You guys, these feelings and thoughts you’re having…I’ve been there. I’m in the shower, I’m washing my lashes like my lash artist told me to and there it goes, a fallen lash, maybe even two, OR THREE. I hold back tears, trying to figure out how much money just fell off my face and down into the shower drain. WHY would she tell me to wash my lashes when all that happens is this tragedy of losing lashes?! Don’t worry friends, it’s NOT the cleansing. I’m here to tell you some tips on how to maintain your lashes in between appointments for the best retention ever!
1. Cleanse your lashes regularly! Ever heard of lash mites? Well let me tell you, they are a real thing. Real creepy, real crawly, disgusting lash mites. They feed off of dead skin cells, hormones and oil by burrowing head first into the lash hair follicle and, if too many mites burrow into the same follicle, lashes tend to slide out very easily. In severe cases, lash loss and/or eye infections can occur! Taking thirty seconds to cleanse your lashes daily is so important for the health of the natural lash and takes away the dinner those lash mites are hoping to find. A clean lash is a happy lash, and a happy lash will hold your extension as long as its growth cycle was meant to! Bonus pro tip- When you do find lashes falling out when you cleanse, examine closely to see if a natural lash is attached to the extension. If so, the natural lash was due to shed that day anyhow and you just helped it along. If there isn’t a natural lash attached and it continues to happen that way, contact your lash artist to find out why you may be having premature lash extension loss as they should mostly always fall out with the natural lash attached.
2. Brush your lashes daily! Brushing out your lashes daily will fluff them out and keep them looking flawless! When you brush your lashes, you lower the chance of your lashes clumping together, making them harder to clean and collect bacteria, etc. It’s not ideal to brush them when they are wet as your hair follicles are more vulnerable which can cause the lash to fall out prematurely. Brushing your lashes daily will also keep them from twisting and drooping, causing tension on the natural lash, and then premature shedding.
3. Be mindful of the heat! Now, I’m not talking about the sunshine or hot yoga; I’m talking hair dryers, stoves tops and ovens. Exposing your lashes to extreme heat will cause your lashes to lose their curl and singe the extensions. Avoid using your hair dryer to dry your lashes, patting them dry with a towel is the best method. Don’t stick your face in the oven heat right as you open the door and be careful of the heat from boiling water or stovetop cooking.
4. Invest in extension safe makeup! Hopefully you won’t feel as if you need mascara on a daily basis (in truth, I only use it if I’m almost due for my next touch up appointment and I have a big event), but for the chemistry of keeping your lashes lasting a nice long time, use mascara and liner created specifically for lash extensions. Mascara is not recommended for daily wear because like any wear and tear on the lashes, the more pulling and applying of a sticky substance, the more likely it is to loosen the bond of the adhesive. When it comes to liner, I recommend placing tiny dots in between each lash on the lash line. It will multiply the look of each row of lashes for a dense, lush lash line (try to say that 5 times fast!). You’d be amazed at what just a few dots of color can do!
5. See your well qualified lash artist regularly! When you push the limits to your next appointment, whether by choice or life just getting in the way, realize that the longer you’re away, the fewer lashes you have to start your appointment. If you want a really full lash line but it’s been four weeks and you only schedule an hour appointment, you’re setting yourself up for lash disappointment. Know that each fill appointment will differ and the reason is hair growth cycles and lash sheds are real! Our hair and lashes grow in a cycle. Every 6-8 weeks we tend to go through a shedding where you see an increase in lashes with the natural lash attached falling out.
Final thoughts- I beg you to keep open communication with your lash artist. Be sure to investigate where your lash artist was trained so you can be confident he/she is applying lash extensions safely and with proper sanitization practices.
I swear to you—I had a lash artist tell me they gained their skills by “learning on Youtube.”
If you are having retention issues, don’t be afraid to KINDLY let your lash artist know. Every lash adhesive and aftercare instruction may be very specific and differ between lash artists. Lashes are life and an investment, so do all you can to protect them!
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