by Alexandra Nicole Nuralam

6 Ways to Make Your Lash Extensions Last Longer

Anyone who’s ever gotten eyelash extensions and went through the process of them falling out knows it isn’t exactly fun—to be perfectly honest, your eyelashes can start to look weird real fast. There isn’t any one way to deal with gaps in your lash set, individual hairs facing in every possible direction and varying lengths.

Whether you’re still in the beginning stages of your extensions and working on maintaining them, or you’ve missed your touch-up appointment, here are the best ways to maintain your extensions and make them last just a little bit longer between touch-ups.

Firstly, how can I fill in the gaps in my eyelashes as the extensions fall out?

Since lash extensions don’t fall out evenly and can leave sparse areas and holes in your natural lash line, the best way to hide it is with makeup. You can go in with mascara, just be sure to use a washable formula—more on this below.

Be gentle on your lashes

As a general rule of thumb, the less you mess with your lashes, the longer they will last. This means no rubbing, tugging, or plucking your lashes, since it could cause your extensions to fall off prematurely… and who wants that?

Avoid eyeliner and waterproof mascara

This one may be a little harder, especially if you love winged liner. Avoid waterproof mascara at all costs and go in sparingly with the eyeliner. These are much harder to remove and all that tugging is bad news for the life span of your lash extensions. With that said, if you’re a liner gal, keep in mind to remove it carefully with micellar water and a cotton bud.

Use a gentle cleanser

One of the easiest ways to extend the life of your lashes is to keep them clean. That means keeping up with daily cleansing. Be sure to use a mild, low-alkaline soap and always, always use an oil-free makeup remover. Oil-based products oil will break down the glue that binds the lashes together, making lashes fall out much quicker.

Mind the eye area

Your super-rich eye cream may help you wake up to brighter, fresher eyes, but it’s not doing your extensions any favours. The oils from the product can break up the glue and accelerate lash fallout.

Choose extensions that mimic your natural lash shape

Something you can consider is changing the curl of your extensions to fit the ellipse of your natural lash better. If your lashes are on the straighter side and you get super-curly lashes, chances are they will fall off prematurely. Talk to your lash artist and see which one works out better for you.

Reach for a lash serum

Eyelash extensions, as great as they look, can take a toll on your natural lashes. When it’s all said and done, you want to make sure you’re nourishing your real lashes with some extra TLC. Plus, lash serums help to strengthen your real lashes, which will ensure that your lash extensions can stay on longer, since they carry the weight of your extensions.

No matter what stage your lash extensions are at, or if you don’t have any extensions at all, applying a lash conditioning serum before bedtime is a great habit to pick up for stronger, fuller lashes. We love these lash serums from Swedish brand Xlash; they’re hypoallergenic tested and safe to use with eyelash extensions.

Want more beauty tips? Hit that ‘Sign Up’ button at the bottom to receive the latest round-up.