Individual Eyelash Extensions have become very popular over the last few years, hitting hard as a mainstream addiction. Salons have tried desperately to cash in on this trend, but not all of them are willing to throw down the thousands of dollars it costs in training and supplies that it takes to perform this service safely! Here are 8 things you need to know to help you choose a knowledgeable lash technician and get safe, damage-free lashes!
1. Eyelash extensions CAN cause permanent damage to your eyelashes. The key here, is that it is not actually the extensions that are dangerous, but the technician who is applying them that can put you at risk. Make sure your technician is certified, and has the paperwork to prove it.
2. The volume and length of your extensions are dependent on your natural lashes. Your lash technician must respect how much weight your lashes can carry. Unfortunately, if you have short, thin lashes, you will not achieve long, dramatic lashes like Kim Kardashians! There are various techniques, such as Russian Volume or "3D Lashes" that can make it appear as though you have lots of lashes, but even with this technique, you cannot achieve a great deal of length. **Remember that when I say you "can't", I mean "you can, but never should as this would be damaging to your natural lash health." And as stated earlier, if your lash technician is using new techniques (ie. 3D), she should have separate formal training in this as well.
3. "So how do I know how long my lash extensions can safely be?" This is a question that is debated even among technicians in the industry. Some will say that the extension should never be more than double the length of the natural lash. In my opinion, this is still way too long for the natural lash to support. As a general rule of thumb, if the natural lash is 10mm long I would not go beyond a 12mm extension. Bear in mind that your lashes are all different lengths throughout the lash line and 4-5 lengths should be used to achieve a natural look.
On a side note, you will achieve a fuller look by using shorter length lashes. Consider a vase full of roses... if the stems are long, the vase will not appear as full, but if you trim the stems, all of the rose heads will touch, making the vase appear more full. So length should not be the main goal with lash extensions!
4. Eyelash Extensions also come in several "thicknesses" or diameters. Some lash technicians will use a thicker lash to create a "mascara" look or a more voluminous look if they are not trained in Russian Volume/ 3D Lashing. The lash extension should be no thicker than your natural lash. Period. Applying thicker lashes than what your natural lashes can handle can lead to your lashes shedding prematurely, lashes getting twisted and causing discomfort, or feeling weighed-down and getting in your line of vision. If you want to get technical with your technician, ask them what diameters they use - I personally don't use anything over a 0.15, as this is the standard for "damage-free" lashes. Anything thicker is what we in the lash industry like to refer to as "tree stumps". Once you've seen beautiful light-weight, voluminous lashes done properly, you will realize how awful these thick extensions look.
5. It's also important to remember that not EVERY lash can handle an extension. You're lashes shed at a rate of about 45-60 days, which means there are always immature or "baby" lashes growing in that are not yet strong enough to handle the weight of an extension. You should be maintaining your lashes with visits to the salon every 3-4 weeks - by this time those baby lashes that weren't strong enough at your last visit are ready to be lashed.
6. When applying individual lash extensions your technician should be able to isolate one single natural eyelash, pick up one single extension and glue it to the natural lash. This process takes approximately 2 hours at your initial visit, and approx. 1 hour at infills. If the lashes are not properly isolated, as they grow out they will cause a great deal of discomfort because not every lash grows at the same rate, they will start to twist, itch and could even hurt. Remember - eyelash extensions should NEVER be painful! Eyelash extensions should also never touch the skin. They should be glued 1-2mm from the base and should be securely adhered at this point, otherwise the extension could pierce the skin, again leading to a great deal of discomfort, and potentially infection!
7. A lot of lash extensions are adhered with a black glue which means that even if you have light coloured lashes, the glue should coat your natural lash blending it with the extension. A small bead of glue is all that is needed, and once the lash is placed you should no longer see a "bead" as it should be evenly coated over the natural lash. Too much glue will cause lashes to clump together, could irritate the eyes and create unnecessary weight added to the extension.
8. This one should go without saying, but just in case (I've heard some horror stories).... You should always being lying comfortably on a treatment table with your technician behind you, and your eyes should be closed throughout the entire procedure to prevent fumes from the adhesive from getting into your eyes.
Even after going to school and getting our certification, education in this industry is never ending and you should always seek out a service provider who is on top of the latest trends, developments and research! Don't be afraid to educate yourself (although please consider the source when searching online - there is a lot of misleading information from non-professionals out there!) and ask questions!!
Happy Lashing :)
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