If you have an upcoming lash extension appointment with me, it is CRUCIAL that you read through the following information carefully as each step is extremely important and failing to understand this information WILL negatively affect the results of your lash extensions. Lash extensions are a luxury service that require a high level of care and consideration, and it is very important to me that your hard-earned money is not wasted by neglecting to look after your lash extensions properly. Lash extension longevity is 80% the responsibility of the client, meaning that long-lasting lashes are up to YOU. 

 

LASH APPOINTMENT PREPARATION:

 

Before your appointment, there are many things you will need to do to prepare:

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1. SHOWER:

If you need to shower or wash your hair, do it BEFORE your lash appointment as you won’t be able to expose your lash extensions to hot water or steam for at least 24 hours after getting them done.

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2. WASH YOUR FACE:

Arrive with a completely clean, freshly washed face – ensure that the cleanser you are using is completely oil-free! Under no circumstances should you arrive with ANY sort of skincare on your skin (moisturisers, sunscreens, serums, face oils). Even if you have used a small amount, it will make its way to your eyelashes when I am cleansing them at the beginning of your appointment, which will lead to the extensions falling off the natural lashes prematurely.

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3. ABSOLUTELY NO MAKEUP:

Please do not arrive to your appointment with ANY MAKEUP ON, especially eye makeup/mascara, but even foundation/concealer/powder. It will interfere with the gel pads that I place under your eyes to hold your lower lashes down and it will not stick properly. DO NOT USE MAKEUP REMOVER TO CLEAN YOUR LASHES! Makeup remover contains a high amount of oil and it will be impossible for me to get 100% of it off your lashes before I apply the extensions. Instead, use lash extension cleanser to remove your eye makeup.

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4. WASH YOUR LASHES: *lash extensions will not stick to dirty lashes*

If you have an eyelash extension cleanser (if you don't, we sell some at the studio), please use it before your appointment! Our eyelids produce natural oils every single day and this oil ends up on our eyelashes, so even if you aren’t wearing any makeup and don’t have any skincare on, there will be oil present on your lashes. I always do a quick cleanse at the start of your appointment, but this isn’t enough for your lashes to be completely clean and oil free - the cleaner they are the better they will stick and the longer they will last. 

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5. AVOID CAFFEINE:

Consuming caffeine up to 4 hours before your appointment will cause your eyes to twitch, which makes them constantly flutter open even just a micro millimetre, which leads to the glue fumes getting into your eyes. This can be painful and cause redness and watering, and obviously we want to avoid you being in any sort of discomfort for the 2 hours you will be laying still. Fluttering/twitching also makes it more difficult for me to put the extension on the lash, which means you may end up with less extensions being attached in your appointment time, therefore your lashes won’t look as good! Ditch the coffee and have a calming herbal tea instead.

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6. GET COMFY:
Getting lash extensions is a time-consuming process (1.5 - 2 hours for every appointment) so it's important that you're as comfy as possible. Feel free to wear trackies, your Oodie, or even your pjs - there'll be no judgement here! I'm a strong believer in using your lash appointment time to unwind and relax; think of it as guilt-free nap time! I also keep a blanket at the end of the lash bed for if you guys get cold, and the lash bed has a build-in massage function (highly recommend) as well as a heat setting for those chilly winter days. Even bring a wheat-bag if you want - we have a microwave you can use before your appointment hehe

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7. AVOID DRINKING TOO MUCH LIQUID:
Remember to use the bathroom before you arrive, or we have a bathroom at the studio you can use before your appointment. Imagine getting halfway through your appointment and realising that you need to go to the bathroom! This would require one of two things: either you try and ignore the urge for the whole rest of your appointment (this would suck), or you get your lash tech to dry your lashes and remove all of the tape/lash pads/everything from your eyes so that you can go - this would cut out about 10 mins of precious lash time! 

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8. REMOVE YOUR CONTACTS:

If you wear contact lenses, you MUST remove them before arriving to your appointment! The fumes of the lash glue cause contact lenses to shrivel and distort, which is absolutely terrifying to think about and would be so incredibly harmful to your eyes, not to mention painful!

