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Eyelash extensions are one of the best beauty trends nowadays because of the perks it offers.
With lash extensions, you can effortlessly get the instant gratification of fuller, longer eyelashes without the need to curl your lashes and wear mascara every day.
They even elevate your look even without makeup on!
But when these beautiful synthetic lashes start falling off, they will need infills for a maintained look.
Given your daily responsibilities and busy schedules, you can’t always take time to go to the salon and have them retouched.
So you might be asking, “Can I remove eyelash extensions at home?” “How to remove them safely at home?”
If you want answers to these questions, give this article a quick read!
Can You Remove Eyelash Extensions At Home?
Like any other beauty product, those pretty, long eyelash extensions will eventually wear out, shed off, and need refills after two to three months.
If you want your lash extensions removed for some reason, experts suggest you wait until they fall out on their own or have them professionally removed by a lash tech.
Removal can be a tricky process (if done incorrectly it could lead to further damage or even loss of your lashes). We always recommend first consulting with your lash artist.
But what happens if you cannot make time to go to a lash salon to have them removed? Can you remove eyelash extensions at home?
Fortunately, you can use DIY methods to remove your lash extensions. However, you need to be careful when doing so.
To help you with that, we have prepared some tips to help you free yourself from lash extensions in no time!
How to Remove Your Eyelash Extensions At Home
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to remove your eyelash extensions at home:
Step 1. Make sure you have the right tools
You’ll need tweezers, a clipper, and eye makeup remover.
Step 2. Clean the lash extensions
Thoroughly clean the lash extensions with soap and water before removal making sure you remove any debris that may be stuck in the glue.
Step 3. Remove the lash extensions
Gently remove the lash extensions by holding the tweezers and pulling them out at a 45-degree angle.
If you can’t see the glue that holds your lash extensions in place, gently use a makeup remover wipe to gently scrape away any glue.
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- FACIAL CLEANSER: Formulated with cotton, rice extracts and aloe, these sensitve skin face wipes will leave your skin feeling soft and clean
- MAKEUP REMOVER WIPES: Dermatologist and Ophthalmologist tested, these facial wipes gently cleanse and tone your skin while removing pore-clogging dirt, oil, and make up
Step 4. Gently pull the lash extensions Of Your Lashes
If you feel any resistance, that means you may need to use more remover to dissolve the eyelash extension glue.
Apply more remover and gently continue pulling until you feel the glue loosening.
Step 5. If needed, seek professional help
If you feel that your eyelash extensions are not being removed properly, it is best to get professional help.
9 DIY Methods To Remove Eyelash Extensions At Home
If you really want to remove your lash extensions naturally, you can do so with the following methods you can try at home.
Hint: These tips include what your lash stylist told you NOT TO DO after getting a fresh set of lash extensions.
1. Take a Hot Shower
If you want to loosen your lash extensions, a hot shower is one of the most natural ways to work wonders!
When you feel your lash extensions loosening up as you shower, resist the urge to rub, pluck, or pull your eyelash extensions.
It can be tempting, but if you do that, you will immediately regret it! If you don’t want to damage both your eyes and natural lashes, just don’t do it.
Instead, let humidity and heat loosen the bonds between your extensions and your natural lashes.
After a good hot shower, you can use a tweezer to remove the released lash extensions gently.
If one of the lash extensions hurts when you try to remove them, don’t force it or else you’ll pluck out your natural lash. Just remove the ones that come off easily.
2. Steam Your Face
Face steaming is the answer if you want a shortened version of the shower method!
Steaming your face can soften the lash glue used on your lash extensions. Plus, it removes any stubborn bacteria or dirt particles that were left behind as you remove your makeup.
To do this, you must first remove your face and eye makeup (do not come near your lashes yet!)
Then prepare a large bowl and pour hot water into the bowl. As it steams, lean your face toward it and let the steam evaporate toward your eyes.
