Let’s just come right out and say it: lash extensions ain’t cheap. They’re a luxury service! Women feel luxurious, fancy, extra, and beautiful when wearing them. So given the cost, it would make sense to keep them looking as good as possible, for as long as possible, right? Read on for the top 8 habits you can start right now to make your lash extensions last.
Cleanse daily. The purpose of eyelashes is to trap debris and protect our eyes. Our eyelids have tiny oil ducts that produce sebum. The combination of those two features? Buildup that can eat away at the adhesive of your lash extensions! I know it sounds gross. But if you add makeup to that equation, its a recipe for poor retention (and possible infection). Cleanse daily with a lash-safe cleanser like Lash Affair TLC - it contains natural tea tree oil to help stave off nasty infections and keep your lashes healthy. No baby wipes, no Neutrogena (or any brand you have to shake to mix), no baby shampoo - Neighbor Nancy may claim, “Those things are fine on MY lashes!”, but trust me - they’re not!
Avoid touching/picking/rubbing your eyes and lashes. Actually, avoiding touching your face in general is a best practice, as our hands are extremely germy and contain oils that can affect lash life, make us sick, or cause breakouts.
Avoid oily makeup and waterproof mascara/eyeliners. Oil is the enemy of extensions! Waterproof makeup requires extensive scrubbing to remove on lashes without extensions - it’s nearly impossible to remove from lashes with extensions! Sometimes, though, especially when you’re overdue for a fill, a lash safe mascara applied just to the tips of your extensions can “lock” them in place so they’re not twisting. The Best one to use: Lash Affair’s lash-safe mascara - it rinses clean, and doesn’t leave residue behind!
Brushing lashes throughout the day keeps them straight and helps the natural shedding process take place. We all shed 3-8 natural lashes each day; gently brushing them out with the spoolie wand provided helps the loose lashes shed away, which allows healthy new growth to push through behind it. Just a couple times per day works great for this.
Sleeping on your face is a good way to snag your lashes and pull them out while you sleep. Try sleeping on your back, or prop your face away from your pillow. Better yet, use a sleeping mask like these!
Are you a cryer? (If we weren’t before 2020, I bet a lot more of us are now!) Rinse tears away with water afterwards. Tears have proteins and salts that can eat away at the adhesive; letting tear residue sit on your lashes for very long or a lot can be damaging.
Gyms may be closed, but if you’re still able to work up a good sweat, that sweat can affect lash life. Like tears, sweat includes proteins and oils that are no good for lash life. Not to worry though, just rinse them with water when you’re done with your sesh and they’ll be fine!
Last but not least… get regular fills! Most lash-wearers need fills every 2-3 weeks. Going longer can be damaging, and here’s why: your lashes are constantly growing. As your lashes grow, the extension grows out with it. That weight gets placed further and further out on the length of the lash, which is what causes flopping and painful twisting. When your extensions are so grown out that they start to twist, the twisting can pull out your natural lash (or at the very least, create micro-tears at the base). Do yourself a favor and don’t push it. I know a lot of women do, due to cost, but it’s not worth it in the long run.
The long term health of your natural lashes is really what these habits come down to. If you decide, 5-10 years down the road, to stop getting extensions (gasp! did I just say that!), you don’t want to look in the mirror and have 3 lashes left. Extensions are a luxury investment. Take utmost care while you have them, and you’ll be rewarded for years.
Of course, finding a licensed, professional lash artist with plenty of experience is the other side of this coin. Stay tuned for my next post, where we will talk about the things to look for in a good lash artist so you don’t end up with disaster lashes!
