They say admission is the first step to recovery. I’m not so sure.

Lash extensions are all the rage right now, and there is no shortage of options out there to choose from. From strips, clusters, or individuals to adhesive or magnets, no matter what type of lash girl you happen to be, there is an option out there to suit. I hear lots of chatter about lashes on the beauty scene, but I am most concerned about what I am NOT hearing: lash health and safe practices by lash artists. Tamar Braxton recently posted on social media about a bad experience she had with a less than stellar lash technician. We could all benefit from a bit of education on the subject.

The old saying goes, the eyes are the windows to the soul. Just as you would likely not use long silk curtains to adorn the windows in your garage (at least I hope not), the type of lashes you use to adorn your peepers deserves equally as much thought. I don’t mean just volume, classic, or glam either. Lashes actually have a purpose (you know, beyond being batted to get out of a tough spot). The important role they play is to prevent foreign objects and dust from getting to our eyeballs. Anything that compromises our lashes, compromises their ability to do their job. So to preserve your peepers while plumping those lashes, here are three don’ts you should know if you, like me, believe lashes are life:

1.  Don’t believe that one size fits all.

Think of your lashes like feet – some are long and narrow while others are short and wide. Just like there isn’t one shoe in one size made to fit all feet, there is not one size fit all for lashes either. Fine lashes require lighter weight extensions while more course lashes can accommodate a thicker lash extension. If your lashes are short and fine, the longer extensions simply won’t work for you and will shed at an unnecessarily fast rate due to your own lashes Inability to support them. So if you walk into your lash appointment asking for the tarantula length lashes and your lash technician is all too happy to apply them for you without ever discussing the specific needs of your lashes, let the buyer beware! Putting on a poorly fitted lash is just like wearing the wrong size shoe, pain and damage will be the result (ask anyone with bunions).

2.  Don’t be fooled about how adhesive affects your lashes

They tried it. And truthfully, they are not completely wrong. The adhesive itself (IF the correct adhesive is utilized) will not, by itself, harm your natural lashes. Do you know what type your lash artist is using? However, incorrect adhesive and/or improperly applied extensions absolutely WILL harm your lashes (think DIY at home strips with the random glue you picked up from a big box store). Even lashes that are properly applied can, over time, stunt the maximum growth of your natural lashes. Notice I didn’t say make them fall out. It just makes sense. The Japanese culture historically bound their women’s feet to prevent them from growing too large. If you think about it, the mechanics of it just makes common sense.

3.  Not cleaning my lashes to avoid shedding is OK

I know most will not admit it publicly, but somewhere in your subconscious you know this describes you, too. Lash extensions are expensive. A re-lash will run you $80 and up every three weeks. It is not a cheap habit. Not only will it cost you some coins, it will also cost you time, because the process it not a quick one. So we all do the thing we will never admit to – we stretch the time between appointments by being “delicate” with our lashes (code for sleeping crazy and avoiding washing our eyelids at all costs). Our natural lashes, much like the hair that grows from our scalp have oil glands at their base which play a role in forming our tears. These glands, if not cleaned properly and regularly, can become plugged up creating bumps (often called styes) on our eyelids. It is hard to be cute with one of these. So do me a big favor and clean those eyelids and lash roots!

I could speak forever on the subject because lashes are kinda my “thing”. There is nothing like waking up, getting ready, and only needing a touch of lip gloss or lipstick to complete my look because my lashes are already plumped and perfect. I am absolutely a lash girl for life. You can be, too. Just stay armed with some knowledge and good old common sense to avoid looking like a hairless chihuahua if the trend ever phases out.

Happy lashing!!

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