After many years building a brand that has become the eyelash destination of choice, Emma Vosti remains at the forefront of the industry, training the next generation of elite eyelash artists.
It’s important to Emma that the record is set straight on the top myths in the Eyelash extension industry. As both lash artist and potential customer, these myths can make you very nervous but here’s what Emma has to say to bust these myths wide open!
- My eyelash extension is causing an allergic reaction.
Truth is that a very small percentage of clients can develop sensitivities to products used during the eyelash extension procedure. In the most severe cases, this will present as swelling.
Reactions/Irritations/Sensitivities are possible with any beauty procedure you can imagine: manicures (nail polish), facials (natural ingredients that can cause reactions), hair treatments (perm solutions and hair colour reactions), makeup services (cosmetic ingredients you are applying to skin) etc.
So the reality and important point is that eyelash extensions, when done properly do NOT touch the skin. The culprit is more likely to be an ingredient actually touching the skin (such as: latex tape. gel pads, or cleansers during a lash application). Because the skin under our eyes is the thinnest skin on the human body it is most susceptible to become irritated.
Irritations we see as Lash Artists are often times too quickly passed off as allergies, and could also be irritations, or possibly even infections from improper home care.
2. Lash adhesive contains Formaldehyde.
Well that’s an easy one. It’s simply not true.
Formaldehyde is NOT contained in lash adhesives. It is a dry gas so it cannot be added as an ingredient. Formaldehyde however, can be released by Lash adhesives as a by-product of product breakdown – but it would need to be MONTHS of breakdown on the natural lashes to cause any effect. Lash technicians know the maximum an extension will be on the natural lashes will be 60-75 days (the total lifespan in the growth cycle).
Here’s a bit of a chemical lesson – Formaldehyde is a dry gas. As such, it has never ever been a cosmetic ingredient but it is a 100% naturally occurring substance. In fact we exhale formaldehyde. It is contained in organically grown food. Our bodies make formaldehyde and it is used to create proteins and other substances in our bodies. With this said, we can be exposed to minimal amounts as a by product of adhesive breakdown but the amount we are exposed to in a lash procedure is extremely low.
3. Continued lash extensions will lead to brittle and/or sparse natural eyelashes
Here’s the truth: Improperly applied lash extensions will cause damage and unfortunately there are a lot of women that come to Miss Eyelash with badly applied extensions.
When lashes are done properly, extensions actually can assist natural lashes to be stronger and healthier than before.
Let’s run through a daily routine without extensions:
First you use a lash curler to pull and tug your natural lashes upwards to get them lifted! This causes follicle stress, and can actually pull lashes out.
Then you coat your lashes in mascara (which often times is full of bacteria from applying to your lashes, and putting the brush back in the bottle daily for months at a time). Said mascara in on for the rest of the day (and re-applied sometimes). The result is usually natural lashes that are usually clumped and stuck together.
At the end of the night, cleansing involves scrubbing the lashes harshly to get off the mascara from the day often times causing more shedding.
-OR worse: Leaving mascara on while you sleep causing the natural lashes to be clumped, which can affect the growth cycle.
Now let’s compare this to properly applied eyelash extensions:
On average, a natural eyelash has a lifespan of 60 to 75 days before shedding. Because no two lashes are at the same stage of growth when the extensions are applied, it’s normal to lose up to three lashes each day. This occurs whether or not you have extensions.
Each time you lose a natural lash, a new lash grows in behind it.
When applied in healthy lengths and diameters, lash extensions do not pull out natural eyelashes. Instead, they are attached to the natural lash and shed out throughout the growth cycle.
When you are wearing lash extensions, there is no need to tug on them with a lash curler, or scrub the daylights out of. You have curly, black, full lashes 24/7 because of the lash extensions.
My best advice is to listen to your lash artists. If they are telling you that your natural lashes cannot maintain a certain lash look, take their word for it. The sad fact is that you WILL be able to find a lash provider that will give you the look you want and will not care about your lash health – but you will end up with damaged lashes. It’s always best to find a Miss Eyelash Licenced agent who holds up safety and OH&S as priority.
4. Lash Extensions cause bacterial and fungal infections?
Washing your eyes and face is part of our daily routine but often though, after eyelash extensions, some clients become too scared to touch their extensions as they want them to last as long as possible.
The bottom line is once you have eyelash extensions, washing your eye area is more important than ever. This not only keeps your lash extensions lasting longer by keeping natural oils off of the bonds (an enemy of eyelash adhesive), but it also ensures your eyes stay happy and healthy while you have extensions on. Once extensions are applied, bacteria has more room to breed and party on – and it’s the extension wearers responsibility to take proper care of the extensions at home on a daily basis.
Lash Extensions don’t cause bacterial infections, but improper home care does.
In summary, there are risks with any cosmetic procedure, and we, as lash artists, are lucky to have an incredibly small percentage of clients become intolerant to extensions. If your client is ever starting to experience any itchiness, redness, or swelling after their lash application – be very cautious proceeding.
And as with any industry, there are providers with improper training giving the industry a bad reputation. Share this article on your lash pages, or have a copy in your lounge for when you get grilled with questions!
xo Emma