Back in the days of makeup’s birth, and even as it’s grown and changed through the years, certain parts of your now-daily routine weren’t as commonplace. In fact, it wasn’t until recently (by makeup’s measure) that eyelash extensions and temporary falsies were popularized and made a regular part of even the most standard makeup routine.
With the rise of social media, many things in the world of beauty have been pushed to the general public, opening eyes to certain opportunities. Lash technicians are readily available, and lash treatments are commonly found at beauty salons and spas.
Lash extensions are so widely used nowadays that you can even achieve longer and fuller lashes right from your own home. Enter, Lashify®.
We love providing people with an easy and accessible salon experience at home, and with our lashes, that’s more a reality than ever. Along with the increase in convenience and universality, however, lashes have also been more widely scrutinized and debated for various reasons. One of those reasons is the health of lash extensions.
Do they damage your real lashes? Is their impact reversible? Are they a risk to your eyes? All these questions and more are valid concerns when you’re considering a semi-permanent enhancement on one of the most sensitive areas of your face. That’s why we have all the answers for you.
If you’re on the fence about getting lash extensions for the first time, whether you’re confused about how it works or what the consequences could be, we’ve got you covered. Keep scrolling to quell all those questions inside your head and finally feel excited to try out your very own falsies. We love a guilt-free self-care moment, and in just a few minutes, you will too.
How Do Lash Extensions Work?
Let’s assume you’re a lash virgin, shall we? Better to cover all our bases than to miss one and have regrets after. We’re chasing a guilt-free self-care moment, remember?
There are two types of falsies you’re likely to encounter: temporary lashes and semi-permanent lash extensions. One is meant to be applied and removed each morning and night as you complete your daily makeup and removal routines and is meant to be totally replaced after around 15 uses. The other is applied differently, allowing them to stick around for six to eight weeks. We’ll leave it up to you to determine which is which.
With temporary lashes, the glue used to apply them is a gentler formula made of ingredients that dissolve and remove themselves quickly and painlessly. It’s important to use a makeup remover (safe for use around your eyes) to gently dissolve the lining of glue each night before you attempt to pull the lashes away.
These lashes are applied by placing a thin layer of glue along the lash band and gently situating it above the natural lash line. Usually, you’ll curl your natural lashes into the falsies for a more seamless end result.
Semi-permanent lashes are different. For them to remain on the lashes for up to eight weeks, a different kind of glue, application, and removal is required.
Applying with a fast bonding, long-lasting glue creates a natural, semi-permanent result. It’s also recommended with lashes that last this long to check up on them every two to three weeks to ensure their tip-top status.
Potential Problems With Lash Extensions
There is a right way to do anything just as much as there are risks that can come with everything. Lashes are no different.
If you truly are a lash virgin, especially with semi-permanent extensions, there are a few things to be wary of when you’re taking your first steps into your initial experience. Whether you are doing them yourself or getting them done by a lash tech, these issues can affect you, so allow us to lay them out for you before you encounter them.
The eyes are one of the most sensitive areas of the face. When you’re coming at your eyes with external variables like lash glue, you have to be careful of the placement and aftercare of your lashes. Lash glue is comprised of chemical ingredients — chemicals that have been tested and approved by the FDA — but chemicals nonetheless.
Where there are chemicals or active ingredients involved, just like in skincare products, there is the potential for allergic reactions, irritation, or even infection in serious cases. Irritation to the lashes may look like reddening of the sclera in the eye accompanied by itching, burning, or general discomfort.
In the case of an actual allergic reaction to lash glue, the skin surrounding the lashes may become swollen, red, and puffy and might come with some flaking or lesions around the reactive skin. Infection is the worst-case scenario and if you feel like the level of discomfort and swelling is exceeding your expectations, consult your dermatologist or physician immediately.
All of these outcomes might seem scary and maybe have you teetering unstably on that fence, but rest assured, these reactions are avoidable and more uncommon than you might think when your lashes are applied with proper care and knowledge.
The Bottom Line
What is proper care and knowledge?
In the case of applying them yourself from the comfort of your home, let’s discuss how to properly keep those lashes up to par and avoid the issues we mentioned above.
To start, something to help those lashes is to brush them regularly. A spoolie tool or lash brush is perfect for this and will help to ensure your natural lashes don’t start to grow in the wrong direction or clump up in uncomfortable ways.
