I thought I’d share how to remove eyelash extensions and the best practices for doing it yourself at home. While I love my eyelash extensions and plan to wear them again, when we welcomed our second child, I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the monthly refills while on maternity leave. It just wasn’t worth it to me until our son was a little older and had more of a routine. So, at my last appointment, I talked to my aesthetician about the best way to remove them at home so I could leave them in as long as possible. But once they started falling out, I was able to safely remove them until I was ready to go back and get extensions.
I have also spent years with eyelash extensions, and it can be a good idea to remove your eyelash extensions for a while to give your natural lashes a break and allow them to grow back without extensions. This is also a great time to use an eyelash growth serum if you want to. We’ll talk more about that later in this post.
Related: I Got a Lash Lift and Tint, and Here’s What Happened. What Happened When I Tried Grande Lash MD. What Happened When I Tried Lashify Lashes.
Supplies
You’ll also need water and clean face towels. Personally, I like to use black face towels like these for anything makeup related because all of our other towels and hand towels are white (which I love, because you can bleach them). But makeup can leave a lot of stains, so black face towels are great for washing your face.
How to remove false eyelashes
Start by washing your eyelids thoroughly. You want to be gentle, don’t rub your lashes. But when you want to maintain your eyelash extensions, the goal is usually to wash your eyelids and eye area very carefully so that you don’t get the extensions wet. This is the exact opposite – you want to wash your eyelids and eye area so thoroughly that the lashes start to fall out from the water and eyelash shampoo.
Once thoroughly rinsed, use a brush to gently run the remaining water through the lash extensions, making sure to wet the base. You will likely notice a significant amount of lash shedding during this process. There is no need to pull or tug at your lashes. Just comb them through with the lash brush. Pat your face dry if it is still wet.
Next, use an application brush (or cotton swab) to apply the glue remover to the base of the hair extensions. Then use a spoolie brush to comb it through. Repeat this process as many times as needed to remove all of the hair extensions.
If you feel any of the glue remover gets into your eyes, wash them again with eyelash shampoo.
What not to do
Don’t pull your eyelash extensions out. This will likely pull your natural lashes out too. It can be very tempting at the end when you’re left with a few stubborn extensions, but resist! Don’t pull your lashes out too hard. Just use an eyelash brush to remove your eyelash extensions. They should basically be brushed out like you would sometimes brush your own hair. Don’t scrub your lashes too hard, even with a washcloth. Be gentle! Don’t use eye irritating soaps or any other products. The glue remover can be a bit irritating, so try not to get it in your eyes and if you do accidentally do it, rinse it off. It’s not dangerous, it’ll just hurt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What dissolves eyelash glue?
Eyelash glue removers, usually those that contain some sort of solvent like acetone or isopropyl alcohol, will be best.
Can I use Vaseline to remove false eyelashes?
Vaseline can help soften eyelash extension glue, but a product that contains a solvent will work better.
Does baby oil remove false eyelashes?
Baby oil and other oils like coconut oil can help soften and loosen eyelash extension glue, but a product that contains a solvent will work best.
Do eyelashes grow back?
Yes, unless you have another condition, eyelashes, like other hair on your body, typically grow back within 6 to 8 weeks. This may depend on your genetics, nutrition, and other factors, but in most cases eyelashes grow back.
Natural eyelash care
If you’ve been wearing false eyelashes for a long time, give your natural lashes some time to breathe and grow without using other products like heavy mascara. It can be hard when you’re used to the look of false eyelashes, but just like giving your nails a break from acrylics, this can be very beneficial for them. And while you have your natural lashes, this can be a great time to use a growth serum. You can make a natural hair growth spray out of rosemary and use a spoolie brush to apply it to your lashes in the evening after washing your face. Another option is a commercial eyelash serum like Grande Lash-MD, The Ordinary, Latisse, Babe Lash, or RevitaLash.
Although I love my false eyelashes and plan to wear them again, it’s great to know how to remove your false eyelashes at home when you need to or want to take a break. Thank you for letting me share! If you’ve had success removing your false eyelashes and have any more tips to share, please leave us a comment below.
