You’re Doing it Wrong: How to Clean Your Eyelash Extensions

Turns out, you’re probably cleaning your eyelash extensions wrong. Fortunately, it’s easy to give them an extra boost of life and extend their wear. View the VIBE’s Amanda Phuong gives us 5 simple instructions on how to properly take care of your eyelash extensions. 

Eyelash extensions aren’t exactly new to the beauty world. In fact, they’ve been around for a while. Books dating back as far as the late 1800s show evidence of women lusting after luscious lashes, with how-to guides on igniting growth. Luckily, long gone are the days where women painstakingly sew hair onto their eyelids and precisely chop off their lashes praying they’ll grow back longer.

In the past few years, the eyelash industry has grown immensely, with top-rated eyelash salons popping up around the city and estheticians showing off their skills in at home studios. But where you get them done isn’t the only variety you have when it comes to eyelash extensions, there are also multiple types. From classic lash extensions in mink or synthetic to Russian Volume extensions, your desired look is only a couple hours and lid tapes away.

After you’ve procured the eyelashes of your dreams, it’s time for the aftercare. Eyelashes are finicky. The average eyelash cycle – the time it takes for you natural eyelashes to fall out and reproduce – is between 4 to 6 weeks, with some individuals seeing the turnover as early as 2 weeks. And being that eyelash extensions are just micro lashes bonded to your natural lashes with adhesive, they need a little extra care to prevent premature fallouts.

What most lash extension wearers don’t realize is how many rules there are for aftercare. For example, using oil or glycerin products on your lashes, using mascara, extreme heat, sleeping on your face and excessive touch, are all frowned upon in the world of eyelash extensions. All of the aforementioned can affect the adhesive, cause premature fallout or lash breakage – all things you don’t want if you want to get the most bang for you buck. And while they’re sensitive, it’s also important to keep them clear of dead skin, pollutants, and bacteria, which can cause eye infections and irritation. It sounds like a lot of work but the solution to keeping your lashes clean and giving them the longest life is actually quite simple.

Here are 5 simple tips on how to clean your eyelash extensions and make them last longer: 

1. Keep them bacteria and dust free with MV Beauty Lab’s lash extension cleanser.
Unlike typical drugstore cleansers, MV Beauty Lab’s lash extension cleanser ($28) was specifically formulated to use safely on lash adhesive, without deteriorating it. And while the cleanser was made for lashes, it can also be used all over your face. With Rose Water as the main ingredient, not only does it hydrate your skin, but it also works as an antioxidant to help maintain your skin’s pH balance and aids in removing oil, dirt, and bacteria.

2. Skip cotton pads and wipes all together
To avoid ripping out lashes or getting fluff stuck in your extensions, resulting in you picking it out for what seems like hours, ditch the cotton pads and wipes. With MV Beauty Lab’s lash extension cleanser, simply pour 2-4 drops into the palm of your hand and cup it around your eye. Using your fingertips, gently roll through your lash extensions to remove dirt and daily build-up.

3. Use a spoolie wand to comb them
Most eyelash extension pros will offer up a free spoolie wand with application but if not, you can find them at your local drugstore for cheap. Use a spoolie wand (vs. a typical eyelash comb) to brush through your lash extensions and keep them from looking scraggly.

4. Avoid mascara
Girl, didn’t you get the extensions so that you could skip the mascara?! Your extensions already add volume and length – an extra layer of mascara is only going to weigh your lashes down, causing premature fallout or breakage. Mascara is also difficult to remove which could cause build up, not to mention, many contain oil, which will loosen the lash adhesive. But if you insist, there are special formulas on the market specifically designed for lashes, including MV Beauty Lab’s eyelash extension mascara ($28).

5. Resist touching them
Look, we know. Eyelash extensions are beautiful and it’s hard not to play with them but avoid it at all costs! Twisting or pulling on an extension that is out of place will likely hurt your natural lashes, causing breakage or premature fallout. Instead, let them fall out on their own and use a spoolie want to maintain them.

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Do you have any tips for extending the life of your eyelash extensions? Connect with us Facebook or Instagram (@ViewtheVIBE) or tweet us @ViewTheVIBE.