Did you know that having thick, dark eyelashes can help you look 10 years younger? It’s true. That’s precisely the reason why false eyelashes are so popular. Nothing can highlight a pair of peepers the way that a good pair of falsies can. If you’re like most girls, you love wearing them a bunch, but is it a good idea to do it every day?
Though some people swear that it’s okay to wear false eyelashes daily, most beauty experts agree it’s not a good idea. False eyelashes contain a lot of chemicals that can damage lashes. Moreover, removing them can pull out actual hair from the follicles, leading to permanent damag.
Trying to get into the false eyelash trend can be a little hard, especially if you are not used to makeup applications. To find out why everything points to eyelash-wearing being a problem, keep on reading.
Is Wearing False Eyelashes Dangerous?
Wearing false eyelashes isn’t very dangerous if it’s done correctly, but there is always going to be some level of risk to wearing them. Incorrectly applying them can harm you in a number of different ways—some more surprising than others. Here are the biggest risks you can deal with:
- Wearing false lashes can cause bacteria and grime to build up around your eyelids. This can lead to skin irritation, inflammation, and in really extreme cases, eye infections. If you’ve ever seen someone whose eyes always looked bloodshot while they wore falsies, this could be why.
- The chemicals that eyelash adhesives have can be irritating. Sensitive skin can be particularly badly affected. Longterm use of adhesive can cause permanent damage to the skin near lashes, which in turn, can permanently fry the follicles. This could lead to you losing your real lashes!
- Pulling off falsies can also pull off your realsies. Anyone who’s ever pulled off particularly stubborn lashes knows this pain. It hurts, and can actually lead to permanent lash loss.
- If you’re unlucky enough to get eyelash glue in your eye, you can get vision damage. A little bit of glue won’t hurt that badly, but a lot can actually permanently harm your sight.
How Often Can You Wear False Eyelashes Safely?
It depends on how you apply your falsies. If you do it right, you can minimize damage and still wear them on a daily basis. If your lash skills aren’t hot, then you want to limit your eyelash wearing to photoshoots, special events, and girls’ nights out.
What Alternatives To False Lashes Are There?
If you’re chemical-sensitive, then don’t panic. There are other ways to get a set of lashes that stun. The most common ways to get beautiful lashes without resortig to false eyelashes are as follows:
- Mascara. Mascara is an obvious choice and is actually a part of getting a good false lash look too. It can still harm lashes to a point, but it’s not quite as bad.
- Eyelash Extensions. These are tiny little lash wisps that are bonded to your natural lashes. They last for weeks, and can also be a little gentler on lashes than the typical falsies. Just, you know, don’t pull them out.
- Latisse. Latisse is an FDA-approved treatment to make your natural lashes grow. While some have claimed that Latisse changes the color of lighter eyes, the truth is that it’s a fairly easy to use solution that gives good, lasting results.
How To Wear False Lashes On A Daily Basis
Want to give professional-grade eyelash wearing a try? You’re not alone. Here’s how you can get a decent look with your falsies while minimizing (but not totally eliminating) the damage. Here’s how to do it the right way.
- Start by doing your eye makeup and liner. Some might suggest doing liner later but we’ve found that it helps doing it before. Use mascara on your natural lashes, avoiding clumping.
- Pick up a strip of false eyelashes using a pair of tweezers. Add curve to the eyelashes by wrapping them around an eyeshadow brush. If you feel the need to trim them, do so. Set them aside.
- Open the eyelash glue and apply a drop or two onto a cotton swab. You can put a little extra on it.
- Grab the lashes with the tweezers and use the cotton swab to apply a thin coat of glue onto them. Wait 30 seconds for them to dry, and blow on them.
- Use the tweezers to gently apply the lashes. Get it as close to the lash line as possible. Press on them to let them really stick.
- Touch up any unevenness using eyeliner. This gives you a more put-together look. If you want a more accented look, recurl your lashes now.
Important Tips For Wearing False Lashes
If you’re new to false lashes, wearing them in strips tends to be the best move. Those who are more adept at placement can try individual lashes for a more realistic approach. With that said, there’s more to getting good lashes than just knowing whether to grab strips or individuals…
- Use black eyelash glue whenever possible. The black glue won’t have the white gunky look of standard glue and also will help reinforce the look of your liner.
- Do spend some time lining things up. It often helps to go in at the center, but everyone has their own trick to this.
- Remember that you can reuse lash strips. It’s true. While you may need to clean them a bit, you can still get some serious reuse out of them if you’re gentle enough with them.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with different lashes. Big name brands aren’t always the best look. The same can be sad about different lash styles. You might be surprised at which ones suit you best, so don’t stop experimenting.
