How to keep your lashes clean

After your beautiful set of eyelash extensions are applied, you will often hear your lash stylist telling you not to get them wet for 24 hours and to avoid touching them unnecessarily.  This is to allow enough time for the adhesive to fully dry/cure and to avoid premature fallouts.

However, some ladies take this advice too far and hardly ever get their lashes wet, nor wash them (yuk!)!

Dirty lashline! -  Photo courtesy of LashesbyMichelle

We often see clients with build up of glug (dead skin, oils, make up residue) on their lash line, which not only is unhygienic, but also takes away from your allocated appointment time for applying lashes as time is wasted cleaning your lashes instead. Clogged lash follicles can also mean weaker natural lashes growing through, higher risk of infections and sensitivities developing towards products, and shorter life of extensions as oil build up on the lashes causes the extensions to fall out sooner. With that, today’s post will be about how to clean your eyelashes properly and recommended cleansers for doing so.

At Tokyo Lashes, we strongly recommend foaming or lathering cleansers over wipes or liquid removers using cotton pads and tips. Why? The lint fibres from cotton tips and pads often get stuck in the lashes and can pull out the extensions. Using your hands and fingers will avoid this. Secondly, whilst they do a good job of removing the make up off the eyelid, they never get deep enough to cleanse the lashline thoroughly.

Some oil free foaming cleansers recommended are:

-Baby shampoo

-Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser

-Sterilid (available from pharmacists)

-QV wash

-Dermaveen

-Effaclar by La Roche-Posay (available from Priceline)

Method:

Wet your face with lukewarm water. Put a small dollop of the cleanser on your hand and work into a lather. Alternatively, use a foam pump (available from Daiso) with pre-diluted solution.

Using your fingertips, work the foam right into the lashline.

Rinse with lukewarm water.

Pat dry and allow lashes to dry naturally.

Once lashes are dry, the mascara wand given can be used to gently brush and groom the lashes.

This ‘washing of lashes’ does not need to be an added step in your skincare routine. If you are happy to use the products listed above on the rest of your face, this can be incorporated into your daily face wash routine. It can be done in the shower (just don’t put your face directly under the shower stream) or over a sink. Do this everyday or every second day at minimum, and always make sure they’re squeaky clean before every lash appointment. It really couldn't be any more simple.

Bridal Eyelash Extensions for your Wedding day

Photo Courtesy of Xtreme Lashes

As the weather warms up in Melbourne and wedding season approaches, today’s post is for all the brides-to-be!

Eyelash extensions are perfect for general everyday wear, but they are ever so popular amongst brides for several reasons. 

Firstly, they look great in photos. As you will have more photographs of yourself taken than any other day in your life, you want to ensure you’re camera ready. Eyelash extensions can open up and define your eyes in a way that no amount of mascara can achieve, and you don’t have to worry about the heavy look of bar lashes or the base lifting off from strip lashes.

Secondly, your wedding is bound to be an emotional day for you. With eyelash extensions, you can tear up without worrying about mascara running down your face. They can continue to look full and luscious, right into your honeymoon.

Eyelash extensions are suitable not only for the bride but for the entire bridal party. As they can be worn by women of all ages and the looks are fully customisable to the individual, the bridesmaids and the mother of the bride/groom can also enjoy beautiful full lashes. It can be a great gift idea to show gratitude for the all their support.

If you have never worn eyelash extensions before and are planning on getting them for your special day we recommend that you plan ahead – getting a full set of lashes right before your wedding day would not be a smart idea.  Just like how you would get a make up trial, getting your lashes well before the wedding date will ensure your lash stylist understands the exact look you’re after. Also, you want to make sure you have no sensitivities or reaction to the products.

Getting the initial full set 5 weeks before the big day is ideal. A refill 2-3 weeks after the full set gives you an opportunity to tell your stylist if you would like to make any adjustments to the length, styling, thickness etc. Lastly, a final touch up a few days prior to your wedding day will ensure you have the fullest lashes for the day.

The most popular sets for brides are the full set ($159) and the new Russian volume sets ($200-250). These sets will give you the fullest and most stunning effect.

If you are looking to get your lashes done for your special day, please book early to avoid disappointment – call/text Asao on 0411 281 029.

What should I look for when choosing a lash salon?

We realise there are hundreds of lash salons to choose from in most capital cities, and sifting through all of them in search of the 'best' one can get daunting. Most of us have heard of horror stories of someone who's had a bad lash experience. Here are some key points you should consider when searching for a lash salon, so you don't become a victim of poorly applied eyelash extensions!

Poorly applied lashes from another salon...painful, clumpy and twisted!

Qualification and experience - nowadays most eyelash extension supplies can be purchased by anyone through eBay and the basic skills of applying eyelash extensions can be learned on Youtube. In fact, anyone can apply lashes.. but it takes years of practice to do it well and in a safe manner. It is recommended that you look for a stylist that has continual training as well. The products and techniques have come a long way since the introduction of eyelash extensions more than a decade ago.

Specialist - eyelash extensions have become so popular in the last few years that most beauty salons and even some nail salons and hairdressers now offer the service. The potential problem with offering lashes in addition to their existing broad range of treatments is that, they don't do it often enough to build their skill set. It's also likely that their product turnover is low and that they may be using outdated, stiff lashes and old glue. This will affect not only the look and feel of the lashes but the longevity and safety. Choosing someone that specialises in eyelash extensions increases the chances of picking a stylist that: has applied hundreds of sets; stocks a wide range of current products to suit your natural lashes and desired look; and is dedicated to perfecting their craft.

Photos - if a lash stylist applies lashes frequently, and they are proud of their work, they should be making photos of their own work available to view. Beware of websites that only display stock images.. it's a telltale sign that they either don't do many sets, or their work is not up to standard. When photos are available, look for lashes that do not look clumpy, are styled well using a variety of lengths, and are not too long or spidery. 

Price - last but definitely not least! We all love a bargain, but with lashes, what you pay for is what you get. Price alone should never be the sole determinant when choosing a place. If a place is advertising their full sets for $50 when others are charging $100 and above, ask yourself why. Maybe they are inexperienced. Perhaps they use inferior products. Their 'full set' may consist of very few lashes and be done in 30 minutes. They may be using cluster lashes or flares, otherwise known as 'express lashes' and wrongly advertising it as semi permanent eyelash extensions. Either way, please do your research and don't risk the safety to your eyes or damaging your natural lashes.

Does your lash stylist fit the bill? If you've had a bad experience with eyelash extensions in the past, or are a newbie to lashes, please remember not all lash salons are created equal! For simply stunning, damage free lashes applied by a lash specialist, book with Tokyo Lashes today on 0411 281 029.

Our work at Tokyo Lashes...soft, full, clump free lashes every time!