Key Takeaways
- No, eyelash extensions don’t damage natural lashes when applied correctly and the eyelash growth cycle is respected.
- Common mistakes lash techs can make that will lead to lash damage include: choosing extensions that are too heavy, gluing multiple natural lashes together, and attaching extensions to the eyelid skin.
- Flawlessly isolating each natural lash is a key technique every lash artist should master to prevent damage.
There are 5 common mistakes I have seen over the years when a new client comes in from another salon.
Sadly, these mistakes will absolutely ruin your natural eyelashes.
So why am I sharing these?
Frankly, I just want to make the lash industry better.
So whether you’re getting eyelash extensions for the first time and worried about potential damage, or if you’ve had extensions before and experienced some lash loss, this article is for you!
5 Common Mistakes That Will Damage Your Lashes
1- Extensions Are Too Heavy
The most important factor in choosing the appropriate extensions that will not cause any harm is to consider the weight it has.
The weight is a factor of the extension’s length and thickness.
When an extension is too long and too thick for your natural lashes to support, they may shed prematurely, causing them to be thinner over time.
I’ve seen super long and super thick extensions attached on thin Asian lashes! Sure a client might ask for a “Kim Kardashian” look but as a professional, we have to look at the clients’ lashes and determine what they can handle.
As a rule of thumb, I would never extend a natural eyelash by more than 2 mm to avoid extra weight.
2- Two or More Natural Lashes Glued Together
A sticky is when two or more lashes and/or extensions are glued together. Stickies are a very common culprit amongst less experienced artists and a frequent cause of damaged lashes.
Here is what happens when you have stickies.
First, you have a cluster of lashes and extensions glued together.
Not only is it not very aesthetically pleasing, but it is also very damaging.
If a natural lash in the sticky is still in the growing phase, it will continue to grow and pull on his other neighboring friends glued to it. This tension will even pull them out.
When the natural eyelash completes the growth cycle it will eventually shed.
However, by doing so, it also pulls out any other hair in the “sticky”.
3- Extension Glued to the Eyelid Skin
A nailhead is when the eyelash extension is glued to the skin.
This should never happen!
A properly attached extension is carefully glued to a natural lash only and the skin should never be in contact with the glue.
In this picture, you can see that the glue formed a disc shape on the skin.
This glue was initially against the skin of the lash line.
Do you notice that the glue is now lifted and doesn’t seem to touch the skin anymore?
That is because the natural lashes have grown since the application and pulled the glue off the skin.
This is terrible for any new baby lashes that have been around since they got ripped out.
Moreover, it is hard for new hair to grow since the hair follicle is clogged. Nailheads also irritate the skin which may cause dermatitis over time.
4- Not Isolating the Natural Lash Flawlessly
Before applying an extension onto a natural lash, lash techs must isolate the eyelash perfectly.
This allows the natural eyelash to complete its growth cycle without any interruption and eventually shed with the extension attached to it.
As you can see in this picture, I’ve isolated a single eyelash with my tweezer. This is what I mean by “proper isolation technique”.
5- Not Saying “No”
Sometimes, lash techs must say “no” when a client asks for something too heavy for their natural eyelashes to handle.
For example, a client with short and weak lashes asking for mega volume is just not a good candidate.
A good lash tech would take the time to explain what is the maximum length and thickness of extension that can be used and why.
In my experience, clients always valued my honesty and came back to me because of it.
Proper Application Technique
A proper application technique starts with a perfect natural lash isolation. For classic, we use a 1:1 ratio and for volume, we use a 1:n ratio.
This means that one and only one natural eyelash should support one (classic) or many (volume) extensions.
This ensures that the natural eyelash can complete the growth cycle freely and shed with the extension attached to it naturally.
And that is completely normal.
The complete growth cycle of an eyelash is approximately 90 days ± 5 days.
Then, they eventually shed and are replaced by new ones.1
So why is this so important?
A lash tech should never, never, never apply an extension on an eyelash in the anagen phase (baby phase).
Doing so is a clear recipe for damage and premature shedding.
When the growth cycle of your natural lashes is carefully respected, extensions will not cause any damage to your natural lashes. This is a fundamental concept that every stylist should master.
Final Thoughts
Nothing beats a lash set that is both beautiful AND safe.
I know this article was full of terrible lash jobs. I wanted to leave on a good note and show you a picture of what you can expect at Divine Lashes!
Here is a recent set I did that will not damage this beautiful lady’s natural lashes.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, please let me know below! I read all of them 🙂
~ Asako
Want to visit our salons? Book an appointment with our Montreal or Toronto locations or e-mail us: contact@divinelashes.ca.
