Lash lifts are becoming more and more popular for those wanting their natural eyelashes to look more lifted and curled, without having to wear false lashes every day. To have a lash lift, the technician has to use a chemical solution on your lashes, but are lash lifts bad for your eyelashes?
What Does A Lash Lift Do?
Lash lifts lift and curl your natural eyelashes from the base to the tip. The lash technician uses a silicone rod and a gentle perming solution, to reshape each of your eyelashes, so they curl upwards and look longer.
You keep your own natural eyelashes, as they don’t add any synthetic fibers, and the result looks natural, making your eyes appear more open without daily curling or heavy mascara.
Each lash lift appointment takes around 45 to 60 minutes, and after your appointment, you have to avoid water and eye makeup for 24 hours so the curl sets properly in your lashes.
Your results will usually last between 6 and 8 weeks, depending on your natural eyelashes’ growth cycle and how well you look after them.
Ingredients And Solutions Used In A Lash Lift
Your lash technician will first use a lash cleanser, to remove any oils and makeup from your eyelashes.
The perming solution is the active product that changes your lash shape. It often contains thioglycolic acid, which breaks the hair bonds so lashes can be reshaped. They will also use a neutralizer to rebuild the hair bonds and set the curl in the lashes.
A gentle adhesive holds your lashes to the silicone rod or shield, while the solutions work. They could use a lash tint after the lash lift, if you go for a lash lift and tint. With the tint darkening your lashes, and making them appear fuller without mascara.
When A Lash Lift Can Cause Damage
If the lash technician uses the wrong technique, or leaves any of the solutions on too long, your natural lashes can weaken and become brittle.
Overprocessing breaks down your lash’s structure, raising the risk of lash shedding and short-term breakage.
If they use low-quality or expired products, it will irritate your skin and lash follicles, reducing your lash health, and causing an increase in lash fallout.
If the technician uses tight or improperly sizes silicone rods, it can bend or stress your eyelashes at the roots, leading to your lashes snapping or shedding sooner than they should.
If you have lash lifts too often, your lashes will weaken as you’re not giving your lashes time to recover between treatments. Your lashes have a natural growth cycle, and it takes weeks for your lashes to rebuild strength.
Aftercare That Helps Protect Your Lashes
After your appointment, keep your lashes dry for the first 48 hours. Water, steam, sweat and eye products can all affect the lift setting. Avoid showers that aim steam at your face, and avoid saunas too.
When you’re cleaning your eyes, you need to be gentle and use a mild oil-free cleanser. Make sure you pat and don’t rub, and avoid oil-based removers and rich creams, as they can weaken the lash lift and shorten your results.
You can wear mascara on your lashes, with a lash lift, but the formula needs to be water-based, or a mascara designed for use after a lash lift. Never use waterproof mascaras on lash lift lashes, as they’re difficult to remove, and will harm your lash lift results.
Avoid mechanical stress on your lashes, by not using any eyelash curlers and don’t sleep face-down. Pulling, rubbing or frequent touching of your lashes will increase the risk of lash breakage, and lash fallout.
You can brush through your lashes with a clean lash spoolie to keep your lashes aligned, and book touch-up appointments with your technician, to keep the shape and health of your natural eyelashes.