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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Have had professionally applied extensions for about 2 years with refills every 2 to 3 weeks max. Had them removed yesterday to give my eyelashes a pause…and I’m dismayed at the extensive damage to my formerly thick & full eyelashes. They’re non existent compared to before extensions.
Wish I’d never done this….they may never recover.
Hi Colleen,
This is terrible. However, I can assure you that the problem is not eyelash extensions but rather the application. Several of my clients have had lash extensions with me for many many years without taking a break and their natural lashes are just as healthy. The key is to respect the natural lash health. Proper application is a technique that takes time to master.
what is the best 3 lash serums to help lashes grow?
Hi Yoli,
I actually wrote an entire article on the best lash serums to use with lash extensions here : https://divinelashes.ca/blog/lash-serum-with-eyelash-extensions/
Hi,
What is your Instagram? Are you taking new clients? How do you know if your lash extensions were not applied properly? I always thought my lash tech was doing a good job until I read this article and now I’m scared for the health of my real lashes 🙁 the set of lashes I just got was poking my eyelid on the outer corner. When my lashes fall out, they always fall out with my lash attached to it. Is it normal for lash extensions to always go in your eye? I always have to pick them out of my eyes.
Hi Krys,
Here is the link to our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divine_lashes/
Yes of course we are taking new clients. We currently have 4 locations all in Canada. If you wish to book an appointment please visit this page : https://divinelashes.ca/book-appointment/
It is normal for extensions to fall with the natural lash attached. This is the natural shedding cycle. However, excessive shedding would be a source of concern. And no, lash extensions should never go in your eyes!
Hi, I had lash extensions for about 2 mo last year. Due to conflicts in scheduling, I went about a month without a refill 2x so I had the service done twice. I started noticing my natural lashes that were growing back were much shorter. I decided to stop getting extensions and let my lashes grow back. This has been almost a year ago. My lashes are still no where near as long as they used to be, they are at least 1/4 inch shorter. I’m 46 so I’ve been applying mascara for many years, this is when the length difference is so obvious bc my mascara goes on completely differently. It’s not in my head, what can I do? What caused this? How can it be possible if all my lashes have to be regrown by now? I don’t understand….
Hi Kelly,
I’m not sure what is happening since I’ve never had any client experiencing what you are describing. Properly applied lash extensions with proper isolation would not damage your natural lashes, and certainly not cause them to be 1/4 inch smaller. Maybe you can try a lash growth serum? Some of our clients had great success with two products that I have talked about in this article : https://divinelashes.ca/blog/lash-serum-with-eyelash-extensions/
How long is a good time to keep eyelashes extensions for ?- Thank you- & also I am terrified about mites?
Some of my clients have been with me for years and come every 3 weeks on the dot. When lash extensions are applied properly with good isolation, respect the growth cycle of your natural lashes and respect the weight your natural lashes can support, eyelash extensions can be worn very long term without any risk.
When I had my extensions done several years a go by a student, they were crispy to the touch. They drove me nuts so i never got them done again. Is that a normal way for them to feel?? Crispy and hard??
Hi Patti!
Not at all. Lash extensions should feel soft and natural. You can think of them as an extension of how your natural lashes feel. Don’t let one bad experience drive you away from lash extensions.
After a couple months of lash extensions and then having them removed, my natural eyelashes are nothing like what they used to be. I had long and thick eyelashes and now I barely have any left to even apply mascara, will this damage resolve itself over time ?x
Hi Caitlin, I’m so sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with eyelash extensions. Since you only had them on for a couple months, they will most likely grow back with some time. I might suggest that you can start using a lash serum to help speed up the process!
After 2 years of classic lash extensions and several technicians. I have found my lids irritated recently post procedure and I loose 50-60% of weekly reapply. The weekly appointment is necessary since so many lashes fall out on day 2-6 I am worried that I do not see many natural lashes in extension fallout areas I would like to get self glue on flash lashes of appropriate size/length to avoid putting pressure on my fine thin lashes which I worry are damaged by the extension and side sleeping with face smashed in a pillow. I am very frustrated with extensions which look great for 10 hours and are 60% gone in less than 1 week. Wouldn’t self applied artificial lash sets that are removed at night and reapplied daily be a better alternative to prevent natural lash breakage and loss
Hi Michele,
Thank you for your comment! I’m sorry to hear that eyelash extensions are not working out for you. Loosing almost half of your extensions after 1 week is very unusual, when they are properly applied and cared for you should retain about 50% after 3 weeks. If you are noticing that your natural eyelashes are thinning, it could be caused by poor application, poor extension thickness and length vs natural eyelashes, and poor aftercare. You can take a break from eyelash extensions and try a lash serum to help recover your natural eyelashes faster. And in the mean time trying alternatives like strip lashes or magnetic eyelashes can be a good option for you!
