Lash Extension Care 101: The Art of Nurturing Your Lashes!
Lash extension care may seem intimidating at first. After all, you paid plenty of your hard-earned cash for these delicate little things, so you want them to last as long as possible. But taking good care of your lash extensions isn’t very difficult; it just takes a little consistency and mindfulness.
At Lashify, we want you to avoid damaging your lashes and help you actively nourish and nurture your natural lashes and falsies. We can supply tips, tricks, and tools to live your best lash life.
We designed our entire application system and our Whisper Light adhesive with the health of your natural lashes in mind because it contains biotin to nourish your lashes while keeping your extensions in place. It also doesn’t include any harsh cyanoacrylate like drugstore lash glue typically does. The whole Lashify system aims to give wearers healthier natural lashes and high-quality falsies in one fuse of our magic wand!
This is a little 101 crash course to help you Lashify beginners get off to a great start with your lash care habits — and remind all of you lash regulars about the best practices to keep your lashes like-new longer. So without further ado, what can you do?
Care While You Wear
After your DIY lash extensions are sitting pretty on your pretty face, there are a handful of things you can do to keep them in place for the full 10 days of continuous wear and protect them from harm all the while:
1. Do not wet your lashes within the first 48 hours of application
Yes, Gossamers are water resistant. However, they take 48 hours from application to become water resistant.
Whisper Light doesn’t cure completely: that’s one of its best features since it allows the bond to create a soft cushion around your lash roots. Because it doesn’t cure completely, it needs more time to cure enough so water doesn’t interfere with the bond’s strength.
After 48 hours, you can get them wet. Cool or tepid water is best since hot water is still not recommended. You can even submerge your lashes; submerging them in cool water is a great way to clean them daily.
Remember to dry your lashes promptly after, and don’t allow water to sit on your extensions. Drying your extensions with air via a fan or blow tool rather than cloth is best. Avoid wearing your lashes in steam and very hot water since these can weaken your bond at any time.
2. Do not rub, tug, or otherwise apply undue pressure to your extensions
Not only is tugging on the lash extensions likely to damage the fake lashes, but it’s also very likely to damage your real lashes too! Gossamers are designed to look and feel very natural, so if you pluck at your Gossamers, you run the risk of plucking out your real lashes too!
3. Do not mix lash extensions and mascara
Put that mascara away right now. If you have DIY lash extensions, you no longer need mascara. As far as your extensions are concerned, mascara is like dunking them in cement. Gossamers are lightweight, and mascara simply is not.
Waterproof mascara is the worst since removing it from your extensions is nearly impossible. Any mascara with any oil inside will dissolve the bond of your extensions. Increase the longevity of your Gossamers and keep them away from mascara — don’t even apply mascara to your natural lashes before you put the extensions on. Just don’t do it.
4. After the first 48 hours, wash your lashes daily
Once your lashes can withstand water, let them show you! It’s a great practice to wash your face and lashes daily with an oil-free gentle cleanser, such as our pre-cleanse. Choose a cleanser that is hydrating but still oil-free.
To cleanse your lashes without washing your whole face, wet a clean spoolie or charcoal cotton swab with your cleanser and gently brush it across your lash line and through your lashes to remove the ick of the day from your eyes.
5. Occasionally brush them
Throughout the day, just to keep your lashes looking their best, you can take a dry spoolie and gently brush them like you would your hair. It just takes a couple of swipes. They appear longer when you keep your lashes separated instead of crisscrossing over one another. Plus, brushing keeps out things like dirt, dust, and dander.
It’s important to maintain good lash hygiene not just for aesthetics or the longevity of your falsies but also for your health. Staphylococci (aka “staph”) are a common bacteria that live on your skin. Poor lash hygiene can result in the overgrowth of this bacteria along the lash line leading to a staph infection and even painful blepharitis.
But don’t panic. Basic lash hygiene will help you avoid such infections.
After Wear Aftercare
1. Clean away any excess bond
After you’ve removed your falsies, check them for leftover adhesive. If you find some, simply place the gossamer on a clean, secure pad (like the Lash Pad) and gently brush a little more Melt Away remover across the remaining bond.
