With the cooler weather settilng in, the Lady Lash crew have been putting away the fake tans and tangerine lipstick for a few months, but our lashes of course are here to stay! Lashes for us ‘lash-addicts’ are a year-round beauty staple – so we thought we’d share some tips on caring for your eyelashes and eyelash extensions throughout winter.

Hair usually grows more slowly in winter than summer (not exactly sure why, but hairdressers always tell me this) and I would have to say that this seems to be true of eyelashes as well. In summer I notice clients’ lashes grow out faster, in winter they don’t as much and you can get away with longer between infills (yay!). This is great in that your eyelash extensions last longer in winter, but because the hairs are not recycling themselves as quickly; one needs to give them a little TLC from time to time.

Our natural eyelashes tend to dry out and become more brittle in winter due to the low humidity. Pre-eyelash extensions, one of the best treatments for this was to rub castor or linseed oil on the lashes, to promote growth and moisturize them. However, as us lash-addicts know, OIL IS THE NATURAL ENEMY OF EYELASH EXTENSIONS! So it’s a no-go for these old fashioned lash remedies if you’re wearing extensions.

However, Lady Lash has found a way around this and now stock a wonderful product called Max2 Tonic Growth Essence, a natural growth serum which provides nutrition and moisture to the hair follicle, promoting healthy, thick eyelash growth. It contains plants and herbal extracts which promote hair growth by increasing circulation/blood flow to the topical area. You’ll notice results after 4-6 weeks of daily use. It actually, really works! You can get some of this effective lash growth product at our online SHOP or instore at Lady Lash.

Another tip to keep your lashes healthy (whether they have extensions on them or not) is to make sure you’re eating a healthy diet, with plenty of vitamins and minerals, in particular silica which promotes hair and nail growth. If your breakfast normally consists of a double espresso and dinner is often canapés at some work function thing, it’s safe to say you may be lacking in the mineral department. So I recommend Swisse Hair Skin Nails supplement. It’s a pinkish liquid in a bottle, everyday I swig a mouthful of it (it’s actually very nice, tastes like Fanta!) and there’s my silica for the day. A healthier long term solution would be to look at improving your diet, but unfortunately I am an eyelash expert only and diet advice is not my forte!

Lastly, if you have been wearing eyelash extensions continuously throughout summer, as many people do, winter may be a good time to have a fresh set done. If you have been wearing a very long or thick set all summer and your lashes aren’t naturally thick, maybe try a slightly lighter set for a few weeks, or opt for our silk lashes that are a little more light weight. That way you can ensure your natural lashes will remain in tip top condition all year!

Technically, you can continue to infill lash extensions for as long as you like, but personally I prefer (and recommend) on having a completely fresh set done 2-3 times a year. This way we can assess the condition of your natural lashes, make sure all is well in lash land, and give them a really good cleanse and start afresh with a new set. It’s just nicer that way, especially if you wear makeup regularly with your extensions. (Plus you get to give your eyes a really, really good rub after we remove them, something us lash-addicts don’t normally get to do!)