The Basics of Lash Extensions

I really, really wanted to write a post about lash extensions, just to give you all a deeper understanding of what can and can't be done. The basis of everything is clear communication between yourself and your lash technician, by telling the lash technician what you are after and in exchange the lash technician should tell you whether you can, or if you can't - why and what else can be done.

Okay, let's get into it.

1. Let's say you want to get really thick looking volume lashes, you go to your lash appointment and you come out with really soft looking lashes that could be a light volume or nice hybrid set. You will probably be really disappointed when you first see them, thinking what the !!!!!! Why haven't they done the simple thing I asked for? There will be a few different reasons for this. Aside from them letting you know it cannot be done and advising you before treatment begins and you ending up annoyed: here could be why:

Your Natural Lashes Are Too Thin

If your natural lashes are too thin, then most likely you will NOT be able to have volume lashes, unless you implement a lash serum to promote hair growth and health. I know they don't look heavy but when applied to what could be compared to a thread and placing the equivalent or more extension onto that, then it will twist and bend or not even attach. They will cause more damage than good. Let's say the width of your natural lash is a 0.3 then really, your lash tech should not apply a 0.5 or higher as it is too heavy. But if they apply a 0.3 to your natural lash, you will have to come to terms that you can't have a thicker look until your lash health improves. Though it is very rare to have clients with 0.3 and whilst most lash techs (myself included) would not really service these clients, some do. The most I would do is a light classic set, but then it might not cover all lashes, as there would be some new (baby) lashes coming through which would make it look uneven and possibly not effective. My tip, wait it out until your lashes are healthier.

2. Your eye shape has a lot to do with what looks and accentuates your features more. Same as with eyeshadow and makeup. If you tell your lash tech you want your eyes to look bigger and you have almond eyes, and they suggest to you that a baby doll map would look great but you have seen them and really don't think they would suit, chances are they would suit.

Do Your Research

Before you go to a lash tech, have a read over blogs like this to get yourself acquainted of the hows and whys. This should be a priority so there is a clear and concise conversation between you and your lash tech. When I say research I don't mean, go do a course and get all the information from head to toe, I mean learning about why you should clean your lash extensions, why the width and length has a lot to do with the end result etc. There are plenty of lash maps on google, but this one below is a pretty basic and straight to the point guide, with your lash tech's help you should both be able to come to an agreement of what will look best!

3. Your lash tech will tell you "Try to avoid water, heat, steam for the first 24 hours, avoid oil products including creams, foundation, eyemakeup etc, do not use mascara, don't pull at them, brush through and clean them daily" And all these tips, will help with your lash retention. It could be the difference of 1 week retention to 3 weeks retention.

The More You Maintain Your Lashes The Longer They Will Last

Following your lash tech's instructions will help with keeping your natural lashes healthy and will help with the retention of your lash extensions. You might find it a bit awkward to wash your face now with your lashes on, because you don't want them to fall out, but it will be exactly the opposite. Without lashes its easy to wash your face and rub your eyes, even the simple thing of wiping a makeup wipe across them is hard with lashes, because we shouldn't use them anyway as majority of them have oils in it. The best way is to get a lash tech approved cleanser (or micellar water is okay too), on a cotton tip and try to get in there and in between the lashes to get rid of all the debris, makeup, bacteria etc. Two things can come of not cleaning you lashes properly. 1) All the debris, makeup & bacteria will eat away at your glue causing the lash extension to pop off sooner than it should (before your natural lash falls out naturally) and, 2) All that buildup in your lashes that you don't clean can turn into a condition called Blepharitis - commonly occurs when the tiny oil glands of the inner eyelid become inflamed. Basically, those oil glands aren't circulating as they should due to the blockage. So really, why would you want any of them to happen?

Elements like, water and heat in the first 24 hours of application, may result in your eyelashes popping off extremely fast, as the glue takes up to 24 hours to cure and set.

Oh, and another thing. Please avoid mascara! Not only does it ruin the glue as well by eating it away, but it ruins the eyelash extensions and how they look.

4. You just had your eyelashes done a week ago and you have noticed your lashes are falling out!? Why, what has happened? What a lot of people think is that lashes are a permanent option, that you get them done once and that's it. Well, that's not the case.

Your Eyelashes Have 3 Stages of Growth

You have between 90-150 lashes and they never grow at the same time.

Anagen (The Growth Phase): This is when the lash is just sprouting and is the first cycle. This stage takes between 30-45 days.

Catagen (The Transition Phase): This is the second cycle, when your eyelash grows to its designated length and stops growing. This cycle lasts 2-3 weeks.

Telogen (The Rest Phase): The last cycle, is a (roughly) 100 day resting phase, before your eyelash falls out and starts to grow again.

On an average daily basis, you can loose between 3 to 5 eyelashes per day! Which means on a weekly average you can loose up to 35 (or as little as 21) eyelashes a day, that should have an eyelash extension attached. This is definitely more noticeable with eyelash extensions on, but either way it is completely normal to be loosing eyelash extensions falling off in the first week. Don't fret!

But this is why we say refills should be done every 2-3 weeks, depending on your lash growth, to keep them looking long and full!

Side note: if you are noticing that your eyelashes have not fallen off at all, after 6 weeks, please see your lash tech (or another one) or your GP, as this could mean that they have been stuck to your eyelid, which is not good!

Alright, this post has gone on a little bit long, so if you want to know more, please let me know in the comments below.

There is a lot to familiarise yourself with and lash health is my number 1 priority!

If you are interested in eyelash extensions, please book in online here.

Till next time!

xx