in 2007.’
Fast-forward to today and getting lash extensions is as common as brow threading or getting a pedicure. But you’d be lucky to find a slot with Kirk-Reynolds (or her husband and business partner, Johan), for her not-so-common lash extension method known as Lynk-Gel; her days often begin before sunset and end well after 10pm. Still, our beauty editor snapped up a last-minute booking to ask Camilla just five questions (and of course, try these game-changing lashes for herself)…
What exactly are Lynk-Gel lash extensions and why are they better than classic lash extensions?
Lynk-Gel lashes are a game-changer if you want longer-lasting lashes. It uses safe LED to cure a gel-based adhesive that connects the extension to the natural lash for a strong, but flexible, bond. To compare, classic lash extensions cure over time using excess hydrogen in the air to form a hard, brittle plastic.
Created by the company Illumino Extensions, Lynk-Gel has been through $1.5million worth of patents and safety tests and has been proven to be safe up to a centimetre away from the eyes. With the right care, Lynk-Gel can last up to eight weeks (some clients have noted ten), while classics need infills every 2–3 weeks. The best part? There’s no downtime so you can jump in the shower or the pool straight away, and they can tolerate eye creams, powerful eye makeup removers, and other skincare.
So, what can people expect when they see you for an appointment?
The appointment begins with my client telling me what they want to achieve with their dream lashes – do you want it to look more natural, or add more definition? What sort of length and fullness are you after? This tells me whether you want Classic lashes, which use one extension per lash and looks like you’re wearing one or two coats of mascara, or Volume, which uses multiple extensions per lash for fuller-looking lashes.
Once we’ve agreed on your look and you’ve jumped into the cosy heated bed, I do a thorough cleanse of each individual lash – this is such an important step for lashes that last! I use my nifty tweezers, which have the LED light attached, to place your lashes perfectly, curing them as I go. The whole process takes between 2–3 hours, and you leave with a mini aftercare kit to help maintain your new look.
Some of your clients have been with you for 12 years. Why do you think they stick with you?
Aside from the actual lash extension process, my clients can also expect their appointment with me to be a safe space. This is something that so many of my clients value and, in fact, a client earlier today joked that she was paying me half for lashes and half for therapy! Much like a relationship with your hairdresser, my clients confide in me, except there are no listening ears in my hidden studio – it often feels like a catch-up with old friends.
‘A client earlier today joked that she was paying me half for lashes and half for therapy!’
- Camilla Kirk-Reynolds
You work with your husband – an ex-mechanical engineer who happens to be the only man in the world qualified to do Lynk-Gel. How did that happen?
It started with a bad day I was having during the pandemic, and I made a sarcastic remark about how he should try and do lashes. I didn’t think he would take it seriously, but before I knew it, he was asking me to show him how to do it. I’ve been married to him for 11 years and he’s not once expressed an interest in becoming a lash technician. You know he has a PhD in mechanical engineering and used to build fighter jets, right?
Anyway, I took down a mannequin head, showed him exactly what to do, and he mimicked me perfectly. In my whole 17 years of doing lashes, I’ve never seen someone pick up the skill so quickly. I think his incredible dexterity from being a mechanical engineer helps. I sent him off to be trained, and after a year of doing Classic lashes, he’s now the only man in the whole world qualified to do Lynk-Gel. How cool is that? He’s one of those people that’s annoyingly skilled at everything – I don’t trust anyone else to do my lashes – he’s that good!
What are your top tips for maintaining lash extensions?
Aside from the thorough cleanse at the start of your appointment, there are a few things you can do to make sure your lash extensions last. Technically, you can wear mascara or use your favourite cleansing balm, however I’d recommend avoiding this for maximum longevity. Your aftercare kit comes with a few accessories to maintain your lashes and a spoolie to brush them through and help position them perfectly (though you should only do this when needed). The best way to clean your lashes at home is with micellar water on a lint-free cotton pad.
