• Rash: Skin pores may get swollen for reasons similar to the ones mentioned above. A rash might also indicate that there is an allergic reaction to the ingredients of the wax that was used. Rashes and allergic reactions usually include itching and/or burning. 
• Red bumps: Unfortunately, there's a chance this will happen even if you go to the best technician and you're not prone to acne. It happens when hair follicles have an inflammatory reaction to hair being pulled out during the waxing procedure, and because open follicles are more susceptible to the presence of bacteria. Hair is attached to living tissue, and this tissue can get inflamed when hair is pulled out. This should not last longer than a few hours or a few days. Don't apply moisturizer if pimples develop in an attempt to make them go away. In fact, you want to avoid the area becoming particularly moist—that's when bacteria spreads the most easily, and it can make your situation worse. If irritation persists for more than three days, it needs medical attention. If your skin feels hot and the red bumps turn into larger pustules with white centers, the inflammatory reaction may have turned into folliculitis, an infection of the hair follicle. This medical condition must be treated by a dermatologist.

Other side effects of waxing

• Burning sensation: This uncomfortable sensation usually means that the skin is overreacting to the procedure. The outer layer of skin is pulled and tugged when hair is ripped out, and the deeper layer of skin contains hair follicles which can also become sensitive when hair is pulled out by the root.
• Allergic reaction: Sometimes, the ingredients of a particular wax may cause an allergic reaction on your skin, which can result in a burning sensation.
• Scaling: The outer layer of skin can start peeling off; this is a sign that it has been damaged. After all, it is dead skin coming off. However, it is important not to peel it off before it comes off on its own. If you do this you are unnecessarily exposing the newly formed layer of skin, which is still tender and fragile, to exterior threats.
• A rise of skin temperature (locally): this can be the normal symptom of skin swelling.
• Ingrown hairs: These painful invaders seem to pop up a lot after every single kind of hair removal. Shaving and waxing are big offenders. Ideally, waxing is supposed to remove the entire hair follicle from the root, but sometimes the hair breaks off instead. This breakage is an ideal breeding ground for hair to pierce the skin, leading to an ingrown hair. Check out this post on how to avoid and treat ingrown hairs. 
• Bruising: Slight bruising can result from the skin being pulled in difficult to reach areas such as those that are waxed during a Brazilian wax.  It should only be minimal, and will disappear on its own in a few days. 
• Bleeding: Sometimes waxing can cause bleeding, but this is completely normal. This has to do with parts of the epidermis being removed along with your hair during the waxing process. You should only see a small amount of blood though.

Every method of hair removal has some potential side-effects and waxing is no exception. Waxing remains popular because it is quick, inexpensive, and provides longer lasting results than shaving or hair removal creams. However, it's important to be fully educated on the potential side-effects of waxing before you book an appointment, and understand that these side-effects could happen to you. In most cases, the chances of anything very negative occurring are low, however, the more common side effects are more likely, so you need to be prepared. 

Once you found a pair of fake eyelashes that you love, it’s understandable that you’re going to want to wear them over and over! So how many times can you reuse fake eyelashes before they need replacing?  

This post covers the life span of different types of false eyelashes and how to care for your eyelashes so you can get the most use out of them.

Can you reuse fake eyelashes?
The good news is YES! Yes you can reuse false eyelashes, but how many times you can reuse your fake eyelashes depends on how the eyelashes are made, the material that has been used, and how well you take care of your false eyelashes.

How many times can you reuse false eyelashes?
How many times you can reuse your false eyelashes all depends on the quality of your fake eyelashes and how well you clean and care for them.

A cheap brand like Ardell can be worn 4-5 times, whereas investing a little more buying a more durable brand of fake eyelashes (like KES Lashes) will mean they can be worn up to 20 times with the right care. Our false eyelashes have a thicker band than Ardell lashes which adds to their durability. 

Shop KES Mink Strip Lashes now!

This post is dedicated purely to a side-by-side comparison of Ardell False Eyelashes and KES Strip EyeLashes so you know what to expect when you buy either brand. 
Material 

• Ardell fake eyelashes are made out of either synthetic hair or sterilized human hair.
• KES Lashes are 100% mink false eyelash extensions. 

Appearance 

• Ardell false eyelashes are generally flat, without any depth to their appearance.
• KES Lashes are 3D, making them appear more like real eyelashes, and more dramatic in the more voluminous styles. 

KES Lashes (top) vs Ardell Lashes (bottom) 

Congratulations! You've bought a pair of the greatest fake eyelashes you can buy. These false eyelashes are reusable multiple times. They are 3D, made from 100% real mink. However, there are some special care instructions that must be adhered to in order to get the most wear from your sparkling new false eyelashes.

Be gentle with your false eyelashes
Grasp the fake eyelashes by the band when picking up. Don’t tug when applying or removing. If you find it difficult to remove the false eyelashes from your eyelid, dampen a cotton swab with water and rub it gently over the band to loosen the glue. If dried glue builds up on the band of your fake eyelashes, gently peel it off with your fingertips.

Apply mascara with care - do not apply to the fake eyelash
Applying mascara to the fake eyelash can cause damage, so only apply to your natural eyelashes first, let it dry, then apply the false eyelash.
​
Proper storage of your fake eyelashes is key
Store in the original packaging to maintain the lash shape and to keep them clean and protected from dirt, dust and bacteria.

Have fun with your lashes!
​

Asking which is better, eyelash extensions or fake eyelashes is like asking which is better, men or women (and the answer is always women! jk). They are completely different products that work best in different ways for different people.

