Eyelashes are short hairs which grow on upper and lower eyelids. Their length ranges from 6 to 12 millimeters (with more lashes and longer hairs on upper lids). Eyebrows are short hairs as well yet they are situated in the eye area above the eye sockets. What do people need lashes and brows for? What functions do they fulfil?
What do we need lashes for?
Long, curled, voluminous lashes are the dream of all women. Originally, they perform a protective function. Eyelashes:
- reduce the airflow
All mammals have damp eyes because they contain tear film which protects them, delivers nutrients and refracts the light to enable clear vision. Unfortunately, the air flow might cause the overproduction of eye dampness, which exposes eyes to the outside elements such as dust or sand. Eyelash can be called a shield – too bad, this shield is not airtight enough; still, it reduces the amount of air transferred to the eyeball. Lashes play a key role – test results show that eyelashes are usually one-third of an eye’s width in mammals; - keep moisture in
Eyelashes maintain the proper level of hydration in your eyes by reducing the amount of the air which gets inside. Moreover, they prevent sweat and rain from getting inside the eye. It is possible thanks to the shape of lashes; - filter out the sunlight
Too much of the sunlight is dangerous for eyes. Even though eyelashes don’t filter out all sunrays, they help protect the eyes from the sun overexposure; - signalize danger
The function of lashes can be summed up using a comparison to a cat’s whiskers: they let the brain know that something dangerous might happen in a moment. This is confirmed by the unconditioned response of closing the eyes when something is getting close to lashes.
There’s also some magic connected with lashes… Some people believe that they can make use of a fallen lash. How? You take the lash, throw it over your shoulder and make a wish. Why don’t you try it? There’s nothing to lose, right? Incentive for the non-believers: since fragile lashes play such an important role – protecting the eyes and eyesight – they must have some power.
What do people need eyebrows for?
Brows fulfil the same role: protect the eyes. However, they protect them mostly from water. Thanks to their shape, water settling on the forehead flows down the temples and cheeks, avoiding the eyeballs. Are there any other functions eyebrows play?
Eyebrows fulfil a significant role in communication as they reflect speakers’ feelings and emotions – a given shape is a nonverbal expression of the feelings. Eyebrows either confirm our statements or contradict them. Whatever our brows do, they do it honestly. It is not good news for people who tell blatant lies or avoid telling the truth not to hurt somebody’s feelings.
Lashes & brows. How do they affect your good looks?
Women have been aware of the power of lashes and brows for a very long time. When you meet someone new, you pay attention to nothing but the eyes first. It turns out that the iris is not the most eye-catching element of the eye area. It is the lash and brow line.
Full, long, curled up lashes look great – no doubts about it. That is why women do their best to extend, thicken and lift them up. They reach for a lash curler, false lash extensions or professional lash products and treatments. However, if you give it some thought, it seems quite funny: women do lots of things to beautify their lashes and brows but keeping eyes safe and healthy is the reason Mother Nature gave them to us. Will lash extension or volume increase the protective power of lashes? Obviously, asking this question doesn’t make much sense nowadays.
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