The Truth about Eyelash Extensions

With the fast past of the lash industry growing with new innovative designs, science and products. You can easily get lost in the world of information that’s been passed around on the internet and word of mouth from personal experience and assumptions of why something is.

So lets delve in to some of these and get to the bottom of it all.

I was told to not ever get my lashes wet.

For the first 24hrs after application it is best avoided to get them wet to prevent shock curing of the adhesive so that the bonds aren’t brittle. But after that you should be cleaning and brushing your lashes DAILY.

(i) When you go to sleep you most likely wake up with some eye boogers so you gotta get those out.

(ii) You go out you put some makeup on which you still need to remove at the end of the day and some of those makeup products and the residue even after taking it off WILL get stuck in-between the lashes/extensions.

(iii) The environment we are in, be it indoors/outdoors. The dirt and debris from small particles of anything will be in the air, kicked up from the floor, the oils and whatever else you touched or even grazed you touching/wiping your face/lashes with your fingers/forearm or even someone else helping you get something out of your eye that you couldn’t get off yourself, god forbid someone cough and/or sneeze horribly in the close proximity of your face etc that can still land onto the lashes and get stuck there.

So let’s make sure you clean your lashes daily! EVERY morning and NIGHT.

There’s no difference with just using plain water or my face cleanser to clean my lashes so why do I even need to buy your lash and brow cleanser?

(i) Water is basically used for all cleaning and it does do some of the job no doubt about it, but it doesn’t get rid of everything that could be stuck to the lash extension and needs a bit more help with a proper lash and brow cleanser. Just like washing the dishes, water does “a job” but it doesn’t do “the job” hence dish washing liquid.

(ii) There are different formulations for each part of our body when it comes to products. Our eyes are very delicate, it’s 7 times thinner than the rest of the face, so we shouldn’t be using heavier/unnecessary ingredients on or around our eyes which can cause skin irritation, more dehydration/dryness/flakiness, which ultimately can cause premature/advance ageing! Who has ever wanted to look older faster???

My eyes are red and irritated what’s going on???

(i) Usually after you open your eyes from getting your lashes done. There really shouldn’t be any redness. BUT if there is, it’s usually because your eyes may have been open a little bit during application and the fumes from the adhesive got into the eye. Not everyone can close their eyes completely when they shut their eyes or it flickers and moves about. Your lash technician should generally be checking for this prior to application and make sure it’s closed but once they start they can’t always watch your eye like a hawk from underneath you that whole time. If you know it’s opened a bit then let your technician know so they can adjust accordingly.

(ii) The eye pads/tape may have slid up into your eyes which can cause irritation from the ingredients it contains or the pads rubbing up into the eye to worst case scenario a small cut from the pad/tape. All these generally will go away within a few minutes to 3 days BUT if you ever feel uncomfortable or feel it moving up and into your eye, again let your technician know straight away! no hesitation because it only takes a few seconds to adjust them to be comfortable again. Don’t be scared to let them know when something doesn’t feel right. Your health and safety is the most important.

OMG I got an eye infection from getting eyelash extensions! Don’t ever get them done!

Ok here it can be a touchy subject. But again in general the eyelash extension itself can not give you an infection. It’s what we do with them after that can cause infection. I’m no doctor so I wont go into the nitty gritty. I’ll leave that to the professionals of that field.

(i) The number one reason is usually because of incorrect aftercare not cleaning/looking after them well that can lead to infections.

(ii) It could be other factors in the environment that we are in that can cause infections. What we touch, things that get in contact with the eye from particles to small objects, illness that can compound onto other illness, etc.

(iii) God forbid if it is the lash technicians fault if their tools are not sterilised!!!! but don’t go jumping to conclusions that this is the reason for every single infection because this is not the case.

Do you have sensitive glue?

