With what seems to be the most humid weather we’ve EVER had in Sydney in full force this summer, we thought it was a good time to remind everyone of aftercare and how to look after their eyelash extensions – as they do need a little TLC when it’s warmer.
Firstly, immediately after your lash application, we recommend trying to keep the lashes dry for 24 hours, which includes away from extreme heat/sweat and steam. Some salons don’t agree with this, and that’s ok – we all do things differently. This is mainly so that you keep things like shampoo, oily face creams etc from getting on them and to avoid touching them whilst they are brand new and that they aren’t exposed to steam straight away.
No oil. Lashes HATE, hate hate oily products, full stop – especially just prior to an infill, as it soaks into your natural lashes and can make bonding tricky. Micellar water is included here, as many micellar waters actually contain oily ingredients. PLEASE DON’T USE MICELLAR WATER! It’s in caps because we get asked almost weekly if we’re sure about this. We really truly are. Use an oil-free makeup remover – like our LashGame makeup remover, which is super good at getting almost all eye makeup off – it’s strong and gentle! Please avoid any waterproof makeup and things like gel/pot eyeliners as they are sticky and the oils eventually degrade the lash adhesive. If you use mascara on your volume lashes, it will destroy them and they will look like clumpy classic lashes.
Sunscreen – it’s very important to use it, of course, but make sure it’s an oil-free one. Spray on isn’t a great idea either as it will get all in between your lashes, if you spray your face and can make your lashes stick together. Many brands made specific sunscreen for your face.
Clean your lashes – it gets the skin oils off them. Did you know that your eyelids are one of the oiliest parts of your body? We recommend LashGame Foaming cleanser (we also sell it in all of our salons) – it’s liquid gold (ok, it’s white and foamy, but it’s magic stuff!) Clean them very gently with the soft cleansing brush after makeup removal, never rubbing down hard onto the extensions. When you remove makeup, do it gently – I use a cotton tip (the el-cheapo, non-fluffy kind!) dipped in makeup remover to work eyeliner off very gently, working AWAY from the lashes. Follow the makeup removal with a lash wash. Makeup wipes/cotton pads are not suitable for use around eyelash extensions as they snag.
No strip lashes on top (unless you like to torture your lash artist for fun). We know when they’ve had strip lashes on top, we’re total detectives with this sort of stuff. The glue leaves a residue that gets stuck in between your extensions and is impossible to pick out without pulling off extensions. If you are getting classics but they are not full enough for you, why not let us try Hybrids or Volume for more of a strip lash look? We’re happy to change your look up – we love nothing more than wowing you with a new lash look!
Now, why does it seem that your lash extensions don’t last as well in summer? This isn’t the case for everyone, and it does depend on your lifestyle, skin and hair type. We do however find that on average, our clients get an extra 4-5 days between infills in winter. In summer, your hair (and your lashes) grow faster – so lashes grow out a little more quickly. Asking your lash stylist to make your lashes a little bit shorter in summer will actually help with retention, as they won’t get as messy when they grow out. If it’s very steamy and humid, extensions may not last as long – this is mainly due to the extra oil your skin produces in the hotter months. So it’s likely you will need infills a little more frequently than in the dry winter months, when lashes don’t grow as fast and your skin usually has less oil sitting on it. You can however help combat this with keeping your lashes and lids clean!
And if you have any questions at all, give us a call – we are only too happy to help! .
