Eyelash extensions are pretty low maintenance. Other than having them touched up every few weeks, there’s really not a lot you need to do to take care of them. But are you doing everything you can to make sure you’re getting the most out of your lashes? Keep on reading for my top ten tips to improve lash retention, so you can get the full benefit from your investment.
1. Go to your appointment with squeaky clean lashes.
Whether it’s your first appointment or ongoing maintenance, it’s best to come to your appointment with your face completely product free. Makeup and creams on your lashes will interfere with the adhesion of fresh extensions, and even though we cleanse and prime your lashes, a squeaky clean natural lash will always have the best “grab”. A quick swipe of a makeup wipe prior to your appointment unfortunately doesn’t cut it, so if you can, try to just be completely product free.
2. Clean your lashes.
You will receive a complimentary foamy lash cleanser at your initial appointment and be shown how to use it. Make sure to use at least once daily, usually at night in the shower is easiest, to remove any debris that has landed on your lash line throught the day. Feel free to use it in the morning when you wash your face, at the gym after a sweaty workout, or after swimming in the pool or ocean. If you wear makeup daily, you may want to use an oil-free makeup cleanser and lash friendly makeup cloth to remove your makeup, before going in for a deep clean with your cleanser.
3. Avoid oils.
Whilst you can still go ahead and use your usual skincare products when you have eyelash extensions, you do want to be careful not to get them too close to your lash line. As a general rule, anything on your eyelids below your brow bone is a no-no, as it will travel down and sit on top of your lash line throughout the day. Oil will break-down the adhesive over time, causing the extensions to “pop-off” the natural lash, rather than just grow out naturally. If you do have oily skin, feel free to cleanse your eye area a little more often to remove any natural oils.
4. Makeup.
As mentioned above, oil needs to be avoided for good retention. This means any makeup you use directly on your lash line should be oil-free, for example eyeliner and mascara. If you’re not sure about your products, please contact your lash artist, or see our range of lash-friendly makeup in the salon.
5. Brush baby brush!
Brush your lashes with your lash brush every day. Brush them in the morning to get them back into place and brush lashes after cleansing to fluff them back out. You'll get a fresh brush at every touch up appointment so you can replace the brush often.
6. Lashes are for looking at.
Try not to pick or play with your eyelash extensions. The natural oils on your fingers will get onto the adhesive, affecting retention and you will obviously risk damage to your natural lashes if you try to pull them off. Obviously rubbing your eyes is a big no-no as well.
7. It’s called maintenance for a reason..
Maintenance or 'touch-up' appointments are required at either 2 or 3 weeks. This time frame is entirely dependent on your aftercare and the growth cycle of your natural lashes. By this time around 30-40 % of your eyelash extensions will have shed with your natural lashes. Some extensions may have grown out too far and need to be removed from the natural lash to keep them healthy and new extensions will be applied to the new growth that has come through. Missing these appointments may cause damage to your natural lashes and make you an undesirable candidate for extensions.
8. Heat and Steam.
Whilst there’s no waiting period for wetting your lashes anymore, you do need to avoid steam in the first 24 hours. This means super hot showers, sauna’s and spa’s. Even opening your oven or dishwasher requires a bit of caution. Steam makes your lash follicle expand, and will cause the lash adhesive to turn brittle and pop off the natural lash. You do also need to be mindful of getting close to heat in general whenever you’re wearing eyelash extensions. Getting too close to stoves, campfires, hot hair tools and if you’re a smoker - cigarettes and lighters, will quite literally melt your lashes. They are essentially plastic after all! I’ve seen my fair share of singed eyelash extensions and unfortunately when this happens, they will need to be removed.
9. Sleeping Beauty.
Whilst you don’t necessarily need to sleep on your back every night to keep your lash retention at an all time-high, it is advised not to sleep on your face. The fabric fibres on your pillow can cause the extensions to snag and come off your natural lashes. If you feel like you’re a bit of a crazy sleeper, invest in a silk pillow case which is known to minimise the risk of snagging.
10. Communication!
Perfect lash retention is a 2-way street. If you feel like your lashes just aren’t lasting, despite following the above tips, get in touch with your lash artist. It is much easier to diagnose any potential issues when they’re aware, so never feel like you’re being a bother! A passionate lash artist will always be open for communication and do everything in their power to try and solve the problem.
So there you have it, my top 10 tips! I hope you were able to learn something new, but as always, if you have any follow up questions, don’t hesitate to leave something in the comments below or get in touch!
At Tempest and Bloom, we have a lash satisfaction guarantee. If you’re unsatisfied with the retention of your lashes, get in touch within the first 72 hours of your appointment and come in for a complimentary express fill. Sometimes no matter how good your aftercare is, there can be environmental elements that create an issue with bonding, or something on your natural lashes could be creating a barrier. After all, nothing and no one is perfect 😉
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