One of the most widely known superstitions related to lash extensions is that they cause natural eyelashes to fall off. The fact that a lot of people believe this is due to bad experiences with removing lash extensions they had in the past. The truth is, if done correctly, lash extension removal is totally harmless for natural lashes. We think that every lash artist should take their time to learn how to remove lash extensions correctly and help change the wrong attitudes associated with it.
In this article, we go through the 5 steps of the lash extension removal. On top of that, we break down all the necessary tools and products you’ll need to make sure that the procedure is safe and effective.
Given the fact that lash extensions are held by surgical-grade adhesive, that is designed to be water, sweat, and soap-proof, getting them off isn’t quite easy. Lash artists use special lash glue removers for this procedure. The lash adhesive removers have some harsh chemicals that may cause skin irritation. So before diving deep into the removing process, you’ll need to prepare eye area in a way that minimizes chances of lash remover getting on your customer’s skin. For this purpose, we recommend using two extremely affordable, yet effective products - eye pads and medical tape.
Eye pads can be used to tuck lower lashes in and cover the under-eye area during the procedure. This product will also make your client feel more comfortable while you’re working on their lash-area. As for medical tape, it can be stuck over the pads to ensure that they don’t slip during lash extension removal.
Professional Tip From LivBay Lash - Many lash artists use other types of tapes as well, which is totally okay. We recommend medical tape because it is safer for sensitive customers. It provides both painless removal and a tight grasp, so it’s always the safer bet.
2. Coating Extensions With Lash Glue Remover
After you make sure that your client’s eye area is secure, ask them to close their eyes, and start carefully coating their lash extensions with glue remover. Try to apply it gently and generously, focusing on the areas where extensions connect to natural lashes. For this procedure, you can use either one of the industry favorites - gel remover or cream remover. The first one works relatively faster but it is of a thinner viscosity. This means that that gel remover is more liquidy, so it tends to drip from lashes to the skin. If your customer has a sensitive eye area, we would recommend using the cream remover, which is thicker and requires less effort to prevent from getting on the eyelids.
As a lash artist, it is your primary responsibility to make sure that the clients feel comfortable during this whole process. So it is a good idea to avoid applying the remover with your fingers. Try using a gentler tool, for example clean, disposable lip wands. Scoop the product with wands and apply them to your customer’s lashes. Once the lash glue remover is laid down, wait for at least 5 minutes to make sure that it affects adhesive that holds the extensions.
Professional Tip From LivBay Lash - Even if you do everything to avoid irritating your client’s skin, it may still start to tingle as you wait for the lash glue remover to work. To soothe this feeling you can use a hand handled fan - a very handy tool a lot of lash artists use during and after lashing appointments.
3. Pulling Loosened Extensions
Once the glue remover does its thing the lash extensions should be loosened enough to come off easily. Some lash artists use tweezers for gripping extensions and getting them off. However, we’d recommend using something more gentle to minimize the chances of plucking natural eyelashes along with fake ones. You can use the same type of wands that you used for applying lash remover. All you need to do is to take 2 clean wands and grip one lash at a time. Be super attentive and delicate when doing this. Keep in mind, that some of the extensions may not come off at first attempt. If this is the case don’t force pull! The lash styles, like volume and mega volume that are super thick, may require applying the lash glue remover twice. So if some extensions are giving you a hard time, don’t freak out - dip those bad boys in the remover one more time.
Professional Tip From LivBay Lash - After all the extensions are off, make sure you go over the lash line one more time with the clean wand. This way, you’ll be able to take away as much lash glue remover as possible, so when your client opens eyes, it won’t get in.
4. Removing Eye Pads & Tape
Lash extensions removal procedure doesn’t end once the fake lashes are off. There’s still quite a lot of cleaning to do. But first things first! Remember the pads and tape that are still sitting on the under-eye area? It’s time to take them off. If you’re using medical tape as recommended, it will come off without hurting your client’s skin. The best way to remove it is by using tweezers - this way you’ll avoid touching the client’s face and you’ll be able to grip the edge of the tape without much of a hassle.
Professional Tip From LivBay Lash - After this step, ask your client to keep the eyes close for a bit longer. Fan their eyes once more. This will dry the under-eye area that is likely to be damp due to the pads that’d been sitting there for quite some time. Plus, the extra fanning will lower the chances of the excess remover getting into your client’s eyes.
5. Washing Remover Off of the Lashes
Congratulations! The hardest part is over - you freed the natural lashes successfully. But now it’s time to wash the hell out of them. Washing someone else’s eyes may sound a bit tricky and uncomfortable but all this tension goes away if you have 3 essential supplies: lash cleanser, lash brush, and squeezy bottle for water. The mentioned “squeezy bottle” can be any dish that allows you to control the flow and direction of the water. As for cleanser and brush, you’ll need to choose them more thoughtfully. Note that, it is recommended to use products that are custom made for lash care. No facial wash or q-tips will act the same as the products that are tailor-made for lashionistas.
With that in mind, we prefer using a foamy lash cleanser instead of the gel-based one. One of the greatest benefits that foamy cleansers have is that they don’t need rubbing to get activated, therefore, they are more convenient to use for lashing. You’ll need the brush to distribute eyelash cleanser from corner to corner, swirl it around, and get as deep in the lashline as possible. The perfect cleansing brush for lashes should be soft and have shorter bristles that aren’t too bendy. Again, you can substitute it with other tools like a lash wand, however, the brush will definitely work better and faster. As a final step rinse the soap well off of the eyes. Dry gently with facial tissue, fan lashes one more time, and your client is good to go!
Professional Tip From LivBay Lash - Some removers take longer to come fully off of the eye area. Because of this, if your client has time, apply a cleanser twice to make sure that all the lash glue remover is 100% gone.
How To Remove Lash Extensions: Extra Recommendations
These 5 steps pretty much sum up the whole journey of lash extension removal. In order to perfect this procedure, keep constant communication with your client at every step of the way. Remember, that working on someone’s eye-area is a very intimate process. Your client is probably a little nervous, especially if it’s their first time removing lash extensions. So make sure you verbalize everything you are doing. Explain each step to make them feel included and don’t forget to ask them frequently how their eyes are feeling. This way you’ll be able to avoid any inconvenience, perform flawless lash extension removal, and most importantly, keep your loyal client base growing.
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