- Do not put mascara on false lashes. You might have heard that the cool kids do this in high school, but it’s actually a bad idea. It can cause your lashes to clump and warp, not to mention make your real lashes stick to the falsies.
- Natural looks better most of the time. The giant, feral-looking black lashes very rarely look flattering. The idea is to enhance, not overpower.
How To Remove False Eyelashes Safely
Part of being able to wear false eyelashes daily without causing damage is knowing how to remove them safely. Believe it or not, there’s a really easy fix for this: oil. Oil will wipe off most of the glue in a pinch, since lash glue is designed to dissolve in oil.
After the glue is mostly dissolved, you can use tweezers to get rid of any remaining clumps you have. From there, you can use eye makeup remover to clear out any residue that you have on your actual eyes.
If you want to reuse your lashes, it’s best to store them in a box—perhaps the one that they came in.
How To Prevent Ripping Your Real Lashes Out
The reason why most beauticians claim that wearing false lashes is a bad idea is simple: it runs the risk of tearing out your lashes. And, eyelashes can end up getting torn when they are glued to the falsies that you have.
- Use oil, all the time. It’s oh, so tempting to just use your fingers to pull those lashes off like a strip of bikini wax. It’s the easiest way to destroy your lashees, especially if your lashes get glued to your falsies. Don’t do it!
- If you can, try to use the tweezers to separate the false lashes from the real ones when you eventually pull them off. This sounds tedious, but it does work well.
- People with sensitive skin should switch to latex-free eyelash glue. If you have a latex allergy, standard eyelash glue can irritate your eyes. This can actually cause your lashes to fall out. Latex-free will help keep your real lashes intact.
- Do not put mascara on your lashes after applying falsies. I know we said this earlier, but here’s why it’s a major no-no here. Mascara can act as “glue” that binds your fake lashes to your real ones. When you try to pull off falsies glued to your actual lashes, you might pull some real ones out with them.
- Consider switching to magnetic lashes. Magnetic lashes are a thing, and they are exactly what you think they are. Rather than use typical glue, these lashes are held in place by a liner that contains very high levels of magnetic powder. You can literally “click on” your lashes, which means that glue stains aren’t going to be a thing.
- Gentle is the name of the game! This is the most important thing to remember. If it starts to hurt, add more oil and make sure that you ease up on the pulling.
Are Expensive Lashes Better Than Cheap Ones?
It’s super tempting to believe that $12 lashes are going to be better than cheap ones, but that’s not always true. Sometimes, high-priced lashes are worth their hefty price tags, especially if you are looking for special effects lashes. Other times, the price tag is more about marketing something as high-end when it isn’t.
At the end of the day, the look and materials of the lashes matter more than the price tag. Mink lashes tend to be considered top tier, though there are now synthetics that work just as well. Obviously, if you’re going for special effects lashes, you should expect to pay a premium price.
How Often Can You Reuse Your Lashes?
Though it’s widely accepted that you can reuse your lashes, there isn’t exactly a measured expiration date when it comes to them. It’s more of a “sniff test” that you need to do in order to figure out how long they can last.
Most fake eyelashes have a maximum lifespan of a couple of weeks, though you can usually reuse them up to four times. However, there are warning signs that suggest it’s not a good idea to reuse them. These include:
- You notice that your lashes are visibly dirty and have been unable to be cleaned. If you can’t get the grit off your lashes, don’t try to push it.
- The lashes are torn or bent. Why would you try to salvage these? If it is broken, just toss them out and buy another pair.
- The lashes seem frayed or were stained with makeup. This goes along with the bent part. If they are past the point of no return in terms of staining, then you no longer should use them.
- You had a mild allergic reaction to them. Hey, not every set of lashes is made to be hypoallergenic. If your eyes itched or burned, toss those lashes out.
- If they are individual lashes, you probably shouldn’t use them more than twice. For some reason, single lashes tend to fall apart faster than most other types. If you can stretch it to five days, you’ve done a valiant job at trying to max out your money.
- The magnets on your magnetic lashes stopped working. It’s true. Magnetic lashes can actually lose their ability to stick to magnetic liner. If your magnets no longer work, do not try to glue them down. It won’t work.
The Bottom Line
Using fake eyelashes is a great way to bring focus to your eyes, and an even be used to help shave years off your face. Great as they may be, it’s important to realize that most people shouldn’t wear false eyelashes day after day. They were initially meant to be a once in a blue moon treat.
Prolonged use can wreck your natural lashes, and if you are very bad with application, it can cause serious damage to your eyes as well. However, that doesn’t have to be the case. With a little care, you can actually wear them on the daily—but only if you’re willing to put in the effort to do so!