Ready to master lash artistry? Take a look at our online or in-person courses here.
Need lash supplies? Visit our shop here.
Additional readings:
References
- Aumond, S., & Bitton, E. (2018). The eyelash follicle features and anomalies: A review. J Optom, 11(4), 211–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optom.2018.05.003
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I hope this is seen. I got my extensions removed yesterday and now my lashes (once pretty before extensions) look awful. They are stubbly and it seems like I don’t even have eyelashes now. Is it ok to wear glue-ons until they grow out? (I hope they grow out 🙁 ) I can’t even leave the house without being embarrassed. I bought Grande serum and have started using that.
Hi Kati,
That’s terrible. Properly applied extensions with the correct length and weight should never do that. But yes, they should grow back with time. A good lash serum can help this process. I’ve listed some of my favorites here: https://divinelashes.ca/blog/lash-serum/
I think you should give them a break and not put on strip lashes.
My lashes all broke off due to an inefficient technician. They are literally 2mm long! I am devastated and have started using a lash serum.
Hi Helen,
I’m so sorry to hear this. But yes it can happen with poor technique.
Who do you recommend for lash extensions in Miami Fl that is a professional
Hi Ana,
I wish I could give you a name but I don’t personally know one in Miami.
I had extensions for several years. I had a family funeral to plan and deal with. I let them fall off because it was pointless at the time. My lashes are short and not growing back like they were. How can you say its NOT the lashes but the application because you have had clients for years with no eyelash issue? Your clients do not SEE what their original lashes look like because they are continuously covered.
Hi Jenna,
I’m sorry to hear about your experience. I assure you that properly calibrated lash extensions do not damage natural lashes. Only when they are too heavy or the application technique is not ideal can this happen.
Hi thank you for all your knowledge. I have never had lashes done and always admire others who have them. I have noticed some of my lashes turning inward, it’s very annoying I try to pull them out but it hurts. I was wondering if lash extensions would help with that? I always was scared to get them due to ruining my lashes but now I can’t even wear mascara because my eyes always bother me. They are not noticable very tiny lashes in corner of my eyes. I wish I could have you do them you sound like you really are awesome. Thanks
Hey Kelly,
Thank you for the kind words! If ever you come around Montreal, Canada just let me know and I would love to do your lashes :). To your question, the growth direction of natural lashes is definitely a factor when considering which lash type and style would work best for a client. I wrote a guide about it here: https://divinelashes.ca/blog/eyelash-extension-styles-eye-shapes/
Inward lashes would be very tricky. You can send me a picture, but generally speaking, inward lashes could be a symptom of an underlying problem. I wouldn’t apply an eyelash extension on it. If it’s just a few small lashes, we wouldn’t apply an extension anyways on them since baby lashes can not support the weight of the extensions.
Hello 🙂
So, as someone who has never gotten extensions before… How do I pick the correct salon and how can I make sure they are applying the extensions correctly? I don’t want to go into the salon and tell the technician how to do their job. I am just so worried about my natural lashes and the most common mistakes made.
Hi Marissa,
One of the best ways to choose a good salon is to ask for recent pictures of their work. Also, you can certainly ask them what their values are and how they preserve the health of the natural lashes.
Is there special glue I can get for lashes. My eyes get very itchy to the glue salons use. Someone told me they have glue for Sensitive eyes.
Yes, you can ask your lash salon to use lash glue specifically designed for sensitive eyes. The adhesive will dry slower and release fewer formaldehyde fumes.
However, make sure you don’t have an allergy given what you already know. You may ask them for a patch test before doing the full lash set.
Hi there,
I have a question, the glue which has retention of 8 weeks doesn’t damage our natural growth?
Because i’ve seen some of the applications the lashes doesn’t even grow at all after 5 to 6 weeks?
Hey Anum,
Love the question. When eyelash extensions are applied properly, they should absolutely respect the natural growth cycle of your natural lashes. Therefore, a retention of 8 weeks is a little too long. It could be a symptom of poor application such as applying lashes on baby lashes or stickies.
My lash tech does my right eye first. She then does my left eye. As she does my left eye, she rests her hand or wrist, with pressure, against my newly applied right eye and lashes. My left eye always looks perfect between fills, but my right eye sheds quickly, even has lashes to start lying over. Is this because of her pressing on my right eye as she does my left eye?
Hey Kay,
That’s so bizarre. I’ve never seen a lash tech resting her hands on a client’s eyes and lashes. The hands should be very slightly touching the forehead and that’s it.