With eyelash extensions, you can transform your entire beauty routine in an instant, giving you a glam look that lasts for weeks without the need to apply mascara or false eyelashes. But, about a month later, your fluttering lashes may look less polished than when you originally stepped out of the salon. Your remove eyelash extensions will start falling out as they wear off, and you will have to deal with a few stubborn stragglers.
Now you can decide whether you want to return to the salon for a touch-up or if you want to take a break and let your natural lashes recover. You’re welcome to contact us if you prefer the latter option. The following expert-approved eyelash extension removal tips will help you get rid of those last few false lashes without damaging your natural lashes. We promise it’s possible.
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Is it Safe to Remove Lash Extensions at Home?
After you’ve mastered the art of the DIY pedicure and are confident about cutting your own hair, you might be feeling bold enough to try the eyelash removal process on your own. Nevertheless, it is better to leave the Remove Eyelash Extensions to the pros, since it involves removing the glue that is professional-grade. You need not only the tools an eyelash removal expert uses, but you could easily contaminate the eye area with bacteria that could result in an infection. Ouch!
In order to avoid the risk of injury to your eyes and to your natural lashes, it is always best to have your Remove Eyelash Extensions removed by a professional, says Andra Ciulei Marin, an eyelash extension stylist and artistic director at Courtney Akai Lash Boutique in New York. Ashley Gomila, a makeup artist based in Los Angeles, agrees.
If you want to remove your eyelashes safely and easily, I recommend going to the professional who applied them. There are different kinds of lash bonding agents, and some may cause permanent damage,” she explains. Moreover, they would be difficult to remove at home because of possible damage and trial and error.”
The last thing you should do is to remove the tweezers, even if you are desperate to remove all the lashes at once. The worst thing you can do to your eyelashes is to pick at them, says Clementina Richardson, celebrity lash expert and founder of Envious Lashes in New York. Picking at them will cause bald spots throughout the lash line. “No matter how hard you pick on the extensions, you will also be picking off the natural lashes.” A pick on the extensions will also take out the natural lashes.
What’s the good news? While you can’t perform a professional-style removal from your own home, there are steps you can take and products you can use that can speed up the process-just don’t be surprised if it takes a few days or even a little longer for them all to come off. It is important to be patient in this process.
This is the safest way to remove eyelash extensions at home.
1. Makeup remover with oil-based ingredients.
After your lash technician shared some advice with you after your application, many of the “don’ts” are now encouraged when it comes to Remove Eyelash Extensions. For instance, you can use a makeup remover with oil. Instead, try SUNDAY RILEY’s C.E.O. C + E Micro-Dissolve Cleansing Oil, which is tough enough to break down makeup and waterproof mascara while also nourishing your skin with vitamin C and vitamin E. Makeup needs to be broken down.
Marin suggests looking specifically for glycol-containing formulas when looking for an eye makeup remover. According to her, “Glycols are used as solvents in cosmetics and have been shown to dissolve adhesive bonds.” By using an oil-based cleanser and applying it daily to your lashes, you will eventually weaken the bonds of the eyelash glue so they can fall off on their own.
2. Have a steamy shower.
How about another major no-no when applying new lashes? Using hot water. It may not be as effective as hitting the showers (or even the steam room) while the lash adhesive is still setting, but a long, steamy shower can help loosen the eyelash extension glue.
According to Marin, heat and moisture are two enemies of lash adhesives. When they are combined, and especially when applied in large and intense amounts, these elements are capable of dissolving cyanoacrylate [the lash adhesive].”
The same goes for using an oil-based cleanser. You shouldn’t expect all of your lashes to fall off after one hot shower. “If a good adhesive is used, it will take a lot of steam and hot water to affect the lifespan of the Remove Eyelash Extensions,” says Marin. Be patient here for the sake of your lashes.
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3. Use castor oil on your lashes.
Castor oil can be used as a nightly treatment to dissolve the bonds between your lashes and your extensions. According to Marin, mineral oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil, canola oil, and castor oil have all been proven to weaken extension adhesives.
As part of your evening skincare routine, coat a cotton swab or spoolie in castor oil (Gomila prefers coconut oil) and brush it on your lashes. “Rub the swab or spoolie along your top lash line where the extensions are bonded, taking great care not to get any oil into your eyes,” Marin says. If an oily patch does develop, flush the eye immediately with water.
As baby oil is made of mineral oil, it can be a good option. Or to stick to gluing-dissolving castor oil, you might try the SHEA MOISTURE 100% Pure Jamaican Black Castor Oil. As an added benefit, castor oil may help to promote longer natural eyelashes.
4. Be careful not to pick or pull at your lashes (fake or real).
Despite trying the above tips, if you still find yourself with one random lash, resist the temptation to reach for the tweezers because you may damage your natural lashes, especially if the lashes you pull are in the growing stage.
The best way to avoid sparse eyelashes is to keep them clean and limit rubbing or anything else that may irritate them. Not only can pulling and picking leave you with sparse lashes, it can also cause irreversible damage. “Continually pulling off your eyelashes could eventually result in irreversible damage,” Marin warns.
5. Instead of removing your eyelashes, layer on mascara.
You might prefer to conceal the remaining extensions with lengthening mascara and eyeliner instead of picking or pulling.
If you wear black liner on your upper lid, the stragglers should be masked right up. Using mascara can help blend stubborn extensions that seem to be holding on for dear life, as well as weaken the adhesive that holds them in place. It’s basically a two-for-one deal.
“I recommend putting on mascara every single day,” Marin says. “As most mascaras are loaded with waxes and oils, [any remaining extensions] should come off after a few days.” To speed up the process, try applying mascara like NEUTROGENA Healthy Volume Mascara during the day. It is infused with olive oil and sweet almond oil. At night, remove the mascara using an oil-based makeup remover.
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6. Have patience and be gentle.
When the extensions have finally fallen out, you should be gentle with your natural eyelashes — especially when applying or removing makeup. Marin suggests not to vigorously rub your eye area or put too much pressure on your eyelashes. Make sure those delicate hairs are nourished and strengthened with an eyelash conditioner or a lash serum to keep them long and strong.
It’s true that there is no magic at-home lash remover for extensions, but these expert tips can show you how to get those fake lashes to fall out faster on their own, while also protecting and maintaining your natural lashes.
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