Lash Extension Aftercare: How to Make Your Set Last

Two people can get the same set on the same day and see very different results by week 2. The difference is usually what happens at home, and most of it takes less than a minute a day. Below is the routine I go through in my studio at Tucci & Co Salon before you leave.

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What should I avoid in the first 24 hours?

Keep your lashes dry and away from steam, saunas and heavy sweating for the first 24 hours while the adhesive cures. Water and steam in that window weaken the bond, so skip anything that soaks or steams your eyes.

That means no showers with your face in the spray, no swimming, no sauna and no hot yoga. You can still shower. Keep your face out of the water and wash it at the sink afterwards. If you are getting a set before a trip or an event, plan the first day around it.

How do I wash my lashes every day?

Every day, even when your lashes look clean. Oil from your skin, dead skin cells and makeup build up at the lash line, and that buildup breaks down adhesive from underneath. It can also leave lids itchy and irritated.

Use a foaming cleanser made for lash extensions. Work it gently along the lash line with a soft brush or a clean fingertip, rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry with a lint free cloth. It takes about 30 seconds.

Once they are dry, brush them upwards with a clean spoolie. That one habit keeps the set looking even between fills. If you wear makeup elsewhere on your face, cleanse your lashes the same evening rather than leaving it until morning.

What should I keep away from my lash extensions?

Some everyday products and tools are hard on the bond. These are the ones to move away from your lash line.

• Oil based cleansers, cleansing balms and makeup wipes. Check your eye cream too.
• Waterproof mascara, because removing it takes the scrubbing that pulls extensions off.
• Cotton pads and cotton balls, since the fibers catch and pull.
• Eyelash curlers, which crimp and snap both the extension and your natural lash.
• Heavy face oils and rich night creams right up to the lash line.
• Steam straight into the face, including opening a hot oven or leaning over a pot of pasta.

You can skip mascara entirely, which is half the point of extensions. Retinol and acids are fine on your face, as long as they stay off the lash line and eyelid. If you are unsure about a product, bring it to your fill and I will look at the ingredients with you.

How should I sleep with lash extensions?

On your back, if you can. If you sleep face down, you may lose lashes on one side without knowing why, because a night of friction against a cotton pillowcase bends, twists and pulls extensions.

If you cannot change how you sleep, a silk or satin pillowcase cuts the friction and is the easiest change on this list. A lash sleep mask with a curved eye cavity also works well for stomach sleepers. The first night on a fresh set matters most, so take extra care then.

Can lash extensions get wet in rain, pools or the shower?

Yes, after the first 24 hours. Rain and snow are fine, and this is Maine, so life continues. Showering is fine, and chlorine or salt water now and then is fine too, as long as you rinse and cleanse right after, then brush through once your lashes are dry.

Sunglasses and reading glasses are fine. Losing a few lashes a day is normal as well, because your natural lashes shed on their own schedule and the extension goes with them. My post on how long lash extensions last explains that cycle.

When should I book a fill or a removal?

Come in every 2 to 3 weeks for a fill. At 2 weeks a fill is quick, so book the next one before you leave each appointment. At 5 weeks there is so little left that you are often looking at a new full set, and my guide to lash extension cost in Lewiston shows how that plays out.

Never remove extensions yourself. Pulling them off takes your natural lashes with them, and those take months to grow back. Even one or two pulled lashes leave a gap that shows. If you are done with extensions, book a professional removal, and if you want a break, a lash lift and tint works with your own lashes.

If your set is 2 or 3 weeks in, book your lash fill online before it thins out, and I will rebalance it. Studio appointments run Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.