Women often ask if they can put mascara on over their eyelash extensions.

Why? You’ve just spent a significant chunk of money on lash extensions, you shouldn’t need to put mascara! That’s the beauty of eyelash extensions! You just wake up in the morning and you’re ready to go. However, it’s still something we are often asked. 

Our response is NEVER apply mascara to hybrid or volume lashes, and to try to avoid it with classic lashes. 

The reason for never applying to hybrids or volume lashes is that you have fans applied to your lashes and applying mascara will close the fans and leave your lashes a clumpy mess.

We always warn that while you can wear mascara with your lash extensions, it can shorten the life of extensions dramatically and it’s not recommended. The brush can also potentially pull on your lashes and cause them to be damaged, loosened, or removed. 

However, if you have very light eyelashes, and it’s almost time for a fill but you have an event, or need to add a bit of drama your lashes, you might decide to put mascara onto your natural lashes that are exposed. Be aware that this will mean your lash tech will have to take extra time at your fill to remove the mascara which can reduce the amount of time filling your lashes. 

If you do decide to opt for mascara over your lash extensions, DO NOT use waterproof mascara as it requires an oil-based make-up remover which will break down the glue adhering the lash extension to the natural lash. Use a water-based mascara. Mascara absolutely can be worn on your bottom lashes. 
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If your lash extensions have been applied properly, there should be no need to add mascara over the top of them as there should still be plenty left come fill time!  

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:
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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!​

​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! 

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...plus using the right quantity of glue.

I’m all for women supporting each other, so this is not intended to bash other lash techs, however, it’s SO important to check out their previous work, and ask the right questions before getting lash extensions.
Earlier this week a new lady came to see me wanting the same extensions she had on already.

From what I could tell they were a 0.25 thickness, and 15 or 16mm length. I don’t carry 0.25 thickness because of the damage they can cause natural lashes and I rarely even use 0.2 these days. Most of my lashes use 0.15 thickness, and around 13-14mm length.

Why?

Because it keeps the natural lash healthy and that is the #1 most important thing about lash extensions.
I completed this lady’s fill but with much lighter, shorter lashes and she is coming back in 3 weeks for a full removal and new set.

On the first picture you can see that her lash extensions are 3-4x the length of her natural lash and it’s causing so much damage! Lash extensions should double the natural lash length, no more!