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9. RESCHEDULE IF YOU'RE UNWELL:

Please do the right thing and reschedule your appointment if you're feeling sick! Don't put your lash tech at risk - we take on lots of clients and it would be so heartbreaking and inconvenient if we had to cancel on people because someone got us sick. My lash extension cancellation policy is very lenient and allows you to reschedule up to 24 hours before your appointment so that you won't need to pay another deposit. Simply send me an email if you need to cancel/reschedule. Just please ensure that you are giving me plenty of notice so that I have time to contact someone on my cancellation list and fill the appointment. 

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Keep in mind that I won’t be able to apply lash extensions to you if…

• You have damaged or weak lashes

• Your lashes have been chemically lifted/permed within the last 8 weeks

• You are allergic to lash extensions and have had a reaction in the past

• You have booked in for a refill appointment and currently have lash extensions on from another lash tech (unless that lash tech is Aria @sapphire_lashess, we’re happy to refill each other’s work as we use all the same products)

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DURING YOUR LASH APPOINTMENT:

 

The following tips will help make your appointment run as smoothly as possible, both for you and your lash tech:

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1. LIMIT MOVEMENT:
Moving around too much will significantly drag out the appointment as it will take longer for me to isolate the natural lash and carefully apply a lash extension on to it! This is why I recommend wearing super comfy clothing; wearing something constrictive or uncomfortable to your appointment (e.g. jeans) will make you want to wriggle around! 

2. LIMIT TALKING:
Did you know that when you talk, your eyelids flutter and your entire face moves? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE a good chat/therapy sesh, but we can do that while I'm cleaning and prepping your lashes for the first 15-20 mins, and then when I'm applying the lash extensions you can enjoy a much-needed lash nap :)
 

3. KEEP YOUR PHONE IN YOUR BAG:

I know it's hard to be away from your phone for 2 hours, but it will be very difficult for you to relax if you have your phone on you and it's constantly buzzing with notifications! You won't be able to open your eyes for the whole 2 hour process, so keeping your phone in your bag or turning it off is definitely the right way to go. And please, please, please don't take or make phone calls while you're getting your lashes done!

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4. AIRPODS:
I'm more than happy for you to wear airpods/earphones at your appointment! This is great for those of you that struggle to nap and want to listen to your own music, enjoy a podcast, or even catch up on uni lectures. TIP: create a playlist or queue before your appointment so that you won't be struggling to change the song with your eyes closed :)

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5. BE PATIENT:
As previously mentioned, your lash appointment will take a long time. Every single natural lash needs to be isolated with tweezers (3 seconds), then an extension gets picked up with another pair of tweezers (2 seconds), then the extension gets dipped in glue (2 seconds), then the extension gets carefully placed on top (2 seconds), then it needs to be held in place for 1 second. This process is 10 seconds for every single lash extension! 
The average person has 90 - 150 natural lashes PER EYE, so it's no wonder that lash extension appointments go for so long! Be patient with your lash tech, and try to avoid asking "how much longer" as this adds unnecessary stress :)

6. NO EXTRA PEOPLE:
Please don't bring extra people to your lash appointment! It will be extremely difficult for your lash tech to focus and apply the lash extensions if there are children running around or if you're having a chat to the friend you've brought along. 

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LASH EXTENSION AFTERCARE:

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Lash extension aftercare is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to keeping your extensions lasting as long as possible, and also to keep your general eye-health in check. The following information must be remembered and implemented by every single one of my lash clients. Failure to do so will result in the refusal to do your lashes henceforth. 