Unfortunately there is NO SUCH THING as a sensitive glue! Every single adhesive used in the lash industry has 1 ingredient that basically makes the extensions stick and stay on the lashes and that is Cyanoacrylate. Yeah maybe 1 company might add more or less of different ingredients but that doesn’t change the fact that you can tolerate the adhesive in small dosages. Have you ever heard someone with a peanut allergy ever ask “Can I have something that only has a small dose of peanut in it because I’m sensitive/allergic to it?” As an Eyelash Technician your asking for a lawsuit that you will 100% lose if you say there is.

I can only pray that in the near future someone out there can develop something that can replace this ingredient that’s more friendlier for our own vanity.

I need a break from lashes to get them to grow back healthy again as it’s gone thinner and shorter

Eyelash extensions will NOT cause any damage to your natural lashes IF it’s applied correctly!

(i) Your lash technician should only be applying the safest lengths and weight to your natural lash. So if you really love the heavy thick super dense strip lash look but you have sparse and weak natural lashes. Your better off wearing strip lashes. Lash technicians can only work with what is presented to them and if you don’t have a lash in that bold spot or can’t support a certain weight then it’s not going to happen. Maybe a lighter version can be done or a similar style but you have to be realistic and not crucify your Lash Artist if they say it’s not possible or comfortable to do that for you given your lash condition.

(ii) There should be no stickies which means that no 2 lashes are stuck together. They should all be separated during/end of each lash appointment.

(iii) The length used generally would not go over 2-4mm longer than the natural lash (given the correct weight used)

(iv) The amount of adhesive used should be seamless and not thick/clumpy. There are times where a little more adhesive is necessary but it should still look like nothing.

(v) People tend to forget what their natural lashes looked like prior to extensions. Yeah obviously it wont be as dark but everyone seems to think they had wayyy more lashes and longer than what they see currently. But in reality…your lashes were always like that.

I still wear mascara over my extensions

I know there is eyelash extensions mascara out there on the market but I can’t stress enough how that’s just so wrong….The work, time and effort to give clients that beautiful set especially if it’s volume to be ruined with gloopy mascara painted allllll over it….It CAN NOT BE FIXED at an infill. It breaks the lash technicians hearts and want to rip their hair out at the same time.

so please JUST DON’T. You spend good money for these beautiful lashes. Don’t waste the money ruining it. If obviously you don’t like how it’s not full enough or whatever, speak to your technician and maybe they can change it up somehow and if all else fails then yeah maybe your not suitable for eyelash extensions and stick to stripe lashes instead.

Remember to brush your beautiful lashes throughout the day to keep them nice and fluffy.

I hope that has helped you in some way to give some more clarity to the lash world.

If you have any other questions you can check my FAQ page, email for more information.

10 Steps to Acne Free Skin

I know when I was younger and spotted my first pimple. I quickly looked to TV and magazines (nowadays it’s the internet) for the best products; and smothered myself in hope it would go away. But it seemed the more I used it, the more oily I became and I just continued to break out like I had red volcanic eruptions all over my face!

What I have learned through my experiences will help you to healthier and acne free skin!

1.  Use oil/cream cleansers every morning and night.

By doing this you are breaking down all the dirt and excess oils; keeps you hydrated without ruining your Ph balance. Even if you have oily skin you should stay clear of foaming or water activated cleansers. All these products dries out your skin giving it that “tight feeling” but really it’s stripped your skin from any hydration it had and that’s when your body goes into RED ALERT and start to produce oil to compensate for the lack of water. Hence the oily skin, and the vicious cycle continues.

Head to http://www.shuuemura.com

2.  Toner/Elixirs are a must after cleanser.

I know we all buy it but then put it away in the back of the cabinet. Why is this step so important? Well after you cleanse your skin you wash it off with water and you assume it’s all clear. But in actual fact you’re left with a clear film that you cannot see and it will sit there in your pores and eventually clog and wont allow your skin to breath.

