How long do lash extensions last?
How long do lash extensions last? Most people will need a fill within 2 - 4 weeks of their first appointment.
There are three things that affect how often you will need a fill. Your natural lashes, your aftercare, and your lash artist.
Your Natural Lashes
Natural lashes are constantly going through a growth cycle which results in most people losing 1 -5 lashes per eye per day. New lashes are always growing to replace these lashes. Depending on the time of year you may have very few natural lashes dropping, or a lot. For most people there will be times where their natural lashes are thicker and times when they are more sparse. Some individuals have a very fast growth cycle, and others a very slow one. Clients with a slower growth cycle will have longer lasting extensions since there are fewer extensions coming out with the natural lashes.
TL;DR: Your natural lash growth cycle affects how long your lashes will last.
The pH of your natural lashes can also affect your retention. How alkaline or how acidic your lashes are can determine how open the cuticles on your hairs are. The cuticle is the outermost layer on our hairs and when under a microscope appears as scales. Healthy hair (think of silky and shiny) tends to be more acidic. Hair that is more acidic will have closed cuticles, which is more difficult for the lash extension adhesive to bond to. Lashes closer to a neutral pH will tend to have better retention. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to determine the pH of your natural lashes. Products used by lash artists are designed to help bring your lashes to the correct pH and open the cuticles before application. Even so, there are some people who just have lashes that will grip the adhesive and form a stronger bond than others.
TL;DR: Your natural lash’s pH affects retention.
How many natural lashes you have will also affect how long your lash extensions will go before needing a fill. Those with more natural lashes will look more full for longer. If you have naturally sparse lashes you will have fewer to lose before needing a fill.
Aftercare
Lashes need to be kept clean and treated gently. Any of the following will have a negative impact on your lash extension retention:
picking, pulling, or rubbing your lashes;
sleeping on your face;
not washing your lashes daily with a lash cleanser;
wearing makeup;
hot yoga or spending regular time in hot tubs or saunas;
crying;
regularly using oils or oil based products around your eyes;
some types of eye drops.
Your Lash Artist
Much of how long your extensions last has to do with how well they are applied, which products are used (some products work better with some clients and worse with others), and if the conditions in the lash studio are correct for the adhesive.
There is no universal perfect lash adhesive. If there was, every lash artist would be using it! If you aren’t having luck with your lashes lasting, speak to your lash artist and give them an opportunity to trouble-shoot the reasons you may be experiencing poor retention.
If the situation isn’t improving, it may be worth trying another artist with more experience or one who uses a different adhesive.
Follow your aftercare instructions and remember that individual growth cycles and hair type will also determine how long your extensions last.