Kayla Young
I remember my first time getting eyelash extensions. It… didn’t go so well, to say the least.
I didn’t do any research and just got the fluffiest and longest extensions available. They were uncomfortable and heavy so I removed them at home. Unfortunately, I lost more than a few of my own natural lashes. Sigh…
Now I know better. I don’t go for those ultra-long and ultra-thick ones anymore. Additionally, I now know how to remove eyelash extensions at home – safely without having to lose all my precious natural eyelashes.
If you are dying to remove your eyelash extensions because they are too uncomfortable or if most of them have already naturally fallen off, let me be your fairy godmother.
In this article, I will tell you how you can remove those eyelash extensions safely. Plus, I’ll also answer some of the most commonly asked questions about removing eyelash extensions at home.
Contents
Removing Eyelash Extensions At Home: Is it Safe?
Want to know the safest way to remove eyelash extensions? That’s to go back to the professionals and have them remove it for you.
Eyelash extensions are glued to your natural eyelashes using surgical-grade glue. Ideally, it’s something you should not be really messing around with.
If you can’t just wait for them to all fall out, the best and safest thing to do is to schedule an appointment with your eyelash professional.
However, it is understandable that there may be circumstances that could lead you to decide to remove them at home.
Eyelash extensions could only be safely removed if you know how to properly remove them. Don’t be brutal to your eyelashes and rub them in the hopes of getting the extensions off.
You can damage your natural eyelashes that way.
The safest way to remove eyelash extensions is to go back to the professionals and have them remove it for you.Â
The glue used sticks pretty well so don’t force it! Instead, try the method below.
How To Remove Eyelash Extensions At Home
When you got your lash extensions, do you remember what you are told not to do?
Did they warn you to not use makeup removers with oil? That’s because oil can eventually break down the type of lash glue typically used.
It may not instantly remove the glue. But it can help gradually break down the adhesive so that the eyelash extension falls off without damaging your natural lashes.
Here’s a step by step procedure on what to do:
Step 1: Wash Or Clean Your Face
The first thing you should do is to wash your face and keep it clean. You will be working on your eye area so you don’t want any contaminants that could cause an eye infection.
Make sure that you are careful when washing your face. Remember that the eyelash extension is still strongly attached to your natural lashes. Rubbing them can accidentally remove your natural eyelashes in the process.
Cleaning your face helps remove any eye makeup or mascara left on your eyelashes. This makes the adhesive more exposed so that what you’ll use can better affect them.
Step 2: Steam Your Face
Do you have a facial steamer ? Now is a good time to use it. If not, you could use a bowl of steamy hot water instead.
Place a towel over your head to make sure that the steam is trapped. Just be careful with the hot water so you don’t accidentally burn yourself.
The heat from the steam is helpful in loosening the bonds of the glue.
Step 3: Heat-up The Oil
Get your preferred oil to use. Coconut oil works well, but other oils like castor oil, olive oil, and vegetable oil could work.
Warm the oil up but make sure that it’s not very hot. You don’t want to burn eyes. Remember that the eye area is very sensitive. Just warm up the oil.
Before you attempt using it, check with your pinky finger and see if it is warm but not hot. You don’t really need very hot oil to use. The warm oil will just penetrate better.
Step 4: Prepare Your Cotton Pads
Just like what you would do when removing eye makeup, soak your pads in the oil. Once done, place the cotton pad over your eye while it is closed.
Hold the cotton pad in place for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the warmth of the oil has already passed. Soaking it with warm oil helps it work better.
Once the time is up, you can now swipe the cotton pad gently on your lash line. You may leave the cotton pad with oil on your extensions for several minutes.
Step 5: Eyelash Extension Removal
Use the pad that you placed over your eyelash extension, swipe it over the lash line. Now, you may see some of the eyelash extensions are already detaching. Typically each natural lash has one extension attached to it.
Be very careful with this process. Don’t force it. You don’t want to accidentally damage your eyelashes.
Don’t ever try to pull off the eyelash extensions if they do not easily fall off on their own.
If they’re not coming off, at some point you’re just going to have to book an appointment with a lash tech to remove them for you.
If you want, you can try to reapply warmed oil on them to see if they just need a little more to fall off.
Step 6: Wash Off With Clean Water
After gently removing the eyelash extensions that you can remove, it’s time to rinse off your eyes with clean water.
You should use a cleaner so you can remove the excess or any of the oils left on your eyelashes and skin.
Useful Tip: Make sure to be extra gentle on your eyelashes. You may use Q tips for better precision after using the soaked cotton pads.
That will help you better target lashes that still have the extensions on them. A mascara wand that doesn’t snag will better help you with the process.
Reasons Not To Remove Eyelash Extensions At Home
Although the procedure above has successfully helped me remove eyelash extensions at home when I need to, there is no question that the best way to remove them is still to go to the professionals.
Following the above procedure isn’t guaranteed to work. But as a last resort, for many, it will. The oils may be able to loosen up the adhesive but they are still not strong enough to dissolve them.
There are risks involved in removing your eyelash extensions and they are as follows:
Damage To Natural Lashes
No matter how careful and gentle you think you are, you can easily damage your natural lashes when you remove them on your own. You don’t want to be googling Do Magnetic Lashes Work If You Don’t Have Eyelashes if you can avoid it.
Rubbing the lashes or trying to pull them is the main source of damage. As you try to detach the lash extensions using force, you can end up breaking your natural eyelashes.
Some who aren’t careful, just like me before, ended up losing a lot of my natural eyelashes. If I only knew that I could lose a lot of my eyelashes, I would have booked an appointment and waited.
It takes a few months to regrow them. Luckily, they are as thick and as long as they used to be. However, those few months were really horrible.
Natural Oils Only Loosen Them
Although natural oils can help loosen the adhesive, it could take time. No matter what kind of oil you choose, it will only loosen them gradually and won’t melt the adhesive.
It could be tempting just to try to pull them off, but that is a grave mistake. Like me, you may be too impatient to apply and reapply the oils to help loosen the adhesive.
Clogged Pores
Although the oils are natural, they can still lead to clogging your pores when used in excessive amounts.
As you try your best to remove and loosen the glue, you may repeat the procedure multiple times and apply excessive amounts of oil to your eyes and face.
Irritation And Infection
Remember that you are working with your eye area here. You wouldn’t want to get an eye infection.
That’s why you have to make sure you work with clean hands. Make sure that everything you use isn’t contaminated.
Additionally, you have to keep your eyes closed most of the time and you won’t be able to see what you’re doing.
Can I Use An Eyelash Extension Remover?
No products found.In order to remove the glue used for the eyelash extensions, professionals use an No products found.. These are powerful products that are designed to melt the adhesive.
Do they work? Yes, they do. Should you use them yourself at home? No.
These are used only by licensed and certified eyelash stylists. That’s because they are concentrated and can cause great irritation to the eye when they are not properly used.
During the eyelash extension removal procedure, you’ll be asked to lay down just like you would if you are getting extensions. They’ll protect your eye and concentrate on working on each of the eyelashes to remove them.
This can be very challenging to do at home. Some have tried it but many have failed and ended up irritating the eyes due to improper use.