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***it's important to remember that everyone sheds 2 - 6 natural lashes every single day, therefore you will naturally shed 2 - 6 extensions each day*** This is NORMAL, do not stress! You are SUPPOSED to shed these lashes because they are at the end of their growth cycle and a baby lash is waiting to grow in it's place. What ISN'T normal is if you see a lash extension come off and there is no natural lash attached to it. ALWAYS check every single extension that falls out and make sure that there is a natural lash attached. If there isn't a natural lash and the extension is falling off on it's own, something in your day-to-day lifestyle is breaking down the glue bond, and you are facing retention issues. Follow ALL of the following instructions meticulously to get the absolute most out of your beautiful new lashes:

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FIRST 12 HOURS:

Avoid getting your lashes wet for 12 hours! A lot of lash techs will say to wait 24 hours before getting them wet, however I use a product called 'Super Bonder' at the end of every lash appointment that speeds up the curing process of the glue, meaning that you can get them wet (with cold/room-temp water) quicker! *keep in mind that you cannot get them wet with hot, steamy water for 24 hours* 

FIRST 24 HOURS:

Avoid steam from showers/saunas/anything that’s steam-related! While the lash glue is curing it is extremely sensitive to heat, and the high temperature of steam will interfere with the glue, causing the glue bond to weaken and causing the extension to fall off the natural lash. Don’t put your face near pots of boiling water if you’re going to be in the kitchen, and if you’re going to be opening up a hot oven, face the other way! Avoid strenuous exercise that will lead to heat and sweating, and instead opt for a low-intensity gym sesh.
Masks: don’t wear a mask for the first 24 hours! The heat and humidity from your breath goes straight up towards your eyes, which is a recipe for disaster. I know a lot of you are healthcare workers and are required to wear masks, so it might be wise to schedule your lash appointment when you know you won’t have a shift for 24 hours afterwards.

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WHAT TO DO EVERYDAY:

1. WASH YOUR LASHES 
 

If there's one thing that I absolutely cannot stress enough, it's WASH YOUR LASHES WITH LASH CLEANSER EVERY SINGLE DAY! I have seen first-hand how amazing my clients lash retention can be when they are washing their lashes daily. Some of them wash their lashes morning and night, and their retention and lash health is through the roof! These amazing clients can often go 3.5 - 4 weeks between refills because they take such good care of their lashes. However, I've also seen the result of clients not washing their lashes (or only washing them 1-2 times a week), and it's not pretty. Clients who rarely wash their lashes have extremely poor lash health and retention, and it's often that I'm forced to charge them for a full set as they only have 10-30% extensions remaining, even though it's only been 2-3 weeks since their last appointment. 

Why to wash your lashes: There is a very common misconception that washing your lashes will make them fall out; this is 1000% NOT TRUE. It's literally the other way around; if you don't wash your lashes, the extensions WILL fall off. Let me break it down for you:

The way that lash techs do a full removal of someone's lash extensions is by applying a thing called 'cream remover' onto the extensions and letting it sit for approx 10 mins. Cream remover is PACKED with oil, as oil eats away at the glue and breaks it down so that the extensions can safely slide off. Everyone produces natural oils on their eyelids every day (even if you can't see it, it's there!) and this oil makes its way down to the base of your lashes, which is where the glue is. This means that by not washing your lashes, your natural oils are literally just sitting there on your lashes and breaking down the glue-bond, which leads to the extensions eventually falling off. By washing your lashes every day, you are washing away those natural oils on your lashes, keeping them clean, fresh, and in-tact. 
Washing your lashes also gets rid of makeup build-up, dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Failure to wash your lashes leads to a build-up of these things, resulting in blepharitis; a condition caused by blocked oil glands, where the eyelids become enflamed, itchy and irritated. A build-up of dead skin cells and crusty old makeup also makes the perfect breeding ground for lash mites. Yes, you read that correctly: LASH MITES. Think I'm lying? Check out this Tiktok that shows lash mites under a microscope. Also known as Demodex Folliculitis, lash mites are microscopic parasites, similar to head lice, that feed on dead skin cells and oils. Everyone has them (which is so nasty to think about) and they are usually harmless, however they thrive and multiply in unhygienic conditions (e.g. in unwashed lashes), leading to an infestation of mites. The more they have to feed on, the happier they are, and they will lay their eggs in your lash-line. Aside from being pretty gross, an overproduction of lash mites will actually damage your lashes and lead to lash loss: they don't like the light and they burrow down into the hair follicle during the day, which causes the hair to loosen, and eventually slip out. It's important to note that eyelash extensions do not cause lash mites. Poor hygiene and lack of cleanliness is the number one cause of a lash mite infestation.

