What, you think celebs such as Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton have that red- carpet-ready, come-hither look in their eyes naturally?

Think again.

The aforementioned divas are among a bevy of eye-batting celebrities who regularly report to Beverly Hills eyelash guru Dionne Phillips for eyelash extensions. Phillips owns D'Lashes, one of a growing number of salons in Los Angeles specializing in the semi-permanent procedure. "Lash extensions ... they're the new boob job," Phillips said.

With the meticulousness of a surgeon, Phillips applies individual silk eyelashes -- they look identical to real lashes -- to the client's own lashes using a medical-grade adhesive, and being careful not to make things look too perfect. "That's the secret," said Phillips, a former fashion model and makeup artist. "I customize them so they look really real, criss-crossing them so they're not so perfect."

I didn't need an esthetician to tell me my eyelashes are "short and pin straight," but that's exactly how my esthetician accurately described them. They hardly register in photos; they're so short, in fact, that mascara barely sticks to them and hardly makes a difference, anyway. So when I heard that ******* was introducing Xtreme Lashes eyelash extensions, I couldn't resist the chance to try them out, especially with the holiday party season coming.

My mother's reaction, when I told her about my plans, took me by surprise.

Until now, clear mascara was all I would submit to, or occasionally some basic black for special occasions. That's why I was somewhat wary about an offer to try semi-permanent eyelash extensions. I bit the bullet, told myself to grow up and that I was worth it, and booked the appointment.  After having them for nearly two weeks, I've gotta say, I'm hooked. Not only am I hooked, but I would go so far as to say that I am addicted. My guide through all of this tells me I'm not alone.

"I have groupies now," jokes Theresa Heer, a licensed esthetician in North Vancouver. "As you can imagine, they're addictive. I think I might have to start eyelash anonymous." Heer's clientele consists of regulars and people looking for a dramatic look for a special occasion. I opted for my trial at a time when I had a friend visiting from New York. The week promised a number of girls' nights out, concert going, fancy dinners and drinks, boutique shopping and general female bonding. The eyelashes seemed like a perfect fit for such a long weekend, and they didn't disappoint.

Scan the celebrity tabloids, flip on daytime TV or even the national news and you'll see them. Amid the amazingly ample breasts, the unlined foreheads and the full lips are sets of long, dense, fluttery eyelashes. You may cynically, and rightly, assume that implants, Botox and collagen have worked their magic on more than a few of these body parts. Guess what? The lashes are fake, too.