What You are Guaranteed not to Know About Washing Eyelashes

Washing with an eyelash shampoo directly after application is recommended in the case of all types of eyelash extensions, be it individual eyelashes, 3D-XD volume eyelashes or the Russian Volume Technique, or indeed for daily care of eyelash perm, eyelash lifting and of permanent make-up.

A hot tip for all eyelash stylists: wash the client’s eyelashes directly after the eyelash application procedure.

Yes, you heard right. The days of telling clients to avoid contact with water for minimum 48 hours after application are over. This is a much-discussed topic on many forums. Let us tell you why that is the case:

Basically all waterproof adhesives for semi-permanent eyelash extensions contain cyanoacrylate. They are made up of monomers that harden upon coming into contact with moisture. In other words, the eyelash glue sets faster with exposure to humidity and moisture.

Take a look at XXL Lashes Adhesive Tutorial for detailed information on the properties of eyelash glues. Here you will find everything worth knowing about eyelash glues.

The humidity should be about 60% for quick drying of eyelash glues, or you can also apply the fine mist of a nano-spray.

Deposits of cyanoacrylate are left behind in the form of a residue. This is the effect of vaporisation of the monomers. Many of you may have seen it before in the form of white, powdery particles at the points of adhesion. This “blooming” is a side effect of the glue’s hardening process. Washing prevents its formation.

Hence, gently washing the eyelashes with a little shampoo and rinsing them with sterile water (or saline solution) at the end of the application procedure has distinct advantages:

1. The glue sets faster
2. Allergic reactions or sensitivity are significantly reduced.
3. The life of eyelash extensions is prolonged

So do not worry and start washing eyelashes after applying eyelash extensions. Your clients will only be grateful. You should even instruct your clients on how they can wash their eyelashes at home. This naturally means that you keep in store a few bottles of eyelash shampoo as an after sales product.

What are the best eyelash shampoos?

After testing a lot of shampoos, we can recommend the following:

They are all manufactured without the use of mineral oils, silicones & parabens. Shampoos that have failed to satisfy us have not made it to this site. Our personal price-performance winner was the XXL Lashes Eyelash Shampoo.

The reasons that make the XXL Lashes Eyelash Shampoo a price-performance winner are

• It is an exceptionally gentle foaming cleanser that does not irritate the skin for regular cleansing of eyelash extensions. It prolongs the life of the extensions.
• It removes make-up, dust, grease, old skin flakes and dirt on the eyelids thus preventing infections and increasing the life of your expensive eyelash extensions.
• It is dermatologically tested, has a special care formula, does not burn, is highly skin-tolerant, ph neutral, suited for people with allergies
• It is a vegan product, contains aloe vera, coenzyme Q10 and collagen, with foam pump head for sparing use in small squirts
• Value for money: the professional eyelash shampoo cleaning brush included in the pack has better reach into the eyelash interspaces, and is extremely soft that avoids irritation to the tender skin around the eyes. It allows gentle application of the mild cleansing shampoo without damaging the extensions and affecting the glue spots. Besides, the artificial eyelashes stay so soft and supple!

A good eyelash shampoo is also indispensable in the post treatment of a microblading procedure. Unlike many other care products, it does not affect the pigments used in the procedure.

What makes eyelash shampoo so important?

There is a build-up of grease, eye make-up, sleepy dust, sebum, skin flakes, dust or pollen in the interspaces of the eyelashes, especially in the case of eyelash extensions. This can lead to infections and, most of all, cause artificial eyelashes to stick together. They soon start looking messy and do not last long.

Bear in mind: poor eye hygiene can, in the worst case, give rise to eyelash mites or itchy eye redness. Eyelash mites breed happily in the interspaces of the eyelashes. Eyelash shampoo helps remove all these deposits gently and effectively and prolong the life of your expensive eyelash extensions. It also keeps your artificial eyelashes soft and supple.

Can one use baby shampoo or make-up remover for eyelash extensions?

Basically, yes you can, but the eyelash shampoo is specially developed for eyelash extensions, i.e. without oil and emollients that could soften the eyelash glue. It also works as a means of eyelash glue care. The shampoo maintains glue elasticity and diminishes its brittle and breakable properties, i.e. regular use of eyelash shampoo has a positive impact on the life of eyelash extensions too.

You should also not forgo the use of a foaming nozzle, for it dispenses the shampoo sparingly in small doses thus preventing it from entering your eyes.

This is how it is done: using eyelash shampoo at home

• Preparation
  Keep all the paraphernalia, like the eyelash shampoo, cleaning brush, cosmetic tissues or kerchief close at hand near the wash basin, since you are going to have the use of just one eye to see things. Then pump once for a small squirt of eyelash shampoo on the cleaning brush. The pump squirts tiny amounts of shampoo and makes it easy to apply on the eyelashes. Alternatively you can pump out several portions on the back of your hand and dab the brush in them, but that is not quite a case for shampoo used sparingly.
• Applying and shampooing
  Now, close one eye and dab the shampoo with the cleaning brush on the eyelash rim. Start shampooing your eyelashes in a gentle motion without exerting pressure, from the eyelash line to the tips. This helps protect the adhesions and remove all residues from the eyelid.
  ❗️Caution: Keep your eyes closed throughout the procedure.
• Drying
  Thereafter, dry carefully, do not rub. Remember to use only a lint-free cosmetic tissue; eyelash extensions can get entangled and damaged in a terry towel.

Incidentally, there are very descriptive videos on YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest, e.g. Video 1 and Video 2