Make sure not to open your eyes and don’t come too close to the hot water while doing this method if you don’t want to burn your face.
To be safe, keep your eyes shut for at least five to ten minutes as you steam your face. Eventually, this will help your lash extensions come off naturally.
3. Use a DIY Cleaning Solution (Water + Soap)
If you are down for a DIY solution, you can create a simple lash cleansing solution to help dissolve the remaining makeup and lash adhesive.
It’s pretty easy! All you need to do is fill a small bowl with warm or hot water and add soap.
If you want, add a liquid makeup remover or a gentle eye makeup cleanser to your cleansing solution.
After creating the perfect cleansing solution, get a cotton pad and use it to apply the solution to your lashes to soften the glue and remove your lash extensions gently.
Here are step-by-step instructions on how to remove your eyelash extensions at home with soap and water:
- Start by soaking the eyelash extension in warm water (to soften the glue holding the extension)
- Gently use a pair of tweezers to remove
- Use a cotton swab to gently clean off any glue residue
- If you feel that your eyelash extensions are not being removed properly, it is best to get professional help.
4. Use an Oil-Based Cleanser
After getting a set of lash extensions, the rule of thumb is never to use any oil-based cleansers since they can shorten their lifespan and cause adhesive failure.
Since you are looking for ways to remove your lash extensions, you should add oil cleansers to your skincare kit!
It will be a win-win situation for you: you can use it as a face cleanser and also use it to dissolve the lash glue!
Sure, it won’t be an instant lash extension remover, but it can gradually help soften and loosen the remaining ones on your natural lashes.
5. Use Oil
If you’re not fond of oil-based cleansers, you can opt for oil — the most budget-friendly, convenient, and natural option out there!
In fact, any oil you have on hand will do!
However, some of the safest oils you can use to remove eyelash extensions are the following:
- Coconut oil
- Castor oil
- Olive oil
- Baby oil
- Aloe vera oil
Choose from any of these oils and put two to three drops on a cotton ball. Gently rub the cotton ball on your eyelids and press it on your eyes and then downward.
Focus on applying it to the lash roots to ensure that you cover the entire lash area with the glue.
You will be amazed by how easily the oil can detach the glue and the eyelashes from your skin.
How to remove eyelash extensions at home with oil
Castor oil is another great option for removing eyelash extensions at home, and it’s easy to do.
- Castor oil is a natural petroleum product used for centuries to treat various skin conditions
- The oil will help to loosen the adhesive that holds the extensions in place
- Applying castor oil to the lashes before removal will help reduce any pain or discomfort
Just apply the oil to your lashes before sleep, and let it sit on your lashes overnight.
6. Use Eye Cream
Eye creams or moisturizers containing oil can help break down eyelash glue. So if you have eye products with sunflower, jojoba, argan, or other oils, they can help get the job done!
The effects will be more targeted because you specifically use an eye product! Plus, the eye cream can serve as an eye treatment as well!
7. Use Water and Baking Soda
A water-and-baking-soda mixture is another safe eyelash removal option at home!
You need to mix two tablespoons of baking soda and mix it with one cup of water. Then grab a cotton swab and use it to gently work the solution into your lashes until they fall out.
Rinse it off with cool water afterward.
8. Use Vaseline
You can remove extensions easily and safely using Vaseline if you want minimal damage to your lashes.
Vaseline is powerful enough to dissolve the bonds in semi-permanent lash adhesive, allowing easy removal.
Moreover, it is perfect for people with sensitive skin since it is safe to use on your eyelashes and around the skin of your eyes.
To start with, get a thin layer of Vaseline onto your clean fingers. Then remove the extensions gently, one by one. Make sure to hold onto the lash band as you remove them or as they fall off.
Lastly, gently wipe the Vaseline off from your skin with a damp washcloth until it’s gone. Rinse your eye area if required.
How to remove eyelash extensions at home with Vaseline
That’s it! You’re good to go!
