Lash Lamour Blog

Fun in the sun….

During the summer months, you might notice that your lashes grow and shed faster than usual.  There are many factors in the summer time that will contribute to premature shedding. Below is a few simple tips to help your lash retention while you have fun in the sun.

Sunscreen

Always use sunscreen to protect your beautiful skin, just not on your lash extensions.  Sunscreen has a lot of oil. It will breakdown the adhesive and cause poor retention .

Swimming

Wear goggles when possible in seawater or a chlorinated pool.  After a good swim, don’t forget to give your lashes a freshwater rinse and gently brush. This will remove some of the salt water or chlorine from your extensions.

Sun bathing

Wear stylish floppy hat and a pair of cool shades to avoid direct sunlight on your lashes. Direct sunlight has a tendency to mess with the glue bonds, making lash loss more likely.

Eyelash extensions make summer beauty effortless. It is easy to follow the above tips to keep your lashes camera ready.

We, first and foremost, hope everyone remains healthy and safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the temporary closing of our spa, we know most of you will have many grown-out lash extensions that we would normally remove during your fill. For those of you feeling any discomfort from those over-grown lashes, we want to offer you an at-home solution for removing your own extensions. We can’t stress enough that we would not recommend this under normal circumstances, which is why our lash removal service is always complimentary to existing clients. However, because we can’t do it for you at this time, we would rather teach you the best possible way to remove your own extensions, than have you pull out or damage your natural lashes.

1. Remove all eye makeup
2. Fill a heat-safe bowl with steaming hot water
   • Set the bowl on a table or countertop where you can bend down over it.
3. Put a towel over your head, then lean over the steam for 15 minutes
   • Be careful not to get too close to the water, as it could scald your face.
   • Position the towel so that it encircles the bowl and traps in the steam.
   • The steam will loosen the glue on your extensions so it comes off more easily.
4. Soak a cotton swab in olive or coconut oil Soak a cotton swab in olive or coconut oil
   • Make sure cotton swab is completely saturated
5. Swipe oil over lashes
   • Start at the inner corner of your lashes. Keeping your eyes completely closed, make several passes to coat the extensions in the oil. You may need to use multiple cotton swabs to completely coat the lashes. Once lashes are completely coated, let sit for one minute. Begin swiping lashes in a downward motion with a cotton swab or comb through with a spoolie brush. Extensions should start to come off. Keep gently swiping until all extensions are removed.
   • **If your skin starts to feel irritated, stop use immediately. If oil gets in your eye, flush it out with cold water.
6. Use a face cleanser to wash away excess oil
7. LiLash serum is recommended with or without lash extensions to promote the health and integrity of your natural lashes.

Again, this is an alternative solution while our spa is temporarily closed. In the future, we ask that you please come in for a complimentary removal when needed.

We can’t wait to see you again soon, and give you more beautiful lashes! Take care of yourselves and loved ones!

When your lash artist warns you that your natural lashes “need a break,” there is usually a reason she is saying that. And chances are it has nothing to do with your natural lashes and everything to do with your faux ones and how they’re being applied.

We need a break from a lot of things – the weather, our significant other, the news. But if your lash technician is giving you the right service with care and quality, long lashes aren’t something you would need a break from.

Here are a few reasons your lashes might require a little time off:

• Your lash expert is isolating the natural lashes improperly. It can lead to long-term issues. Improper isolation will caused your natural lashes to clump together, causing them to become stressed, breakage and fall out prematurely.
• Your natural lashes have had enough of the big flares they’re sadly being subjected to. And rightfully so! When a technician applies “cluster” lashes (big flares of five to seven lashes with a knot joining them at the bottom), they actually lay them on top of multiple natural lashes. The clusters are too heavy to put on individual lashes, so this seems like a great idea. But instead, it causes follicle stress and breakage to the natural lashes.
• Your lash extensions are too heavy for your natural lashes. You might want mega volume looks, but if you don’t have a strong natural lash. Lashes are not one-eye-fits-all. They range from thin and fine to coarse and thick. Some are dry, others are oily. There’s even straight or curly. A properly trained lash technician will assess the limit of what your natural lashes can handle. It’s also important for you to be realistic and believe (and adhere to) their advice. Do it for your lash health. With the right extensions in place, the only break you’ll have to take is from using mascara on your lovely long lashes.

There’s Basic Lash 101 – Come to a lash appointment on time without eye makeup and ready for a hour-long beauty nap. Duh.