Ultimately, some people’s lash extensions last longer than others, and even on the same person sometimes they will last longer than others. It really comes down to a few things:
​

1. How oily your natural skin is. Oil breaks down the glue, and while we recommend you avoid any oil based products around the eyes, it’s can be hard to avoid the natural oils that your skin produces. If you have naturally oily skin, you’ll find your lashes shedding at a much faster rate. 
2. How often and how well you clean your lash extensions. The first 24-48 hours after getting a new set or a fill are the most critical NOT to get the lashes wet. After that, regular cleaning with warm water along the lash line will extend the life of your lashes.
3. How you sleep. If you’re a face down in the pillow sleeper, your lashes won’t last as long. Try to lie on your side, on your back, or invest in a hard-cover sleep mask to better protect your lashes. 
4. If you’re susceptible to allergies. People who have allergies find their eyes water and itch more than those who don’t, and this can wreak havoc on your lash extensions. If you’re an allergy sufferer there’s not a lot you can do except try not to scratch those eyes!!

Ultimately, the better care you take of your lashes, the longer they will last. Check out these lashes that are three weeks old and still looking damn good! 

I am often asked this question and I regularly have people book online as an existing client with the reasoning that "you have that time slot available why can’t I get a fill?". I know for a lot of people it’s frustrating when you can’t find a new lash technician to fill your work if you’re on vacation or have moved to a new city but here is my reasoning why! 

First it seems like a lot of people aren’t actually aware of whether they have classic lashes or volume lashes and there’s a big difference so I have had people coming to me telling me that they are wanting a classic fill and when they show up it actually turns out they have volume lashes which is a far different process and takes longer!

Secondly with my own work I know exactly what to expect. I know that I placed the lashes correctly, I also know that I used correct amounts of glue, my lashes and glue are top quality, and I know that I use the proper technique. Other people are not as thorough.

The pictures you see here are from somebody who came to me telling me they had classic lashes, unaware that they had volume lashes. The volume lashes were held together with humongous amount of glue. It was impossible to separate them so I ended up taking off most of the lashes. Bear in mind that a fill appointment is usually an hour and 15 minutes. Luckily I had 2 hours available and it took me that long to do this ladies lashes - 2 hours for a simple fill on somebody else’s work. 

One of the questions we get asked most often is ‘how do I clean my lashes?’ Cleaning your lashes is the number one thing you should do once you get lash extensions, and here's why:

1. Your lashes will last longer, period. 
2. You won't get infections.
3. You won't get lash mites (yes, this is a thing) that feed on oil and dead skin.
4. If your lashes are clean when it's time for your fill you'll get more time having your lashes filled and less time having them cleaned by your lash tech. 

After having lashes for some time, you can be forgiven for becoming more forgetful at cleaning your lashes. However, it's something that you really must keep up with. If your retention is great, you forget to clean them. If they always look clean, you forget to clean them. And of course, life gets in the way, and you forget to clean them.
But sometimes the dirt, dust, debris, dead skin and oil is not visible to you. 

How to clean your lashes

1. Use the sink, not the shower so that you can control the water temperature. 
2. Using a disposable lipstick applicator and a non-oil based makeup remover, gently clean horizontally along the lash line first. Never rub back and forth as this will be too abrasive on the lash extensions. You can purchase lash cleansing solutions but I always find makeup remove and warm water does the trick. 
3. Rinse off with warm water.
4. Next clean the lashes themselves in a gentle downward motion over the eyelid with the same applicator.
5. Rinse off with warm water until all product is removed. 
6. Use a clean mascara wand to comb through the lashes to get them back into the correct position.
7. Let the lashes air dry.
8. Brush through your lashes one last time with a mascara wand to separate and fluff!​

There’s a myth that if you’ve had lash extensions for a while, you should take a break every now and then and let your natural lashes have a chance to grow back healthy and strong. But this is just a myth! In most cases, there is absolutely no need to take a break from lash extensions if they’re being applied properly. This is one of my lovely clients who has had lashes for almost 2 years now. You can see the natural lashes are still looking very strong and very healthy. ​

​This client comes in every three weeks for a fill. As I conduct the fill I place bolder, heavier lashes onto the thicker natural lashes, and lighter lashes onto thinner natural lashes. Sometimes, a fill will be made up more of lighter lashes as her natural lashes are looking a bit thin. My clients trust me and know that I am going to do what is best for their lash health. Sometimes that means a fill with lighter lashes, and sometimes it’s a more dramatic fill as I can use thicker lashes. This rotation, and ensuring I never use thick extensions on weak natural lashes, means that there is rarely any need to take a break from lash extensions! 

😘

​This is one of the most common questions I am asked, and the answer is no. Not if lash extensions are applied properly. One of the things I pride myself on is that I put lash health first. I will only apply a lash that is not going to damage the natural lash. 

Clients often come to me and have an idea of the type of lashes they want. Sometimes it’s possible to recreate that look, and other times it’s not. I simply won’t apply lashes that are too long and too heavy that can cause damage to the natural lash. I’ve lost a couple of clients this way. They want very heavy, very thick lashes, and aren’t happy with thinner lashes that I apply to protect their lash health. I’m OK with that! My reputation is at stake, and I never want to cause damage to a clients lashes, even if it means that client chooses to go elsewhere. 

This is one of my lovely clients who had to go away for some time, so wasn’t able to come in for a fill until after all her extensions had fallen out. She has had lash extensions for over a year and her natural lashes still look thick, long and healthy! 

​This is how your natural lashes should look 4 weeks after your extensions have come out...no damage, just beautiful natural lashes! 

😘