Are Eyelash Extensions Right For Me?

I’ve been a lash technician for 8 years and in that time I’ve pretty much seen it all. Sometimes you get a client that takes care of her lashes as best she can and every time she comes in for a fill, most of her extensions have fallen off. Why? Because eyelash extensions are not ideal for every person. That’s right. Eyelash extensions are not for everyone. Although eyelash extensions are there to make your daily routine more low maintenance, they can be a bit high maintenance themselves. There are countless reasons why extensions would not be lasting very well on any individual but here are some of the common reasons that you might not be an ideal candidate:

·      Sleeping on your face- Back sleeping or side sleeping is a must, if you are sleeping face down in your pillow your lash extensions are being squished and pulled every time you move.

·      Excessively oily skin- People who have excessively oily skin have a hard time keeping lashes on as long as others do because oil breaks down the glue, including natural oils from our skin. People with extra oily skin should be washing their lashes with lash wash twice per day every day.

·      Excessive sweating- People who work out a ton and sweat a lot will have the same issue as the people with naturally oily skin. The sweat and oils break down the glue and lash extensions must be washed immediately after a workout or sweat session or the glue will break down much faster.

·      Picking/constant touching- Some people just can’t help themselves. Sitting there and constantly pulling, picking, or “petting” your eyelashes will make them come off, not to mention damage your naturals lashes as well if they are being pulled out.

·      Steam/heat- If you cook a lot around lots of heat (ie. Blasts of heat from the oven, BBQ, steam from pots of boiling water) or if you work in a kitchen and can’t keep your lashes out of extreme heat, your lashes will not fare well.

·      Allergies- Some people have allergies to lash extensions themselves but still want them done or have allergies to other external factors that can cause watery, itchy eyes and may result in more touching and scratching which will make the extensions fall off as well.

·      Carelessness- Some people just really can’t be bothered to take care of their lash extensions properly (washing, brushing, being gentle) which is totally fine but they will not last and it can be damaging so these people are not ideal candidates.

If none these descriptors fit you and you’re still having issues keeping your lash extensions on, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to try a different technician. Even though lash product ingredients are all very similar, some work best on certain people and others work best on other people. All lash technicians have their favourite products to use and they might just not work with your lashes as well as others. It could also be your technician’s technique, combined with your eye shape, natural lashes, lash PH level, etc.

Most lash technicians will do everything in their power to make sure your lashes are staying on but at some point if it’s just not working you may have to give up your dream of lash extensions or get use to paying for a full set every time you come in.