3.  Always moisturise afterwards with a day cream for the day and night cream for night.

Don’t be fooled by “You can use this day and night” Yes they are a cream but they do 2 different things. Day creams are used to lock in moisture and sits on the skin to create a barrier to keep you as hydrated as possible throughout the day as you naturally perspire and battle the elements. Whereas the night cream is to penetrate and repair your skin.

4.  Avoid manual exfoliation.

Manual exfoliation is another thing that we should not do what so ever when you break out. Let’s just go back to the basics of what acne really is. Acne is a bacteria filled pore. So when you exfoliate, you’re actually spreading that bacteria more and to areas that weren’t affected in the first place. This also includes men who shave. You notice a few guys who have a lot of acne in their beards? It’s because they’re shaving the acne area constantly and spreading it across their face. Instead try using a Lemon Yoghurt mask: Buy some natural yoghurt that has acidophilus and spoon enough into a bowl that would cover your face. Add a quarter of a lemon, mix and apply. Leave for 10-15 min, wash off and continue your normal cleansing routine. I would suggest you do this once a week and your skin will be left soft and smooth and helps kill all the bacteria. But always do a small test patch first and make sure you don’t get a bad reaction to it.

5.  Avoid touching and picking of the face.

Were all guilty of it but again your spreading the bacteria if you do that. So try avoiding it as much as possible. A lot of people don’t know they may have a habit of resting their hands on their forehead or chin when they’re thinking whilst studying for instance. You may now notice that your acne is actually concentrated around that area! That would most likely be your main culprit!

6. Keep the hair and hair product away.

Hairspray, gel, moose, setting sprays, heat protectants, etc. are great for styling but you have to be careful not to get it on your skin. And even your hair touching your face, particularly your bangs. The natural oils from your hair and all that build up of products can clog your pores. If you notice a lot of acne around your forehead or back of the neck. Maybe it’s a good time to clip/tie your hair away from the skin.

7.  Change your pillowcase every night.

Yep every night! When you sleep you naturally sleep on your side or on your face at times. Unless you are very good and only sleep on your back (pssst it makes you age a lot slower you don’t loose elasticity of the skin as quickly). As we sleep your face touches the pillow transferring bacteria/sweat. So doing all the previous steps would be for nothing if you don’t have clean sheets. To make it sound a bit easier. Sleep on 1 side of the pillow one night and flip it over the next night. Then change your pillowcase every third night.

8.  Clean your makeup applicator after every use

Makeup application is another thing that people don’t think twice about. It’s there to help cover up imperfection and of course those ugly pimples peeping through. But when you dip your foundation brush or sponge into your foundation/concealer and then onto your face and back into the product, you have just transferred the bacteria from your face into your cream/liquids and then it festers and contaminates the rest of the product. So every time you apply; you put the bacteria right back onto your face. Therefore just like the pillowcase. You need to clean your applicator of choice after every use. And a way to protect your products from contamination is to use a spatula of some sort onto a metal/plastic plate and apply that way. Clean product equals clean face. If you’re really lazy at times then invest in disposable sponges.

9.  Get those bowels regular

A healthy bowel movement should be at least once a day, better if its twice a day. When you don’t go for 3 days it not only gets harder but when feces sit inside your bowels for too long it starts to release toxins, and you pretty much perspire feces which can also cause acne. Experts believe that in one day a person can hold 2 -9 kilos of feces. A toxic colon can have 18 kilos! So drink lots of water, add high fiber foods like vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fresh fruit and cut down on high fatty foods such as meat, cheese and refined sugars. Reduce any intake of caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea and alcohol.

10.  Exercise!

Exercise not only keeps your body healthy on the inside and sexy on the outside, but sweating it out and increasing the blood flow helps nourish your skin cells. Blood cells carry oxygen and it actually helps remove waste products, which also include free radicals out of the body. (Remember to cleanse and tone after that work out!)

Just remember to always listen to your body. Only you know when something is not right, just believe in yourself.

Here’s to a happier healthier you.