Long, voluminous lashes make you feel like a million bucks. But what about wearing them to a poolside party? Or even (gasp) washing your face? Can you safely get your eyelash extensions wet, or, like oil, do they simply not mix with water?
You’ve got questions, and the Lashify® team of lash experts has answers. We’ll give you the inside scoop on what makes lash extensions work and why getting them wet might be a bad idea. We’ll also give you some solutions to help keep them dry.
Lash Science 101
You probably don’t put a lot of thought into what makes your lash extensions work. Most of us just try to grit our teeth and survive the two-hour process of sitting in a salon chair with our eyes closed while a lash tech tediously applies extension fibers to our natural lashes.
Your extensions work by bonding to your natural lashes with an adhesive. In most salons, that adhesive will be a type of salon-grade glue, which will include ingredients like formaldehyde and cyanoacrylates (the same stuff that’s in superglue).
While these ingredients aren’t really good for your natural lashes, they do help keep the lash extension fibers in place, especially if you’re wearing volume lashes, which are applied at a 3:1 ratio (three extension fibers per natural lash).
Extensions and Water
The reason your lash tech always tells you to avoid water for 24-48 hours is that it can break down the bond between your lash extensions and natural lashes during the time when the glue is setting. Salon-grade lash glue takes time to fully set, becoming extremely hard and forming a vise-like hold on your natural lashes.
After the initial waiting period, you’re safe to get your lashes wet again, but it’s extremely important to avoid direct splashes and streams of water on your lashes. This can cause the extensions to become heavy and weigh down natural lashes, which can lead to breakage.
Lash Loss With Water
It’s not uncommon to experience lash loss if you have extensions, but you should only shed about one to five per day, along with your natural lash cycle. If you’re losing more, there could be a problem with your application, the glue the lash tech used, or your care of the extensions.
If you swim with your lash extensions or splash water on them, you’ll probably end up losing more lashes. The weight of the water pulls on the extensions, which are attached to the natural lash with an incredibly rigid glue. The extensions are inflexible, which means they can’t bend under the weight of the water.
This usually causes the extensions to pull the natural lash and break it from the root, taking your natural lash and the extension with it.
How To Be Extension Smart
You shouldn’t get your lashes fully wet, or they might break and take your natural lashes with them. Okay, got it. But how are you supposed to wash your face?
Great question. When you have salon extensions, you should follow a few rules to be “extension smart” and keep your set firmly planted on your lash line for as long as possible.
1. Avoid Water for 24 to 48 Hours
The first one to two days after your lashes have been applied are important for helping the lash glue set properly. During this time, you’ll want to avoid water in your eye area as much as possible.
To wash your face, try using a cloth or microfiber puff. The Lashify Black Magic Cleansing Puff is an expert at removing makeup, dirt, and oil from your face without getting water near your eyes.
2. Avoid Constant Streams of Water
After the setting period, you’ll still want to avoid getting sprays and streams of water (like from the shower head) directly on your lashes. Remember, water will weigh down your lash fibers and lead to breakage because of the rigidity of the lash glue used to attach your extensions.
Instead, try using a cleansing puff to gently remove eye makeup from your lids or under your eyes.
3. Just Say No to Oil-Based Makeup Removers
Oil-based makeup removers are what lash professionals use to safely loosen the lash glue bond between your lashes and your extensions. If you use oil-based makeup remover on your eyelids, it can cause your extensions to slide off sooner than you expect them to.
4. Use Protection
No, not that protection. Shower eyelash protection.
The Lashify Lashisplash™ Shower Visor is an easy way to keep your lashes safe while you shower. This clear visor fits easily over your eye area, helping keep water away and ensuring your lashes are protected. It’s reusable and, honestly, a genius solution that allows you to enjoy your shower without having to constantly remind yourself to keep water away from your eyes.
5. Swim at Your Own Risk
Technically, you can swim after your eyelash glue has set. However, if you’re swimming in a pool, you’ll be exposing your lash extensions to chlorine and other chemicals that could potentially break down your lash glue.
If you’re swimming in a pond or the ocean, the minerals in the water may also cause the glue to weaken. While it’s definitely okay to swim, keep in mind that you might have to go in for a fill sooner than you expect if you hit the pool more frequently.
How To Clean Lash Extensions
All this H20 avoidance might make you wonder how you’re supposed to care for and clean your lash extensions. After all, you don’t want them to get loaded down with debris or oil from your own skin.
You can absolutely clean your extensions. Here’s how.
Remove Your Eye Makeup
If you are wearing eyeshadow or liner, you’ll want to remove that first. Using a cotton round or a microfiber puff, gently remove your eye makeup using only water if possible. Remember, any oil-based product you use can interfere with your lash glue.
Cleanse the Lashes
Your extensions probably won’t need much cleaning, but if you end up getting makeup stuck in them, or if they begin to stick together on their own, you can clean them with a clean mascara spoolie and water.
Dip the mascara spoolie in lukewarm water and gently run it through your lash extensions. This should be enough to separate the extensions, remove any dirt and debris, and keep your lashes safe. Avoid using hot water, as that can break down the glue.
A Better Solution
If long, voluminous lashes are what you want, but without risking damage to your natural lashes from harsh glue or rigidity, we’ve got you covered. The Lashify DIY Lash Extension™ System makes it easy to nourish and strengthen your natural lashes while still getting the enhancement you want.
Bonus: If you get your Lashify Gossamer® lashes wet, there’s no reason for drama.
How Lashify Works
The Lashify system works by giving you the ability to get the same salon-quality lash extensions you love at home, saving you time and money and giving you the ability to switch up your lash style whenever you want.
Once you’ve got the Control Kit™, you’re ready to get started. The Control Kit™ includes everything you need to apply your first set of Gossamer® lashes, which are vegan, high-quality extension fibers that never weigh your own lashes down.
Unlike salon lash extensions, Gossamer® lashes are applied with underlash technology, which means you’ll adhere your Gossamer® lash extensions underneath your natural lashes instead of on top of them, helping keep your natural lashes safe from being weighed down.
Lashify Bonds
Gossamer® lashes are applied with Lashify’s bonds. Our bonds never contain any formaldehyde, cyanoacrylates, or other ingredients that could harm your natural lashes or irritate your eyes and skin. Instead, we formulate our bonds like a lash serum, with biotin and lavandula that support your natural lash growth.
Unlike salon lash glue, our bonds never fully cure, which means they are never rigid. That means your Gossamer® lashes move with your natural lashes to avoid the type of breakage that comes from inflexible glues.
What About Water?
If you get your salon lash extensions wet, you could find yourself phoning your lash tech to have another expensive fill sooner than you want to get one. With Gossamer® lashes, a little water incident is no big deal. If your Gossamer® lashes become detached, you can easily rebond them in about 30 seconds. It’s that easy.
For rebonding and aftercare tips, check out our how-to page, filled with tutorials to keep your Gossies looking amazing.
Make a Splash With Lashify
You’ve got every reason to want insanely gorgeous lashes that can take a little water action. With Lashify, you can have the lashes you want without constantly worrying about whether you’ll have to go in for a fill before your three-week mark. Lashify puts you in control of your lashes.
Sources:
Superglue injuries of the eye | PMC
The eyelash follicle features and anomalies: A review | PMC
Biotin – Vitamin B7 | The Nutrition Source | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