Once the leftover adhesive has dissolved, clean the remover off with pre-cleanse. The remover contains oil, which allows it to disrupt the bond; therefore, you don’t want to let the oil sit on your Gossamers.
Letting oil sit on the lash will prevent a strong bond in the future. Finishing with pre-cleanse is the best practice because clearing away the last of the bond will also clear away any leftover makeup, body oil, and other debris from your lashes. Ta-da! She’s so clean!
2. Let dry completely before storing
You wouldn’t put wet clothes away in your drawers, and you shouldn’t put wet lashes away in their case. Your clothes would get mildewy, and your lashes would become a breeding ground for bacteria.
Bacteria love wet, warm, dark places, but we do not love bacteria, especially not near our eyes. Ensure the Gossamers are dry before putting them all the way away.
3. Store in a safe place
Don’t just leave your lashes lying on the counter by the sink. Your Gossamer lashes come with their own storage case, so it’s up to you to return them to this little safe haven after they dry. Storing them in their case ensures that the lash fibers aren’t snagged, damaged, or swept into the trash accidentally.
4. Don’t use Micellar water to clean your Gossamers
Micellar water and witch hazel may be good cleansers for your skin, but avoid getting these on your lashes. These cleansers can deposit oil on your lashes, making it very difficult to get a strong bond on your next wear.
Nurture Your Natural Lashes Too!
You can use the same basic practices that you use to care for your extensions to care for your natural lashes too.
Keeping your hands off your eyes is the easiest way to protect your lashes from foreign debris and bacteria. If you must touch your eyes, wash your hands first.
Rubbing at your natural lashes can cause friction that breaks or rips out your lashes. Lashes that are ripped out don’t regrow immediately; they have to wait until your natural lash growth cycle catches up. This may result in sparse lashes.
Additionally, not using mascara, or at least not using mascara often, can improve the lifespan and health of your natural lashes. Waterproof mascara is actually pretty bad for your natural lashes since it’s hard to remove and quite heavy.
The weight of mascara puts pressure directly on your hair follicles which creates the potential for damage. Also, avoid manual lash curlers and instead opt for something like our Lashicurl, a heated silicone curler. Manual lash curlers introduce tension that can tear out your lashes and inhibit lash regrowth.
Keeping traditional lash glues containing cyanoacrylate and formaldehyde away from your luscious lashes is a good way to protect your lashes and eyeballs from harsh and potentially harmful chemicals.
What about some practices specific to improving natural lash health?
Virgin Coconut Oil
Virgin coconut oil hydrates your lashes, which will help them appear darker and thicker. Coconut oil can also serve as a protective layer around your lashes. It’s a common ingredient in many lash serums. It provides your follicles with nutrients like vitamin E and lauric acid.
Lauric acid may help to maintain healthy blood flow to the follicles, which can help support lash growth. Nourished lashes are more resistant to breakage. However, use coconut oil sparingly since oil that can not be absorbed through saturated skin may clog your follicles and lead to sparse patches along your lash line.
Pure Vitamin E Oil
Pure vitamin E oil offers many hair and lash benefits beyond hydration. Vitamin E is secretly more than one vitamin: it’s a group of fat-soluble vitamins with the same benefits as antioxidants.
Many anti-aging skincare products contain vitamin E oil. The best way to get the benefits of vitamin E in your lashes is to apply the oil directly yet sparingly to your lashes with a brush. Be sure there’s none leftover when you apply your lash extensions, though.
Keep Your Body Hydrated
You’ve probably heard a thousand times of the myriad of benefits hydration has for your body. But did you know that proper hydration actually can help you grow your lashes stronger and longer? Check your body’s need for water daily based on your activity level and do your best to hydrate.
Take Care, Lash Lover
Now that you know the best way to care for your falsies, go forth and slay! Lashify is here to support your lash health and beauty every step of the way.
Sources:
11 Eyelash Growing Hacks For Fuller, Longer Lashes | Bustle
How to Make Eyelashes Grow Faster: 5 Tips From a Beauty Editor | Real Simple
Vitamin E Oil | Medical News Today
Coconut Oil for Eyelashes: Benefits and Precautions | Healthline
