Unless you’re a trained professional, removing your eyelash extensions should never be attempted at home. Not only can the process be extremely painful and needlessly uncomfortable, but it’s also extremely risky. Eyelash extensions are glued to your natural lashes with a chemical adhesive that is extremely difficult to remove without damaging your natural lashes. Even trained professionals use special oils and creams to help remove the extensions after their clients leave the salon; at-home removal methods are simply not safe or effective. However, if for whatever reason you find yourself in this position, read on for our step-by-step guide on how to safely remove eyelash extensions at home.
How To Remove Eyelash Extensions At Home Safely
Exfoliate your eyelashes
First and foremost, you need to exfoliate your lashes before attempting to remove your extensions. Not only will this help remove any dead skin cells that may be stuck to your natural lashes, but it will also help to reduce the risk of irritation and infection. We recommend using a gentle scrub or makeup-removing wipes to gently remove any flaky, dry skin from your eyelashes. If you have sensitive eyes or experience redness or irritation after removing your extensions, we recommend using an eye makeup remover before trying to remove them yourself.
Apply oil
Once you’ve thoroughly cleaned and exfoliated your lashes, the next step is applying oil to the area where the extensions are glued. Make sure that you use a light oil such as coconut oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil; heavy oils such as baby oil can cause irritation. You can apply the oil by gently rubbing it into the glued-down areas with a cotton swab until all of the glue has been removed from underneath your natural lashes. The key is not to rub too hard and make sure that you’re applying enough pressure on each lash in order to break up any adhesive residue that may be left behind in between each extension. It’s also very important not to apply too much pressure on a single lash as this can easily cause pain if applied incorrectly!
Use tweezers
Once all of the glue has been removed from underneath your natural lashes, you can then use tweezers to remove the extensions themselves. You may have to gently tug on the extensions with tweezers in order to detach them from your natural lashes. Again, it’s important not to tug too hard and make sure that you’re applying enough pressure on each extension so that they don’t break off completely from your eyelashes.
Apply oil and massage
Once your extensions have been removed from underneath your natural lashes, you can apply a drop of oil to each extension and massage into the glue residue left behind on your eyelashes. You should massage in a circular motion around each extension in order to break up any adhesive residue that may be left behind. Once you’ve massaged all of the glue residues out of your eyelashes, you can then rinse them under warm water and pat them dry with a clean cotton swab. If you find that some of the glue remains under your lash line after massaging it out, we recommend using an eye makeup remover before trying to remove them yourself as this will help to dissolve any residual glue residue left under your eyes.
Remove mascara
Depending on what type of mascara you used prior to applying for extensions, there may be some residual glue residue underneath the base of your lashes; if this is the case, simply wipe away any excess glue using an eye makeup remover or cotton swab before removing any mascara from beneath your eyes using a gentle dabbing motion.
Apply a new mascara
Once you’ve removed any residual glue residue from your lashes, you can then apply a new type of mascara to your natural eyelashes in order to fill in any gaps left behind by the extensions. You can also use this opportunity to apply a new mascara if you’re trying to build up the volume of your natural lashes at the same time as applying for extensions. It’s also important not to apply too much pressure when applying mascara because this can cause irritation and cause more damage than good!
Step 1: Remove the glue
- Make sure to use a special oil or cream that is designed for removing eyelash extensions. Consult your lash specialist about their preferred brand of oil or cream.
- Find a pair of tweezers to help you remove the glue from the extensions. You can purchase these at most beauty supply stores.
- Gently lift the extensions away from your natural lashes with the tweezers, taking care not to pull too hard, which could cause pain and damage your natural lashes.
- The glue will come off in clumps; you’ll need to gently massage it into your eyelid with your fingers as it comes off so that all of the clumps are removed from one eyelid before moving on to the next eye. Gently rub until all of the glue is gone, and no more clumps are sticking together in one area. Be sure not to rub too hard or too fast since this could cause pain and damage your natural lashes.
Step 2: Use a gentle oil to remove extensions
- Begin by washing your eyes with a gentle cleanser to remove any makeup or dirt that may have accumulated on your eyelashes.
- Next, pour a small amount of oil into your palm and rub it between your hands until the oil is warm.
- Apply the oil to the back of each lash and gently massage in small circles across the extensions; do not apply too much pressure, as you do not want to rip them out.
- Repeat this step with each extension until they have all been removed from your lashes.
Step 3: Use olive oil to condition your lashes
- Prepare your removal oils.
- Apply a small amount of olive oil to your fingers and massage into the glue on your extensions.
- Massage the oil into the extension glue for a few minutes until the glue loosens and starts to come off in clumps. If you continue to use olive oil, the glue will eventually come off in one big piece instead of a bunch of small pieces, so be sure to stop before it gets too bad!
- Use tweezers or a pair of scissors to remove each individual extension from your natural lashes one by one. The longer you leave extensions glued, the more difficult it will be to remove them all at once; if you’re working on several clients at once, take care not to accidentally pull out any extensions from other clients during this process!
- Once all of your extensions are removed, apply olive oil again and massage into any remaining glue on your eyelids or skin. Use warm water after each step if necessary for best results; do not attempt this step with hot water!
- Wash and condition with warm water and coconut oil after removing eyelash extensions to help seal in moisture and prevent dryness over time. If you have sensitive skin, be sure to use minimal amounts of coconut oil when removing your eyelash extensions so as not to cause irritation or breakouts.
How to spot the difference between fake and real lashes?
Real lashes are naturally full and long
Real eyelashes are naturally full and long, with a small amount of curl. They’re not straight or tapered, and they grow out to the length of your natural lashes over time. If you have a lot of fake eyelashes, chances are that they’re not real.
Real lashes don’t curve inwards
Real eyelashes curve outwards, gradually getting longer as they do so. Fake eyelashes bend inwards at the base of the lash band, making them look shorter than they actually are.
Real lashes are soft and flexible
Real lashes can be pulled down or pushed upwards with ease; fake lashes will be more difficult to move around your eyes.
Real lashes feel silky smooth on your skin
Fake eyelashes will feel stiffer than real ones, just like when you apply false eyelashes for the first time in a salon – if you’re using real ones, that is! If you’re using fake ones for the first time or if it’s been a while since you last applied them, give them a try again to see if there’s any improvement – it may just be that it’s been too long since you’ve had your last application!
Conclusion
Removing eyelash extensions at home is not recommended and should only be done if absolutely necessary. Using the methods listed in this guide, however, you can safely remove your extensions without damaging your natural lashes. Eyelash extensions can be extremely useful and can make your eyes stand out, but they should only be applied by a trained professional. Even if you leave the salon with your extensions still in place, don’t try to remove them yourself. Doing so could cause major damage to your natural lashes, and you risk infection from the chemicals in the glue. Instead, schedule a follow-up appointment with your lash artist so they can remove the extensions for you.