What to use: it's important that you're washing your lashes with a cleanser that is especially made for eyelash extensions. Please DO NOT use baby shampoo, micellar water, makeup remover, or anything along those lines. Lash extension cleanser is specially formulated for lash extensions and does not contain any ingredients that will cause the breakdown of the glue-bond. I'm sure some people think that lash cleanser is just a way for lash techs to make extra money, but after reading all of the above info, I think we can all agree on the importance of washing your lashes correctly. We sell lash cleanser at the studio for our client's convenience (small bottle = $15, large bottle = $20) and I would just like to assure you that we barely make even $1 profit from these cleansers! They are not a cash-grab opportunity for us, they are priced affordably because it's so important that all of our clients are using them daily. Our lash cleanser also comes with a cleansing brush to use it with. Alternatively, a quick google search will show you plenty of lash cleansers that you can purchase online from other businesses; just be mindful of the ingredients as you won't know for sure if they'll be good for your lashes or not. If you're unsure, link me the cleanser you want to purchase and I can check it out for you to make sure it's all good :)
 

Step-by-step of how to wash your lashes:

1. Shake lash cleanser bottle and apply half a pump onto each closed eye
2. Using side-to-side motions and coming in from the top, gently scrub along the lash-line with your lash cleanser brush. Avoid circular motions as this will lead to the extensions twisting around which can be quite uncomfortable and make the lashes look messy!
3. Turn the brush the other side up and use side-to-side motions to gently scrub underneath the lash extensions

4. Use the lash brush to clean the skin all around the eyes to get all of the natural oils off

5. Rinse your lashes with room-temp or lukewarm water, nothing too hot/steamy

6. Gently pat your lashes dry with a clean hand-towel or paper towel. It's so important that you are EXTREMELY GENTLE with this step as you don't want to pull at your extensions and risk them snagging and ripping out.

7. Once your lashes are dry, brush them into place with your spoolie brush (a.k.a. disposable mascara wand). Avoid brushing them upwards as this will make them look messy. Instead, brush downwards from the top of your lashes - this will correct any extensions that may have twisted, and will keep them looking neat and in line. 
 

When to wash them:

Every day, yes, but also after any of the following:

- Exercising/sweating/being in a sauna (sweat contains salt and natural oils)

- Swimming in a chlorinated pool (chlorine is a harsh chemical that lash glue doesn't like)

- Swimming in the ocean (salt water will make your lashes crunchy until you wash them)

- Crying (our tears contain salt and natural oils)

- IF YOU HAVE OILY SKIN: you should be washing your lashes morning AND night to make sure that your natural oils aren't lingering on your lash extensions for any more than 12 hours.
- IF YOU WEAR LOTS OF SKINCARE PRODUCTS: you should be washing your lashes morning AND night - I personally love skincare and use lots of products every day/night, however keep in mind that everything you put on your face WILL at some point end up on your lashes. Wash your lashes each morning to make sure that your night-time skincare products have been cleaned off of your lashes, and wash your lashes every night to get all of your day-time skincare products off your lashes.
 

IMPORTANT TIP: every time you notice a lash extension that has fallen off, I want you to inspect it. Does it have a natural lash attached to it? Or is it just the extension without a natural lash attached? If the natural lash is still attached, this is a GOOD THING. It means that it was time for your lash to shed naturally (unless you ripped it out), and you likely have good lash extension retention. If you notice extensions falling off without a natural lash attached, there is a problem at hand. It means that something in your day to day lifestyle (often natural oils, makeup containing oil, or skincare containing oil) is breaking down the glue bond. This is where you need to reevaluate your lash washing schedule. If you're only washing your lashes a handful of times a week, start washing them daily. If you already wash them once a day, try washing them twice a day and see if this helps. 

2. BRUSH YOUR LASHES:

At the end of every lash appointment, I will always give you the disposable spoolie brush that I've used to brush your lashes during your appointment. Hang onto this brush because you're gonna need to use it every day! Over time you'll end up with a collection of spoolie brushes and it's great to keep them absolutely everywhere. Have one in the bathroom for after you wash your lashes, have one in your handbag, have one in the car so you can tidy up your lashes when you're on the go, have one at your partner's house, have them everywhere!
 

