Congratulations on your beautiful new lash lift! The treatment is complete, your lashes are curled to perfection, and you're ready to enjoy weeks of effortless, wide-awake eyes. But wait - the work isn't quite done yet. How you care for your lashes in the days and weeks following your treatment will directly impact how long your results last and how healthy your lashes remain. This comprehensive aftercare guide will teach you everything you need to know to maximise your lash lift investment.
The Critical First 24 Hours
The first 24 hours after your lash lift are absolutely crucial. During this period, the bonds in your lashes are still setting and stabilising into their new shape. Any disruption during this time can compromise your results or cause uneven curling.
What to Avoid in the First 24 Hours
- Water and moisture: Keep your lashes completely dry. This includes avoiding washing your face with water near your eyes, crying, sweating heavily, and swimming.
- Steam and humidity: Stay away from hot showers (or at least keep your face out of the steam), saunas, steam rooms, and even boiling kettles.
- Touching and rubbing: Resist the urge to touch your new lashes. Your hands can transfer oils and bacteria, and rubbing can disrupt the curl.
- Eye makeup: Avoid all eye makeup including mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow. Makeup removers used later can interfere with the setting process.
- Oil-based products: Keep any oil-based skincare products away from your eye area entirely.
Why Water Is the Enemy
Water exposure during the first 24 hours can cause the disulphide bonds to reform incorrectly, resulting in lashes that droop, point in different directions, or lose their curl prematurely. Patience during this period pays off significantly.
The First 48 Hours: Continued Caution
While the most critical period is the first 24 hours, extending your careful treatment to 48 hours can help ensure optimal results, especially if your lashes took longer to process or you have naturally resistant hair.
Day Two Guidelines
After the first 24 hours, you can cautiously reintroduce some activities, but continue to exercise care. You may gently wash your face, being careful to avoid directly wetting your lashes. Pat dry rather than rubbing. If you must use mascara, wait until at least 48 hours have passed, and choose a water-based, gentle formula. Avoid waterproof mascara as it requires more vigorous removal.
Temperature Matters
Even after 48 hours, extreme heat can affect your lash curl. When using hair dryers, keep them pointed away from your face. Be mindful of opening hot ovens and avoid leaning over steaming pots while cooking.
Daily Care for Long-Lasting Results
Once you've passed the initial setting period, establishing a gentle daily routine will help your lifted lashes last their full 6-8 weeks.
Gentle Cleansing Techniques
When washing your face, use gentle, upward strokes around your eye area rather than aggressive rubbing. Choose oil-free cleansers and micellar water for makeup removal. If you wear mascara, opt for water-based formulas that wash off easily without harsh rubbing or oil-based removers.
Sleeping Positions
The way you sleep can affect your lashes over time. Sleeping on your back is ideal as it prevents crushing your lashes against the pillow. If you're a side sleeper, consider using a silk or satin pillowcase, which creates less friction than cotton and is gentler on both your lashes and your skin.
Brushing Your Lashes
Gently brushing your lashes each morning with a clean spoolie brush helps maintain their shape and keeps them separated. This is especially helpful if your lashes tend to clump together while you sleep. Brush from the base to the tip using gentle, upward strokes.
A daily 30-second routine of gentle brushing and applying a lash serum can significantly extend the life and appearance of your lash lift.
Products That Help (and Hurt) Your Lash Lift
The products you use around your eyes can either support your lash lift or work against it. Understanding which products to embrace and which to avoid is essential for long-lasting results.
Products to Embrace
- Lash serums: Nourishing serums containing peptides, biotin, or keratin can strengthen your lashes and support healthy growth.
- Castor oil or coconut oil: Applied sparingly at night (after the first 48 hours), these natural oils can condition and hydrate your lashes. Use minimal amounts to avoid weighing down the curl.
- Water-based mascara: If you want extra drama on special occasions, water-based mascara is gentler and easier to remove than waterproof formulas.
- Oil-free makeup remover: When removing eye makeup, choose oil-free formulas that won't break down the lash lift bonds.
Products to Avoid
- Waterproof mascara: The heavy formulas are difficult to remove and require harsh rubbing or oil-based removers that can diminish your curl.
- Oil-based cleansers: Oils can break down the bonds in your lifted lashes, causing the curl to drop prematurely.
- Mechanical lash curlers: Your lashes are already curled! Using a traditional eyelash curler can damage lifted lashes and cause breakage.
- Heavy eye creams: Rich, oily eye creams can migrate onto your lashes overnight, weighing them down and affecting the curl.
Lifestyle Factors That Affect Your Lash Lift
Beyond products and daily care, certain lifestyle factors can influence how long your lash lift lasts.
Swimming and Water Activities
While occasional swimming after the first 48 hours won't ruin your lash lift, frequent exposure to chlorinated pools or salt water can dry out your lashes and potentially affect the curl. If you're a regular swimmer, consider wearing goggles to protect your lashes, and always rinse your face with fresh water after swimming.
Exercise and Sweating
Regular exercise is great for your health but creates challenges for your lash lift. Sweat contains salt and oils that can affect your lashes over time. After workouts, gently blot (don't rub) any sweat from around your eyes and consider a gentle face rinse. Avoid touching your eyes with gym towels.
Climate Considerations
Humidity and heat can affect your lash lift. In very humid environments, you may notice your curl relaxes slightly faster. In dry climates, focus on conditioning your lashes to prevent brittleness. Air conditioning and heating can also dry out lashes, so consider using a lash serum more frequently in these environments.
The Australian Summer Challenge
Australian summers with beach visits, pool parties, and outdoor activities can be tough on lash lifts. Plan your treatments strategically - consider getting your lash lift at the beginning of summer and being extra diligent with aftercare during the warmer months.
When to Schedule Your Next Treatment
Lash lifts typically last 6-8 weeks, which corresponds with the natural growth cycle of your eyelashes. As your original lifted lashes fall out naturally and new lashes grow in, you'll gradually see your lashes return to their natural state.
Most people schedule their next lash lift treatment every 6-8 weeks to maintain consistent results. However, it's important to give your lashes occasional breaks from chemical treatments. Some professionals recommend taking a break every third or fourth treatment to allow your natural lashes to fully recover.
Signs that it's time for your next treatment include noticeable drooping of the curl, uneven appearance as new lashes grow in, or simply feeling that the "wow factor" has faded.
Troubleshooting Common Aftercare Issues
My Curl Is Dropping Early
If your curl seems to be fading faster than expected, evaluate your product usage. Are you using oil-based products near your eyes? Are you rubbing your eyes frequently? Sometimes the issue is the initial treatment (under-processing), but often it's aftercare-related.
My Lashes Feel Dry or Brittle
Chemical treatments can sometimes leave lashes feeling dry. Increase your use of conditioning products like lash serums or natural oils (after the first 48 hours). Ensure you're not over-processing in future treatments.
Some Lashes Are Going Different Directions
This usually indicates the lashes weren't properly adhered to the shield during treatment. While you can't fix this mid-cycle, make note for your next treatment to be more careful with lash placement. In the meantime, a light coat of clear mascara can help tame unruly lashes.