A lash is a hair that grows at the edge of the eyelid and protects eyes from unwanted debris like dirt, sweat and water. Basically, lashes are the first line of defense for your oh-so-sensitive eyeballs and as such, should be treated with care (not coated in five layers of mascara!). The lashes on your upper eyelid are fuller than those on your lower lashline (about 300 vs. 100 lashes), and the ones in the middle are often longer than those on the edges. They’re meant to fall out regularly — the lifecycle of a healthy lash is only about three months — and at any given time, 90% of your lashes are actively growing. In other to make the difference with the eyelash extensions, in the rest of the text, the term ‘’natural eyelashes’’ refers to the lash without extension.
Eyelashes extensions can be divided in two main categories:
- Permanent eyelashes: Usually install by a tech lash and stays for about 2 weeks before being filled.
- Temporary eyelashes: They can be worn most of the time just for a day and therefore, can be installed by yourself. There are several types of temporary eyelashes: glued, magnetic, self adhesive, …
- Taking care of your eyelash extensions
Taking care of the eyelash extensions depend on which type you are using. Of course, it is more difficult to take care of permanent eyelashes than temporary eyelashes.
Some temporary eyelashes can be reused many times if they are properly taken care off. Most off the time, the lifetime of your eyelash is reduced if you use a lot of mascara and do not properly clean the temporary eyelash when they are removed. It is also recommended that you clean your lash extensions to help keep bacteria away from your eye that could cause redness and agitation.
Step #1: Peel off the eyelash
For magnetic eyelash, follow step 2 after peeling them off.
For eyelash using glue, if you look closely enough, you'll see the remaining strip of adhesive stuck on the base of your lash extensions. You'll want to peel the remaining off so it’s ready to be re-glued during their next use.
Step #2: Create a cleaning solution
Fill a small bowl or sink with warm water and a little bit of a gentle soap. You can also add liquid makeup remover
Step #3: Clean the lashes
Submerge your false lashes into your water/cleaning solution and gently rub them to encourage mascara or other makeup to dissolve off of them.
Step #4: Let them dry
Check the lashes for any remaining residue, and then set them in a clean place to dry. If you're in a hurry, you can also pat them dry.
Notice: If you neglect to clean your lashes, you'll have a hard time reapplying them next time. By keeping them nice and clean, you'll get more uses out of them in the long run and keep your eyes safe and bacteria-free!
- Taking care of your natural eyelash
Step #1: Choose your mascara wisely.
Every lash tech will tell you that you should try not to rub your eyes or lashes when washing your face. Instead, you should clean around the eyes with a wash cloth. Therefore, it also recommended to avoid mascara that contains ethel alcohol such as waterproof mascaras because it’s very drying, causing the lashes to be brittle and resulting in breakage. Look for mascaras that are also free of parabens and phthalates.
Skip waterproof mascara whenever possible since they are so difficult to wash off. Instead, look for an everyday mascara that’s made with natural ingredients like mineral pigments so as not to irritate the eyes, and hydrating, nourishing ingredients like oils, butters and waxes to condition lashes (and prevent the dreaded mascara clump!).
Sure, if you know you’re going to be crying all day or swimming or getting splashed with face-fulls of water, reach for a waterproof formula. But for regular everyday wear, stay away from long-wear formulas. The chemical makeup of waterproof mascaras is incredibly drying, and its very nature makes it near impossible to remove without tugging out several lashes along the way. Excessive rubbing of the eyes or picking off mascara is a big no-no. Being too aggressive when cleansing off mascara can also lead to lash loss.
Step #2: Clean your mascara everyday
Be sure to cleanse your lashes daily with a gentle cleanser. Baby shampoo is a great alternative -- it's gentler on the eyes. It's also important to avoid sharing your makeup with others to avoid cross contamination.
An easy way to remove mascara is with the same oil cleanser or balm used on the rest of the face to remove makeup and dirt. The oil-breaks-down-oil rule definitely applies here, and leaves the lashes clean without irritating the eyes and skin.
If you’re dealing with particularly stubborn mascara or fragile lashes, you may want to consider a cream cleanser instead. Cream cleansers are super gentle on lashes (while still getting them clean) because they ensure that you’re not tugging on them to remove mascara.
Step #3: Condition your natural lashes
To really treat your natural lashes like they matter, consider conditioning them a bit in the same way you diligently apply mists and serums and oils and moisturizers to your skin before bed every night. Remember: eyelashes are hair and hair needs to be conditioned to be healthy and long and strong. Also like hair, you want to concentrate whatever you’re conditioning with toward the end lest your scalp/eyelids get greasy and overwhelmed.
Two really easy (and basically free because I guarantee you already own ‘em) ways to care for your natural eyelashes post-cleanse are good old coconut oil or lanolin. Massaging a tiny amount of either into the tips of your lashes before bed will have you waking up looking like a Disney princess.
3. Lash disease
Lash dandruff just refers to flaking eyelids. But it can come from a number of things: Seborrheic dermatitis (an overgrowth of yeast), an allergy to eye makeup or eye products, an autoimmune problem called Sjogren's syndrome which is an autoimmune disease, psoriasis, or Blepharitis, a chronic inflammation caused by bacteria.
Some of the symptoms of lash dandruff are:
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- Itchy, burning eyes |
· Sticky discharge along lash line |
Most of these symptoms can be most noticeable upon awakening. An individual who has these symptoms should see an ophthalmologist.
