Lash Lift: What You Need to Know

If you wear contact lenses, you’ll want to remove them before your visit and wear glasses instead. After making sure your eyelids and lashes are clean and free of makeup or oils, your aesthetician will glue your lashes onto a silicone shield, which will be used to mold the curl shape. The applied perming solution will break up the disulfide bonds in your lashes, making it possible to reshape the hair. It sits for up to 12 minutes, depending on how resistant your hair is, and then another solution will set the desired shape and stop the initial process of reforming the disulfide bonds in your hair. If you’re combining your lash lift with lash tinting, the darkening process is the last step.

For the first 24 hours after your lash lift, you should avoid showering or getting your lashes wet in any way (stay away from steam and humidity). It’s also recommended that you not wear mascara or eye makeup. The results last about 8–10 weeks, so you’ll need to get a lash lift every few months if you want to maintain the results.

Skin irritation is perhaps the greatest risk. Protective pads are placed along your lash line to prevent the keratin glue from getting on your skin, but this method isn’t totally foolproof. You might also be more prone to irritation due to the chemicals contained in the solution, if you have a history of dry eye, allergies, and eye or skin sensitivities. 

If the solution somehow gets in your eye, that could result in considerable irritation or a burn or ulcer. You risk corneal abrasion if you rub, scratch, or otherwise traumatize your irritated eye. Aside from the solution’s causing irritation, working with an inexperienced lash lift practitioner can also increase your risk of side effects during the application process.  

While most RealSelf reviewers were pleased with their results, it’s important to know that damaged hair is a possibility with any chemicals or traction applied to your lashes and can lead to temporary hair loss.

The lash lift process is similar to that of lash extensions, but it’s performed with shaped shields and thick cream solutions. It curls your natural lashes as opposed to gluing synthetic lashes onto your natural ones. Lash extensions need to be touched up every two to four weeks, while lash lift results can last 8–10. Lash lifts also tend to be cheaper.