Why to brush your lashes:

As previously mentioned, brushing your lashes helps to keep them looking neat and tidy, it helps to maintain their shape, and it ensures that they don't become twisted around the wrong way when they start growing out. Additionally, it keeps them from becoming stuck together with build-up. If you neglect your spoolie brush and build-up starts to stick your lashes together, this will lead to lash damage. Every single natural lash is growing at it's own pace and they are all in different stages of their growth cycle. This means that if 2 lashes become stuck together and one lash is growing faster than the other, the faster lash will rip the slower lash straight out of the follicle. If this is happening to multiple of your lashes, you can imagine that by the time it comes to your refill appointment, I won't have very many natural lashes left to work with, and your lash extensions won't look as full! Lashes that get ripped out also grow back a lot thinner and weaker, often times being too damaged to have an extension stuck to it. 
 

When to brush your lashes: (aim for 2-5 times a day, it only takes 10 seconds!)

- first thing in the morning when you wake up, especially if you're a face or side sleeper!

- after washing and drying your lashes

- any time you feel as though your lashes look a bit messy

 

WHAT TO AVOID:
- Oils: (not that I need to mention it again)

Go through your makeup and skincare products and if anything contains oil, swap it out for an oil-free alternative. Keep in mind that everything you apply to your face will travel to the eye area during the day and on your pillow as you sleep.

- High heat:

Be very careful around high heat such as the following: heat from opening an oven, using a hair dryer on a hot setting, smoking, lighting cigarettes, bonfires, etc. High heat can cause the curl of your lash extensions to drop, and can even singe your lashes which is so dangerous! Lash extensions are highly flammable so be extremely careful.

- Touching your lashes with your fingers:
Natural oils build up on your fingers throughout the day, and we all know what happens when natural oils get on your lashes!

- Rubbing your eyes/pulling at your lashes:

This will loosen your natural lashes and cause them to fall out prematurely, leading to damaged and sparse lashes.

- Makeup wipes:

Makeup wipes contain high amounts of oil, and they also have fibres that can get caught on your extensions and rip them out! Ditch the makeup wipes and use your lash cleanser to clean any makeup off your lashes and around your eye area. 

- Mascara:

Under no circumstances should you be applying mascara to your extensions! If you're feeling the need to put mascara on your extensions, you've probably chosen a lash style that isn't full/dark enough for you: if you get classics, try hybrids. If you get hybrids, try volumes, and so on and so forth. It's okay if you put mascara on your lower lashes, just make sure that whatever you're using doesn't contain any oil and isn't waterproof so that if it ends up transferring onto your extensions it won't be difficult to remove!

- Lash curlers:

Don't try and curl your lash extensions as this will bend them, and once they're bent, there's no going back.

 

THE EXTRA MILE:

If you really want to go the extra mile for your lash extensions, start using a silk pillowcase! Silk is amazing for lash extensions as your lashes won't get tugged or pulled as you sleep - instead, they'll glide straight over the silk. I've been using a silk pillowcase for about a year and the difference it's made is amazing! Not just to my lashes, but also to my skin and hair. I use and recommend this one!
Pillow cases can be a breeding ground for bacteria, so make sure you're changing/cleaning your pillow case regularly (once a week minimum) to protect your lashes and your skin health. 

 

If you have any further questions you can likely find the answers in my FAQ here :)

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If you are someone that is new to lash extensions, the above instructions may take some time to get used to, however it is all 110% necessary and it will become second nature before you know it! 

You need to be putting in the work and cleaning your lash extensions every single day before your fill or full set appointment. If there are any traces of oil, makeup, dirt or dead skin cells on your lashes, the extension won’t adhere properly, meaning your extensions will slide off of your natural lashes, and you will require refills more regularly. If you arrive to your refill appointment with less than 40% of your extensions on, you will be charged for a full set.If you do not comply with the above aftercare instructions, I will be forced break up with you as a client, which I really don't want to do :( 

So do the right thing and get cleaning!