9. Use a Lash Glue Dissolver
If you don’t have the patience to wait for the glue to loosen your lashes, you need to use a lash glue dissolver or an eyelash extension remover.
This product is particularly manufactured to cater to lash sensitivities and eye delicateness.
However, you still need to be careful while applying it because it is formulated with potent ingredients. If not applied correctly, it can irritate your eyes and skin.
Because of that, the professional eyelash remover is best applied by a licensed lash tech.
But if you really want to try it yourself, get a cotton pad, soak it with the lash glue dissolver, and gently apply it to your eyelashes.
Just be careful not to get too close to your eyes to prevent any irritations.
One of the best lash glue dissolvers in the market is the Eyelash Extension Gel Remover by Existing Beauty. It works fast, has a safe gel formula, and is used by most lash technicians today.
When Should You Remove Eyelash Extensions?
The best time to remove your eyelash extensions depends on why you want to remove them.
If your eyelash extensions were not applied properly or you are allergic to the lash adhesive used, then contact your lash tech or remove your extensions immediately.
And if you’re not planning to get lash infills for maintenance, removing your extensions at least two to three weeks after the initial application is advisable.
If you wish to wait for all the lash extensions to fall off, you can expect to have bare natural lashes by the ninth week.
Is Removing Eyelash Extensions Painful?
Eyelash extension removal should not be painful. If you follow the suggested lash removal steps and use the right products, you’re not supposed to feel any pain at all.
You’ll only feel pain if your lash extensions are incorrectly applied, if your extensions aren’t loose enough, or if you’re getting an allergic reaction.
Also, plucking or pulling at your lashes can be painful. So as much as possible, refrain from doing so.
Always make sure that the lash extensions are loose enough before gently removing them.
Potential Risks of DIY Lash Extension Removal
Remember that unlike strip fake lashes, eyelash extensions are kept in place by professional-grade glue and are attached to your natural lashes.
So you cannot remove it the same way you remove strip lashes. Two major potential risks may occur if you do anything wrong when performing a DIY lash extension removal.
You Risk Damaging Your Natural Lashes
If you’re constantly tugging your extensions hoping to manually remove them, you can probably remove your natural lashes.
Damage can happen when you rub or pull the extensions, detaching the lash extensions while breaking the natural lash.
Even the slightest pressure can lead to severe consequences and bacterial infections such as trichiasis or blepharitis.
Once your natural lashes get damaged, they could take several months to grow back to their original length or thickness.
You Risk Getting Eye Infection
Since bacteria can easily to your eyes, keep your eyes closed throughout the lash extension removal process.
But if you do the lash removal yourself, you won’t be able to easily apply the DIY solutions while your eyes are closed. As a result, there’s a high risk that you can get an eye infection.
If you let a licensed lash tech do the work, they can guarantee that they will only use sterilized tools and that no product will reach your eyes. Hence, you’re less likely to get an eye infection with the help of the pros.
What Is the Best Eyelash Extension Removal Method?
If you are looking for the safest way to remove eyelash extensions, the answer is to book a lash removal appointment with a trusted lash technician.
The average lash extension removal service ranges from $25 to $35. The entire process involves certified lash techs using professional-grade lash solutions and removers that are highly effective in breaking down lash bonds.
So you can guarantee that the removal process will be a hassle-free and pain-free experience.
But if you’d like to attempt to remove your lash extensions at home, be gentle while using any of the methods listed above.
Eyelash Extension Removal
Getting a professional lash extension removal service is the safest and best method.
However, if you cannot make it to the lash salon and you can’t wait for them to naturally fall out, you can always try the natural DIY alternatives listed in this article to remove your extensions.
Whichever route you take, be careful while working around your eyes.
Also, if you don’t want to damage your natural lashes permanently, make sure not to pull, rub, or tug your eyelash extensions.
Try our tips and let us know what worked for you!
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