Maybe you’ve seen a DIY lash lift online, and it looks so easy you could do it with your eyes closed. Are you sure? Because you’ll need to do it with your eyes tightly shut! That’s right: the only way to keep your eyes safe during a lash lift is to keep them closed. So, are the YouTube tutorials wrong, or can you do a lash lift on yourself?

Doing a lash lift on yourself is a safety risk and increases your chance of undesirable results, especially if you are not a trained lash tech. DIY lash lifts are dangerous and challenging because this procedure involves using chemicals and pointed tools on closed eyes.

You risk your safety and appearance when you take your lash lift into your own hands. Let’s delve into what can go wrong when you try to do this getting-hotter-by-the-moment lash procedure on yourself.

Coming up: The dark side of lash lift DIY.

Can You Give Yourself a Lash Lift?

The YouTube clips prove it’s possible to give yourself a lash lift (unless it’s just sly video editing). But it’s a bad idea.

They’re risky. They’re tricky. The results are frequently ugly. And they often don’t last as long as lash lifts should (which is a relief when the results aren’t good!).

DIY lash lifts are a reckless choice for experienced lash techs with hundreds of successful lash lifts (done on someone else) in their portfolios. I’ve been doing lash lifts for years, and I wouldn’t dare attempt one on my lashes!

They’re an even worse idea for lash lift first-timers. I’ll explain why I’m strongly against DIY lash lifts.

Why You Shouldn’t Give Yourself a Lash Lift

The main problem with doing a lash lift on yourself (whether you’re a pro lash tech or a newbie) is that you must keep your eyes closed throughout the procedure.

When doing a lash lift, you apply glue (to keep lashes in the right position), softening solution (to let you reshape lashes into a lift and curl), and setting solution (to make the new shape stick) to the lashes. All these products are lash-safe, but they’re harmful if they get into the eyes. Here, they can trigger eye trouble as serious as burns, ulcers, infections, injuries, or even vision loss.

Lash lift products should also stay off the skin around the eyes, as they can stress out this super-delicate area and make it red, burn, and itch.

You likely agree that “keep your eyes tightly shut!” is a must-obey safety rule during a lash lift. Even a peek could let something menacing inside your eyes. But how do you do the detailed work successful lash lifts require if you can’t see what you’re doing? There’s no way around it: doing a lash lift on yourself is a bad idea.

Besides the safety threat, doing a lash lift on yourself probably won’t create lashes you love (unless you think frizzy, messy, falling-out, or overly curled lashes are a winning look!). Even if you’re a superstar lash tech, how can you do your best work with your eyes closed, am I right?

You maximize your risk of a lash lift gone wrong if you’re a beginner keen to make yourself the guinea pig for your first lash-enhancing experiment.

Flawless results don’t just happen. Lash lift pros learn techniques for success through hours of training and practice. Trained, experienced lash pros are so important to positive lash lift outcomes that most US states require lash techs to be licensed and certified. Plus, lash techs at professional salons only use top-notch products and tools – not the stuff you’ll find in a $15 at-home lash lift kit!

It’s easy to make slipups when you DIY a lash lift. Here’s a glance at what can go wrong when you do a lash lift on yourself without knowing what you’re doing (forget without seeing what you’re doing!):

Common DIY Mistakes	Result
Not identifying eye and skin conditions and allergies	Higher risk for a bad reaction
Not assessing lashes	Potential poor results or lash damage
Using a shield that’s too small for the lash length	Overly lifted lashes
Overprocessing lashes	Over-curled or damaged lashes
Not straightening and separating lashes against the shield	Messy lashes
Not leaving the solution on long enough	Not enough lift

Can You do a Lash Tint on Yourself?

What about the procedure that’s the jelly to the lash lift’s peanut butter, the lash tint – can you at least tint your own lashes? (FYI: A lash tint dyes your lashes to make them bolder, like mascara.)

Lash tints also involve working with tools and chemicals near the eyes and associated risks like long-term eye irritation and vision loss, so this is another procedure you should leave to the pros¹.

How You Can Help Your Lash Tech

You and your lash tech have the same goal: to make the most of your natural lashes. The actual procedure is your lash tech’s job, but there’s plenty you can do before and after for the best results.

Here’s what to do before your lash lift:

• Apply nourishing castor or coconut oil to your lashes daily in the weeks before your procedure to make them so healthy they shine!
• Do a patch test 2 days before the procedure to ensure your body can handle the products.
• Stop wearing waterproof mascara 2 days before your procedure to ensure there’s no trace of the stuff on your lashes when they’re lifted.
• Stop wearing regular mascara and curling your lashes the day before your procedure.
• Wash your lashes well before your set off for your procedure, and trade your contacts for glasses (if you wear them).

After your procedure, the full responsibility for keeping your lashes looking amazing is yours, so listen to all aftercare instructions!

Final Thoughts

You’ll save a trip to the salon and some dollars by doing a lash lift yourself. But choosing DIY over pro might cost your eye, skin, or lash health. Some things just aren’t worth skimping on.

Quick Tip: if you ever thought about using your lash lift solution on your eyebrows for brow lamination, check out my article on why this is a bad idea.

If you need more from your beauty budget, cut back in another area, like snipping your own bangs (wait – DIY haircuts can also cause too much drama…). Then you’ll have enough for a lash lift by a trained, experienced lash pro who ensures everything goes smoothly and that you leave the salon feeling as uplifted as your lashes!

– Asako

References

1. Cyrus Wahome – medically reviewed by Melinda Ratini, DO, MS (2021). Can You Safely Tint Your Brows and Lashes? Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/is-it-safe-to-tint-brows-and-lashes (Accessed on 31 July 2022)