Eyelash Retention – What is it?

To lash professionals, eyelash retention means the number of eyelash extensions left on the natural lashes in-between infill appointments. This is completely different from one person to another and can vary depending on many factors such as the seasons and hormones, among others. In another blog we discussed the 3 main stages that our eyelashes go through which contributes to the way our lashes last. Every single hair on our bodies, including your eyelashes, is on its own little hair growth cycle and will go through these 3 stages at some point. Just to recap, the 3 stages are anagen, catagen and telogen. Telogen is the final process, and this is the stage in which your eyelashes will start to fall out. On average, we lose around 3-5 natural lashes a day so don’t be alarmed when you see an extension falling out with them!

Everyone’s lash cycle is different therefore everyone’s lash retention is going to be differentso when comparing your lashes to someone else’s just remember your eyelashes are completely individual and we cannot guarantee your lash retention to be the same.  

Lash shed? What is it?

Your eyelash retention will differ more noticeably during a process which we like to call the lash shed!

The lash shed is a natural part of the eyelash cycle, and generally happens twice a year. It involves more of your natural lashes falling out compared to how they would normally fall out in-between your infill appointments. Although it is nothing to worry about, we understand your frustration when your lashes have been lasting so well! We will always do our best to get you back to your desired lash thickness, I mean we do have incredibly high standards and lash artists who are complete perfectionists.  

The main shed seasons fall around spring and autumn. Have you ever heard of dog’s having winter coats? Our hair cycle works in a similar way. This is because our natural hairs are literally falling out to be replaced with hairs that will prepare us for either the hotter months, our hairs will be naturally finer, or the colder months where are hairs are thicker.

How to improve my lash retention?

Lash artists will do everything they can to ensure you have good lash retention, however you as the client also have a responsibility to make sure that you are looking after them correctly. When you have your lashes done with us, you will hear us go on and on about the importance of washing your eyelashes daily to ensure they are clean from natural oils, skin and that annoying sleepy dust that we all wake up with. We aren’t just saying it to persuade you to buy one of our lash cleansing kits, it really is vital to ensure lash health and retention as well as preventing eye infections.

Dirty eyelashes are a huge factor to why someone’s eyelashes aren’t lasting very long because the extension is being pushed off sooner than it would usually fall out due to the build up of dirt! Lash extensions will not stick to lashes that aren’t being regularly cleaned. Now, even though we clean your lashes before we begin lashing, if there is a large amount of build-up tangled between your lashes, one wash is not going to be enough to clean them thoroughly which is going to take time away from lashing as multiple cleans will have to be done as well as us picking through the dirt!

Don’t pick, pull or rub your eyelashes. Picking your eyelashes out isn’t only going to damage the natural lashes, it’s also going to create gaps between your lashes where extensions need to be added. This makes it difficult for your lash artist to get an even coverage! Also, by pulling them out before they are ready means you are disrupting the lashes natural cycle meaning it may take a lot longer for your new lashes to grow back through. The more and more this is done can greatly increase your chances of developing traction alopecia, a form of hair loss caused by chronic pulling of the hairs. Where there are gaps, you may notice your lashes falling out sooner than usual. Since not as many lashes were placed around that area in the first place so when other lash extensions fall out naturally, you are going to see a larger gap. This can be mistaken for poor application by your lash artist, however there’s always been one thing that we’re not willing to do, and that’s sacrifice the health of your natural lashes. Those tiny little lashes that are at the first stage of the lash cycle will not be lashed just to fill gaps because the weight of an extension and lash adhesive is going to be too much. This would essentially add to the pulling force which causes traction alopecia.

Ensuring you attend regular infill appointments is another way to help the retention of your eyelashes. Our appointment times are worked out on an average of how long it takes to lash one person. This means, if you have a lot of natural lashes, it will be harder to get your full set to the same thickness of someone who naturally has less. The more regular lash appointments you have, the better your retention is going to be because your lash artist will be able to apply more eyelashes to your lashes. Also, as the old lashes fall out through the telogen process, new ones will begin to grow through therefore to keep your lashes thick you will need them lashed at your next infill appointment. Its important to trust the process!