AN AFTERCARE GUIDE FOR THE BEST LASH RETENTION
Why Lash Aftercare Matters
As a lash artist, part of your job is helping your clients understand how to care for their lash extensions once their appointment is over. A little education goes a long way! Lash extensions need some special care to keep them looking their best, especially for clients who are getting lashes for the very first time.
Giving clear aftercare instructions helps avoid confusion or frustration when clients notice normal shedding or feel like their lashes don't look as full as they did on day one. You've spent hours perfecting their set; now it's their turn to help maintain them! Proper aftercare, combined with good attachment, is the secret to long-lasting, beautiful lashes.
How to Maximize Lash Retention with Proper Aftercare
1. Lashes washed daily.
When educating your clients, stress that washing their lashes is the most important aftercare step! Lashes should be cleansed morning and night with a gentle, lash-safe cleanser, as water from the shower alone isn't enough.
Teach clients to gently pat their lashes dry, then brush and fan them until fully dry and fluffy. Remind them to wash their lashes after crying, swimming, or sweating, as tears, chlorine, and salt water can affect retention.
It's also important to debunk the myth that avoiding water helps lashes last longer. In reality, buildup from oil, makeup, and debris weakens the adhesive bond and causes premature fallout. Clean lashes equal better retention and healthier natural lashes.
2. Avoid using any oil-based products.
Oil and lash extensions do not mix! Advise them to avoid all oil-based products, including eyeliner, makeup, cleansers, serums, creams, and sunscreens.
Oils can travel down the face during cleansing, softening the adhesive bond, and cause lashes to shed faster. The main oils they should completely avoid are mineral oil, coconut oil, canola, oil, and vegetable oil.
An oil-free makeup remover is the best option to protect their retention.
3. No eyelash curlers or mascara.
Eyelash curlers and mascara are unnecessary when wearing lash extensions. Extensions are already designed with a beautiful curl, and using a curler can damage both the extensions and the natural lashes!
If your client prefers a curlier look, encourage them to discuss this at their next appointment so you can choose a more dramatic curl that suits them.
Because extensions add darkness and thickness, mascara isn't needed. If a client insists on using it, advise them to use only a water-based, oil-free, non-waterproof mascara to avoid damaging the lashes and compromising retention.
4. Lashes brushed daily.
This is the easiest step! Brushing lash extensions at least once a day keeps them looking neat and pretty. It removes and dirt and lint sitting on the lashes. Advise your clients to brush from both the top and the bottom, but not too close to the lash line as it can snag the base of the extension. At the end of their appointment, you can provide them a mascara brush to take home as well!
5. No touching, picking, or pulling on lashes.
Teach your clients that picking or pulling at their lash extensions is one of the most damaging habits they can form. As lashes grow out, extensions may twist or feel uncomfortable, but it's important to resist the urge to touch or pull them.
Pulling on extensions can remove natural lashes along with them, leading to breakage and even bald spots along the lash line. To minimize damage, clients should always visit an experienced lash technician who properly isolates each lash. There should never be more than one natural lash attached to a single extension.
6. Proper sleeping position.
Advise your clients that sleeping on their back is the best way to protect lash extensions. Sleeping on the stomach or side can cause lashes to rub against the pillow, get tugged, or become misshapen. For clients who can't sleep on their back, recommend investing in a silk pillowcase! Silk is smooth, reduces friction, and helps prevent lashes from catching or bending.
7. Lash fill every 2-3 weeks.
Fills are needed every 2-3 weeks to maintain fullness. We can lose up to 1-5 natural lashes a day due to our natural growth cycle, which adds up as much as 35 lashes a week! Some lashes will be grown out by the 2-week mark, depending on your client's lash growth, and it will start to weigh down and cause stress to the natural lash. Waiting too long cab result in having to pay for a full set if there are too many outgrown lashes or not enough lashes to be considered a fill.
Things You Need to Make an Aftercare Lash Kit
After explaining the benefits and importance of aftercare to your clients, you can direct them how to get the tools they need for lash success! As a lash professional, it is completely up to you to provide complimentary aftercare kits or selling them. A complete aftercare kit should include aftercare cards, lash shampoo, cleaning brushes, mascara wands, and fans. Check out our website for all of these supplies!
Providing these tips for your clients shows that you truly care about their experience with your service and reassures them that you're an expert at what you do. It can help build a strong relationship with your client and they'll come back satisfied with your service.
Lash extensions are a luxury service and clients not only invest their money, but their time as well. One of the best feelings is seeing your client's lashes looking clean and still full when they come back for their fill. The fill process will also be a walk in the park as you don't have to spend as much time feeling them in!