Magnetic lashes are an innovative new beauty product that is designed to magically adhere to your own lashes via magnets.

For those of us who already wear eyelash extensions, it could be tempting to grab a pair of magnetic lashes and put it on top of our lash extensions when a very special occasion comes up. But is it a good idea?

In this article, I will demystify what will happen to your lashes should you opt to wear magnetic lashes on top of your extensions.

Let’s get started!

Can You Put Magnetic Lashes on Top of Lash Extensions?

Did you know that there are two types of magnetic lashes:

• Strip magnetic lashes (or clip-on magnetic lashes)
• Magnetic eyeliner lashes

Both of them are problematic if you already have lash extensions on and I’ll cover exactly why that is below.

What Happens if You Put Magnetic Lashes Over Lash Extensions?

1- You Risk Pulling on the Extensions When Applying Magnetic Lashes

Clip-on magnetic lashes are notorious for being hard to put on. You need surgical precision to get it right the first time.

You essentially need to sandwich your natural lashes with a pair of fake ones just perfectly along the upper lash line.

So what if you miss it?

You’ll have to peel the magnets apart and start over.

It doesn’t seem all that bad if you don’t wear lash extensions. But if you do, that constant re-adjusting can be deadly for your extensions. One small faux-pa and you end up pulling on an extension causing damage along the way.

2- Removing Magnetic Eyeliner Lashes Is a Nightmare

As we have already explained earlier, this type of magnetic lash uses a specific type of eyeliner to adhere the fake lashes to the lash line.

Eventually, you will need to wash off your face and remove the eyeliner.

But what happens if the eyeliner is hard to remove?

You risk rubbing harder to get it off. By doing so, you risk pulling and damaging your lash extensions and your natural lashes.

That’s why we recommend water-based eyeliner that is very easy to remove. Needless to say that magnetic eyeliner doesn’t fit this recommendation.

You’ll most likely need a stronger makeup remover that will weaken the lash adhesive at the same time which will lead to poor retention of the extensions.

Pro Tip: I have written an entire article on the topic of eyeliner and eyelash extensions here. In this article, I share the best eyeliners to use with lash extensions and those you should avoid. I also share a step-by-step guide on how to remove eyeliner with eyelash extensions.

3- Removing Magnetic Strips Is Complicated

If you applied magnetic strip lashes on top of lash extensions, you would end up with two magnetic strips sandwiching your natural lashes and extensions.

The magnets on the strips provide a very stronghold. You wouldn’t be able to remove the magnetic strips by simply pulling them forward without ripping your natural lashes out.

Instead, you need to grab the top magnetic lash strip from the outer corner of your eye, lift up and pull it towards the inner corner of the eye.

Easy right?

Not so fast. Have I mentioned that some magnetic lashes are really powerful?

While pulling on the top magnetic lash strip to break the bond between the two strips, you could easily pull on your extensions at the same time if your angle is less than perfect.

Pulling on the extensions will cause unnecessary stress to your natural lashes and could pull them out or cause damage.

4- It looks Cheap and Unnecessary

This one might seem obvious but I still feel the need to mention it.

Let’s be honest, eyelash extensions are not cheap. You have invested a considerable amount of money for your initial appointment and you maintain them with lash refills every couple of weeks.

If you are curious about the cost of eyelash extensions, here is a detailed case study I have done where I found that eyelash extensions cost on average $164 for classic lashes and $71 for classic fills.

The eyelash tech spent a considerable amount of time designing a custom look that fits your eye shape perfectly.

Why would you apply generic magnetic lashes on top of your lash extensions then?

It seems counterintuitive to spend money and time on a luxury product and then apply a generic one on top of it.

Just take a look at this beautiful woman rocking her Divine Lashes extensions 🙂

What Can I Do Instead of Wearing Magnetic Lashes on Top of Lash Extensions?

It’s not uncommon to think about DIY lash repair when your lashes are sparse and you’re close to a refill session. But, by adding magnetic lashes, you only end up ruining your extensions and weakening your natural lashes, or even breaking them.

Moreover, eyelash extension treatments are strictly done by certified professionals because working around the eye is critical. Once you get such a treatment, tampering around it on your own with products like magnetic eyeliner can end up damaging your lashes during the removal process.

Instead, ask your lash tech for a voluminous set or use a lash growth serum for lash extensions. This will help you grow natural lashes that are long, thick, and strong to accommodate voluminous extensions and long retention periods.

Pro Tip: If you want to know more about the differences between classic, hybrid, and volume lashes, I have written an entire article on the topic where I share the many nuances between these 3 techniques.

References

1. Chloe Metzger, Brooke Shunatona (2021). 13 Best Magnetic Lashes You Need In Your Life for 2021 Retrieved from https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/g29823549/best-magnetic-lashes/ (Accessed on 15 September 2021)
2. Dr. Cynthia Cobb (2020). Are Magnetic Eyeliner and Lashes Safe to Use? Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/is-magnetic-eyeliner-safe (Accessed on 15 September 2021)
3. Einat Slonimsky and Alexander Mamourian (2019). Magnetic Eyelashes: A New Source of MRI Artifacts. Retrieved from https://www.ajronline.org/doi/10.2214/AJR.19.21550 (Accessed on 15 September 2021)