But what about the not-so-obvious stuff – insights that come with years of experience?

Well, get ready to be schooled.

Here are the top 10 tips from our Lash L’Amour lash experts that are sure to help you get the most out of your appointment:

1. It’s not a one-lash-fits-all service. Read: A full set is customized to each person, taking into considering eye shape, natural lash fullness, and lash strength. These factors will dictate the fullness, length, and shape of your extensions.
2. Your natural lashes (along with your extensions) will shed due to the natural cycle of hair growth. Translation: a refill every two to three weeks is highly recommended. The longer you wait between refills, the more time we’ll need to fill your lashes back to your desire fullness.
3. Trust is important. We’re trained, licensed, and certified lash masters who take pride in our craft, so relax and let us guide you with recommendations on length, lash safety, and styling. We want to be your lash gurus.
4. The road to beautiful lashes is a two-way street. We do our job by properly adhering each extension/volume fan perfectly to each of your natural lashes. You’ll need to take care of those babies at home. Your lifestyle and lash care affect the longevity of your extensions, so be sure to: avoid hot steam and oily products, don’t sleep face down or pull on your extensions, and skip mascara and liquid eyeliner.
5. Clean those lush lashes daily! After the first 12 hours of getting your lashes done, it’s perfectly okay to wash them with water and a lash foam cleanser to avoid irritation and buildup.
6. We would jump for joy if before your lash nap at Lash L’Amour, you would skip the caffeine, hit the restroom, and silence your phone for some “me time.”
7. Don’t be shy! Your lashes speak volumes, so you should too! Speak up if you feel any discomfort. You should not feel any burning, scratching, or itchy sensations during the process.  If that neck pillow is bugging you, ask us to remove it. Lying down for a long time isn’t for everyone, so if you need to adjust things, please let us know. We want you to have the best experience when getting your lashes done.  
8. We love a good chat. But keep talking to a minimum during your service. Concentration is the cornerstone of a great lash experience, as it takes intense focus to adhere a few hundred tiny extensions onto your natural lashes.  We only have an hour or so to make you feel and look like a million bucks.
9. Change it up once in a while. Try a new lash look to keep it fun and fresh.
10. Communicate with us. Ask questions, give feedback, and challenge us. We love hearing from you.

With lashes staying strong as one of the hottest beauty services in Boston, it’s amazing to us how many lash extension places are popping up. Choosing which one to trust to create a gorgeous (and safe) flirty fringe for your eyes can be daunting.

We’ve put together a few tips for deciding which location suits you. We hope to see you at Lash L’Amour for your next appointment!

Photo and lashes by Allison Schofield/ Lash L’Amour

1. There’s something to be said for being a one-trick pony. When you specialize in a beauty service, you can dedicate all your hard work, time, and talent to it. Choose a lash spa that has lash extension application as its main menu item, as opposed to lashes being the add-on.
2. Ask your other lash-wearing beauticians about their lashes. People who are in the industry know who’s best in the industry.
3. We highly recommend calling the lash spa for questions prior to making an appointment.  A knowledgeable staff should be able to answer all your questions and address any concerns you might have.
4. Why would you get a beauty service done without at least investigating? Channel your inner Nancy Drew and check out the lash spa’s reviews on-line and website. Also see if the lash spa has an Instagram, posting examples of their work.
5. Lash artists should be properly trained, licensed, and certified. Ask upfront if this is the case (if they bat an eye at the question, go elsewhere). Also inquire if they’re up-to-date on the latest trends, techniques, and materials – the lash world is always changing. Their technicians know-how should, too.
6. Try before you buy – sort of. A reputable place will let you come in for a complimentary consultation appointment and adhesive test. This is important especially if you have never had lashes. During the test, they will apply a few extensions on each eye using two different strengths of adhesive. If you’re allergic, you will experience minor redness and itchiness within 48 hours. If not, then you’re good to go.
7. Make sure they listen. If you don’t want über-drama, you shouldn’t have dense and mile-long extensions. A good lash place will listen to what you want for a look that fits your lifestyle, face shape, etc. Translation – you’ll leave your appointment looking how you want to – not how they want you to.
8. It’s worth it to pay a little extra for cleanliness, safety, and peace of mind coupled with a spa-like experience.
9. Be extra careful and do your research before buying a lash service at a discount price
10. Because this beauty service is unlike any other (read: it’s near your eyes), it’s important to have a great relationship with their team, should any issues arise. A good lash spa has responsive customer service and pays attention to clients’ needs.