Avoiding direct heat on your lashes is also a must. Heat can wear down the bond of your lashes, resulting in faster degradation. Try wearing sunglasses in harsh sunlight and avoiding things like saunas.
Avoid other facial or hair products with conflicting ingredients. When in the shower, try not to let hair products seep down on and around your lashes. Some ingredients in these products further the wear and tear on your lash bond, which is a big no-no.
Lastly, don’t attempt to incorrectly remove the extensions. With Lashify Gossamers®, we provide two ways to safely remove your lashes. The first is our Melt Away Remover. To use this, just shake it up, soak a cotton round, and press it against your lashes for at least 30-60 seconds after which your lashes should simply slide away from your natural lash line. The key is giving enough time for the bond to break apart.
The second way of safe removal is our Release Lash Remover. This product resembles a tube of mascara but is filled with our removal formula instead. Simply brush through your lashes until the bond begins to break apart and the gossamers slide away.
How To Apply Lashify Lash Extensions
If you are going to avoid these potential problems and make sure your Gossamers are applied safely and correctly, it’s important you know how to do that. Let’s dig into a quick how-to on application to set you up for a successful first venture.
With Lashify Gossamers, you’ll receive individual clumps of lashes instead of one lash band. This is helps you more precisely and closely apply the pieces to the underside of your lash line.
- To start, you’ll want to make use of one of our bond formulas. To use it, simply apply thin coats to your natural lashes, much like you’d use traditional mascara. Wait a minute or so as the bond dries down to a tacky, slightly sticky (but not wet) texture, and you’re ready to start applying.
- Taking a pair of tweezers, being removing the individual Gossamers from the packaging, and gently apply them to the underside of your lashes. This placement is what makes Lashify so unique. Once you get the hang of this technique, you’ll never go back to a traditional temporary lash.
- After the Gossamers have been properly smoothed against your natural lashes, apply another thin coating of the Bondage forumal to ensure maximum and long-lasting hold. Once the seal has been given time to completely dry down, your Gossamers should be set and ready to take on the world.
It really is as easy as just those few steps! Getting into to the rhythm of applying Gossamers might take you a few tries, but it’s worth it.
Our Lash Recommendation for First-Timers
Finally, we’ll leave you with a few of our first-timer recommendations and helpful tools of the trade to boost you on your way.
The perfect beginner lash to test yourself on is our Curl Gossamer Lashes. This lash set combines both elements from our Amplify and Bold Gossamers creating a natural, lifted final product. If you’re after a classic doe-eye effect with plentiful curls to last you days, give these incredible lashes a try.
If you’re up a creek with no paddle, allow us to introduce you to our Control Kit. This kit is an all-in-one lash toolbox filled to bursting with everything you could ever need to get yourself started. It comes complete with your preferred set of Gossamers, the perfect lash application tweezers, and our lash bond, all completely customized to your lash length, color, and style.
If you’re looking for all the bang your buck can get, the Control Kit will fulfil your every desire and then some. For easy, proper, and safe removal of your Gossamers when the time comes, we also recommend either our Melt Away Remover, which soaks off the lash bond much like micellar water does, or our Release Lash Remover, which pulls the Gossamers off gently using mascara-like brush strokes.
Lash Worries Be Gone
By using the removal method described above and following some general dos and don’ts of lash extensions, you should have no trouble at all maintaining your natural lash health while strutting your stuff around town.
If you’ve been teetering on the fence thus far, we hope that you’re feeling ready to commit to the lash life. We believe in the power of beautiful lashes, and now that strength is accessible to anyone at home for a fraction of the cost of a salon visit. We’re confident in our products and the formulas we use to make them a reality so you can be comfortable and confident wearing them.
The eyes are such a vital part of the face, and they should never be neglected by treating them to a subpar lash experience. There are a lot of reasons to hesitate when you’re surrounded by all the commentary around lashes, but we’re always here to assure you of every good thing lashes have to offer.
For every worry you have about your lash health, there are a million easy ways to properly care for them and make sure those worries never become a reality. We can’t wait to see you taking charge of your lashes and bringing your lash dreams to life with our Gossamers and guides.
If you ever find yourself teetering on that fence again, nervous about something new in the lash world, don’t hesitate to head over to us first for all the encouragement, how-tos, and assurance you could ever hope for. Here’s to finally having that confident, guilt-free self-care moment!
Sources:
Eyelash extension allergic reactions: What to know | Medical News Today
Eyelash Extensions 101: Benefits, Cost, Styles, and More | Byrdie
