8 Ways to Make Eyelash Extensions Last Longer

Choose Extensions That Mimic Your Natural Lash Shape

Always tell your esthetician to choose extensions that are similar to the shape of your eye and natural lashes. You can also ask your lash specialist for lighter-weight individual lashes around the .07 mm and .05 mm range, which will stay on longer than heavier lashes.

Ramy Gafni, celebrity makeup and eyebrow artist advises to "Opt for extensions that align with the shape of your existing eyelashes, as opposed to extra long, dramatic lashes. A lighter lash has a longer shelf life."

Avoid Water for the First 48 Hours

Once your fresh set of extensions is applied, you want to be careful to steer clear of any moisture. For longer lasting lashes, it's important that the glue sets completely. Blink Brow Bar brow and lash extension expert Sabah Feroz tells clients to avoid the eye area when cleansing their face and advises they use an oil-free makeup remover if they have to clean makeup off. If you can, skip the eye-makeup (or keep it to a minimum) during the first 48 hours so that you won't need to wash the lashes directly.

Also, do your best to minimize getting your face wet in the shower with hot water, steam, or swimming.

Avoid Waterproof Eye Products

Though you don’t have to wear mascara once you have extensions, sometimes you might want to add some extra drama to your look. In that case, avoid waterproof formulas at all cost—experts say they’re much harder to remove and all that tugging is bad news for the life span of your lash extensions. "Avoid waterproof mascara and eyeliner," Gafni says. "All the rubbing to remove them can also cause you to lose a lash extension."

Both Feroz and celebrity makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes say that you don’t even need mascara or liner when your lash extensions are in; the extensions offer a similar effect to typical eye-enhancing makeup. “The eyes are so opened with lash extensions, the clients find themselves wearing less makeup,” says Feroz. If you still want to wear eye makeup, it’s better to go the non-waterproof route so that it's easier to remove.

Use Oil-Free Cleansers

If you do still want to wear (and thus remove) eye makeup, use a mild, low-alkaline soap and to always use an oil-free makeup remover. According to Hughes, oil breaks downs the glue that holds up the lashes, so she encourages clients to avoid oil cleansers and makeup removers. Instead, try a gel-based remover, like the NARS Aqua Infused Makeup Removing Water, to avoid dissolving the glue. Micellar water is also a great option to preserve the adhesion of your extensions and remove debris from them in general.

Switch to a Silk or Satin Pillowcase

Bad news, stomach sleepers: Sleeping with your face pushed into your pillow can cause your extensions to fall out more quickly. Instead, try to sleep on your back for ultimate eyelash extension maintenance. What's more, be sure to do so using a silk or satin pillowcase so if you do roll over, your lashes will be met with a gentler material and will be less likely to get snagged. We've all heard how a silk pillowcase can help reduce frizzy hair and face wrinkles, and guess what? Now we can add lash extension preservation to the list of benefits. "Cotton [pillowcases] can cause drying and snagging," says celebrity lash expert, salon owner, and Envious Lashes brand founder Clementina Richardson, which will lead to premature loss of precious lashes.

Brush Your Lashes

To maintain your fluttery new lashes, make sure to brush them out occasionally to avoid any kinks, clumps, or debris from sleeping. “The rule of thumb is only to brush them out when needed,” says Feroz. Packs of clean spoolies can be found at most drugstores and beauty supply shops.

Steer Clear of Mechanical Lash Curlers

We know, we know—our eyelash curler is a holy grail tool in our makeup bags but, with lash extensions, it's best to lay off the mechanical curler. “You might get a bend that won’t go away,” says Hughes.

If you do end up curling your lashes with an eyelash curler, Richardson recommends the kind that heats your lashes like a miniature curling iron, like the Envious Lashes Heated Lash Curler. "Julia Roberts and Mary J. Blige love it," she says. It's hard to argue with that endorsement.

Don’t Touch Your Eye Area

As tempting as it may seem, Feroz encourages clients to resist that urge to play with their lashes throughout the day or while cleansing. Not only can fiddling with the extensions pull out the false lashes, but it can also end up damaging your natural lashes. "Touch-ups are required every two to three weeks," says Richardson. If you don't have enough extensions left to fill because you were touch-happy, your technician might charge you extra, up to the cost of a brand new set.

This is so much easier said than done, but if you're a chronic eye-rubber, you've got to curb your habit if you want to keep on lash extensions. The friction will have them falling like rain, and you'll likely be out another full set fee way before you planned.