Hi Asako. What is the best way to prevent lash extensions from getting wet when washing your hair. I loved the article and learned so much from it.
Hi Susan,
Thank you for the kind words 🙂 I’m happy you found this article useful.
To answer your question, you actually should get your lashes wet! It’s important to clean your lashes regularly. You can read my article about the story of one client who was wearing goggles when showering and developed lash mites.
Also, I’ve written a guide on how to take showers with eyelash extensions here.
However, it is always best to wait around 4 hours before getting your lashes wet so that the lash adhesive can cure completely.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions!
How do you remove lash extensions safely
Hi Lynne,
The safest way to remove eyelash extensions is going to a trained professional where they will use a special solvent to remove eyelash extensions! We also have article on how to remove eyelash extensions at home! When you have a chance, please take a look 🙂 https://divinelashes.ca/blog/how-to-remove-eyelash-extensions-at-home/
Hi . I’m new to the eyelash experience. But I’ve used so far 2 different people , can’t seem to get it right . I ask for classic lashes the first time was great went twice to her ,they were never the same after both eyes looked different. Went to another person both eyes looked different again . What’s wrong!!! I’m going on Tuesday to another person my friend goes to .hers look great… I’m confused Help
Hi Angela, thank you for your comment. Finding the perfect artist for you can be a challenge. I hope your next experience will be a good one!
Hi!! I have my very first appointment for lash extensions this week, and I’m pretty nervous that it will ruin my lashes. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, but now that I have an appointment I’m getting nervous. I have naturally long thick lashes, and I don’t want to ruin them. Is it truly worth the risk?
Hey Allie!
Thank you for your comment! Remember getting lash extensions doesn’t automatically mean it will ruin your lashes.
Its super important to find a experienced stylist who is able to select the right length and thickness and apply them correctly one to one. Combined with proper aftercare you can wear lash extensions without ruining your natural eyelashes!
I just got my lashes removed after wearing them for 8 months. They seem to be thinner, is that a thing or am I just not used to them?
Hi Jenn! Do you have before / after pictures of your appointments? This is something we generally take for our clients. Having said that, lash extensions can be addictive and I have had clients who can never go back because they now feel like their natural lashes are just not enough. Maybe you got addicted too 😉
Thank you so much for these tips! I have super sensitive eyes and tiny lashes and I ended up ripping them all out because of all these mistakes. Is there any particular glue or lash that you can recommend for sensitive eyes? And what can you do when you have 0 lashes left?
Hi Karen, thank you so much for your comment! I’m so happy to hear that you find the tips helpful 🙂 Are you eyes sensitive regardless of wearing eyelash extensions? Or is the extensions are the cause to your sensitivity?
Its possible that the extensions are not applied properly or you might be sensitive to the adhesive. If you end up with 0 lashes, it might be best to give your lashes a break and try other alternatives.
hi there. i used to always go to the same lash person but unfortunately she stopped doing lashes, so my friend started doing lashes last October and i’ve noticed she’s really improved (because i’m always scared to go to newer lash techs) a few of my friends had her lashes so i tried hers out! but now i don’t know if she applied them properly, i noticed the lashes are closer to my lash line compared to what my other lash perosn did and am curious. how long can these stay on before they ruin my lashes?? i’ve had them on for a few weeks now and had really thick long lashes before and i just hope they aren’t ruined! can you please let me know know how long it takes for them to ruin my natural lashes, thanks!!
Hey Sam,
Thank you for your message. The speed of damage can be different depending on how the extensions are applied. To let to you know exactly is very difficult without taking a closer look at your eyelashes. If you are worried, you can always seek another lash artist for a second opinion or you can simply take a break and wear extensions on a occasional basis! I hope this helps 🙂
When I had my extensions after a week the extensions gets too sharp and poke my eyelids
What is the reason
Hey Anna, thanks so much for your comment. Do you still have a photo of your extensions? I would love to take a look at them for you so I can give you a proper answer, but here are some possibilities. The curl of the extension was too curly, the length was too long or the extension was too thick for your natural eyelashes. When the lashes are applied properly you shouldn’t feel them poking on your eyelids. I hope this was helpful 🙂
When my extension were grown out, I have noticed my natural lashes have lost their curl? Could this be due to the extensions? It has been almost 3 months sine they were applied and lasted about 3-4weeks before they all grew out.
Hi Nadine,
I have personally never experienced any of my clients losing the curl of their natural lashes. I always make sure to use lash extensions that have the proper length and weight that can be supported by the natural lash.