Can You Wear Eyeshadow With Lash Extensions? [How-to Guide]

You are considering the idea of wearing eyeshadow with lash extensions. If you wear eyelash extensions, you know that sometimes you have to be extra careful when applying eye makeup.

As a lash artist, I often get asked makeup-related questions because my clients want to make sure nothing would interfere with those beautiful lashes.

Your eyes are your best asset, so why not make them stand out? I’ll show you how to apply eyeshadow with eyelash extensions and also how to remove eyeshadow with lash extensions.

Let’s get started!

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Can You Wear Eyeshadow With Lash Extensions?

How to Apply Eyeshadow With Eyelash Extensions

Eyeshadow can easily get messy when applying it with eyelash extensions. The eyelash extensions themselves make the application of eyeshadow a little more difficult.

Here are the 4 most important things to keep in mind when applying eye shadow with eyelash extensions:

#1 Choose Powdered Eyeshadow

If you’re going to wear eyeshadow, you need to pick a formula that’s safe for eyelash extensions. There are many great formulas but not all of them work well with eyelash extensions.

The 5 most common types of eyeshadows are: 

• Powder eyeshadow: These are the most simple to use, and you can get great results by simply applying them with a brush. These usually come in a solid color and have some glitter or shimmer in them.
• Cream eyeshadow: These have some shimmer but not much sparkle or glitter, and they’re a bit more difficult to apply than powder shadows. They usually contain a lot of eyeshadow pigments, so they’ll last longer than powder shadow products.
• Liquid eyeshadow: These are usually more expensive than cream shadows, but you can apply them with a dampened brush or sponge for a wet look on your lids.
• Pigment eyeshadow: This type of eyeshadow is the most advanced, and it’s made of more than one color pigment that comes together to give it dimension and depth on your eyelids.
• Stick Eyeshadow or Crayon Eyeshadow: With this type of eyeshadow, you can create an allover wash of color that really pops against your face, and it’s also the easiest to use out of all of these products.

Amongst these various types of eyeshadows, you should opt for a powder eyeshadow if you wear eyelash extensions.

From my experience, it is the easiest to remove. The harder an eyeshadow is to remove, the more chances you have of damaging your lash extensions.

Oil-based eyeshadows should be avoided at all costs. The oil can slowly dissolve the lash adhesive over time and create poor retention of your lash extensions.

#2 Choose the Right Brush

When you are applying eyeshadow with eyelash extensions, the brush that you are using is very important.

Using the right brush is one of the most important aspects to consider if you want to avoid eyeshadow fallouts (when the eyeshadow falls and mixes with the cream products under your eyes).

So, which brush should you use to apply eyeshadow when wearing eyelash extensions?

Use a tight-bristled brush around the lash line!

It will be easier to apply your eyeshadow in the right places in a compact manner without anything going into your lashes.

#3 Remove Makeup With Care

It’s not difficult to remove eye makeup, but if you’re wearing lash extensions, it’s even easier to damage them. That’s because eyelash extensions are attached to your natural lashes. If you tug on your lashes, the extensions can come off too.

The biggest mistake you can make when removing eye makeup is using an oil-based remover. These removers will weaken the lash glue over time which will cause poor retention of the extensions.

To avoid resorting to these stronger formulations, make sure to wear oil-free eye makeup that’s not waterproof.

#4 Watch How-to Videos

Roxette Arisa posted a fun video on her youtube channel where she pulls a beautiful look using eyeshadow and eyelash extensions.

Check out how she does and avoids fallouts.

Best Eyeshadow for Lash Extensions (My #1 Pick)

The best eyeshadow to use with eyelash extensions is powdered eyeshadow that doesn’t contain any oils.

One of my all-time favorites is Tarte Eyeshadow Palettes which contain no oils. For example, I have had great results with the tartelette™ Amazonian clay matte palette.

The matte palette allows you to pull any look and is great for lash extension wearers who are looking for more natural colors.

How to Remove Eyeshadow With Eyelash Extensions

To remove your eyeshadow safely when wearing lash extensions, follow these simple guidelines:

1. Use a gentle cleanser such as micellar water. Anything with oils is a big No-No when having lash extensions. Oil is actually a solvent that can be used to remove lash extensions at home.
2. Dispense some remover on a lint-free paper towel and remove the eyeshadow using a pat-dry motion. Do not rub harshly using a left-to-right motion.
3. Cleanse your lashes using eyelash shampoo to complete your routine.
4. Make sure to clean your face daily. Do not go for several days with makeup on.

The key takeaway here is to make sure to use an oil-free remover. Using an oil-based one would be a big mistake because it would break down the lash adhesive and can lead to premature extension fallouts.

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