Your once full, eye-opening lash extensions are starting to tangle and fall off bit by bit, and you can’t make it to the salon for a touchup. You may wonder if you can remove them at home. You’re practically a beauty expert if you can do a manicure and pedi, use a waxing kit, and color your roots with drugstore dye, so why not, right?
The most effective way to make eyelash extensions last longer.
Be prepared for some bad news: Unfortunately, removing eyelash extensions safely is impossible. That’s correct. Though a quick YouTube search may turn up a slew of DIY eyelash extension removal methods involving Vaseline, coconut oil, castor oil, baby oil, and even tweezers (yikes! ), lash experts say these methods aren’t recommended.
Eyelash extensions appear to be the most popular beauty service right now. The days of needing to apply a new set of false eyelashes every day are over, as lash extensions can provide anyone with the instant gratification of longer, fuller eyelashes (even if they weren’t born with them). Long eyelashes are enough to persuade anyone to spend their hard-earned money on a service like this.
We can’t always take the time to get our lashes touched up because of our busy schedules and ever-growing list of responsibilities (or removed). As a result, the question at hand is whether or not you can remove your eyelash extensions at home.
Taking out eyelash extensions at home is not recommended. It’s tempting to pull those extensions out one by one, but it’s not healthy for your natural lashes.
“Unfortunately, there are no over-the-counter or DIY oil-based products that can safely remove lash extensions,” says Clementina Richardson, the founder of Envious Lashes and a celebrity lash expert. “Because the extensions are attached strand by strand, removing them yourself can pull out your natural lashes and cause bald spots that may never grow back.”
How Safe Is It to Remove Eyelash Extensions at Home?
The first time you get eyelash extensions, you may have many inquiries. One of these questions may be if they can be securely removed at home or if you’ll need to see a professional.
The removal process must be precise and careful when taking off eyelash extensions, unlike the installation process, simple and painless. With Vaseline, coconut oil, and olive oil, you can easily remove eyelash extensions at home. I’ll also explain how to remove the sticky eyelash glue from your natural lashes.
A byproduct of oil processing, petroleum jelly can be rather strong. On the other hand, Vaseline is the safest and cleanest petroleum jelly on the market, so be sure to use that instead of a lesser variety. Several potentially cancer-causing toxins are present in other brands that have not been triply refined.
The safest way (both for your natural lashes and your eyes themselves) to remove your eyelash extensions is to have them removed by a professional. In most cases, extensions are adhered to using surgical-grade glue, which isn’t something a novice should mess around with.
It’s also very easy to spread bacteria into the eye area, which a lash artist can fairly easily avoid (they have hundreds of hours of training, not to mention the proper equipment). So if you can wait to see a professional, you should.
But with that being said, there are inevitably circumstances where you can’t get into the salon to have your lashes removed. You may want to take matters into your own hands. Whether you’re in-between appointments or giving up on extensions for a while to give your natural lashes a breather, luckily, there are a few damage-free, expert-approved ways to remove eyelash extensions at home.
Just heed our warnings about the sanitary and safety risks of taking matters into your own hands. Ahead, I rounded up our experts’ favorite methods for safely removing eyelash extensions at home, plus best practices for keeping eyelashes healthy.
1. First of all, don’t pull or pick at your lash extensions
If you’re in a hurry to get your lash extensions removed, there are a few things to keep in mind. These things are critical because they could backfire. The goal is to keep your lashes as healthy as possible, so knowing what not to do before trying anything is essential.
Never pluck or cut your lashes or lash extensions. Picking at them will only harm your natural lashes, and your extensions will eventually fall out as your natural lashes grow out and shed.
Picking off extensions may affect how your lashes recover, and it may even stunt the growth of new lashes coming in, so resist the urge as much as possible.
2. Get Your Lash Extensions Loosened by Taking a Hot Shower
Don’t pick, pluck, rub, or pull at your lash extensions even if you’re in the shower. You risk damaging your natural lashes as well as your eyes if you don’t. Plucking your lashes may cause them to break, and touching them can quickly spread bacteria to your lash line and surrounding eye area. Take a hot shower instead if you’re trying to speed up the fallout process.
To extend the life of your lashes, your lash artist may advise you not to get them wet or use steam. However, doing the opposite can help loosen any stragglers still clinging to your lash line for dear life.
3. Use an oil-based cleanser
After getting a brand-new set of extensions, any experienced lash artist should advise you not to use oil-based cleansers, as this can compromise the lash glue’s integrity and cause your extensions to fall out sooner. If you’re trying to get rid of any leftover lash extensions, oil cleansers are your new best friend. To help loosen any leftover lashes:
- Use oil as the first step in your double-cleanse.
- Move the oil in gentle, circular motions over your face while cleansing it to begin dissolving the lash glue.
- Just keep in mind that this isn’t a one-night fix; to loosen your lash extensions, you’ll need to use an oil cleanser for at least a few nights.
4. Use a professional Lash Glue Dissolver
Because your eyelashes are delicate, as is the skin around your eyes, it’s critical to learn everything there is to know about removing eyelash extensions at home before attempting it on the spur of the moment with little to no guidance.
Lashify’s CEO and Founder, Sahara Lotti, emphasizes, “You can loosen extensions by taking hot showers and soaking them in oils, but you’ll need to buy a remover to remove them safely and with as little damage as possible. Keep in mind that lash extension glue is very similar to superglue. To avoid further damage to the natural lash, you must use something that dissolves it.”
To ensure that the remover starts to loosen the glue of the extensions for safe at-home removal, soak a cotton pad in remover and apply it to the lashes. “When applying a professional glue, dissolving remover to the extensions, keep it out of your eyes,” Lotti advises. When attempting to remove your extensions at home, the most important thing to remember is to keep your eyes free of any irritants.
5. Removing eyelash extensions with Vaseline
Long, thick, curved eyelashes should be a part of every girl’s makeup routine. Eyelash extensions are simple to apply, but they must be removed with caution. Artificial eyelashes usually fall out two to three weeks after applying lash adhesive. But how do you get rid of eyelash extensions at home? All you’ll need is Vaseline to finish the job.
What do you need?
- Vaseline
- Cotton Buds
- Eyebrow Brush
- Microfiber Cloth
What to do?
- First, wash your hands well with soap, either a bar or a liquid, to remove dirt and bacteria.
- Dip a cotton swab into the petroleum jelly and use it as a brush.
- Make sure you’ve closed your eyes and applied it in a downward manner, starting at the root of your natural lashes.
- Allow the application to complete its task for 3-5 minutes. The eyelash extensions can then be removed by stroking the brush downward across the lashes.
- Once you’re done, use a damp microfiber cloth to remove excess vaseline gel from the eyelashes before washing them with warm water.
After you’ve finished the previous step, use the cotton swab to apply a thin layer of Vaseline to the eyelash lines to give them a fuller, lusher appearance.
While using the above lash extension removal method, ensure the Vaseline doesn’t get into your eyes, as this could cause temporary vision impairment. If Vaseline accidentally gets into your eyes, flush them with cold water and see a doctor.
6. Using olive oil to remove eyelash extensions
You can do this at home if you want to remove your eyelash extensions. The most common method for dissolving lash glue is coconut oil or olive oil. It’s wise to have them removed by a professional to protect your natural lashes. Using a remover designed for professionals, adhesive bonds are loosened.
To remove the fake ones, you should use olive oil, the most effective and safest oil for the job. To use as a solvent, warm some extra virgin olive oil.
- Follow the step-by-step instructions with one or two cotton pads for each eye.
- Olive oil can be used to keep your natural lashes in good shape while also dissolving the adhesive used to attach the extensions to them.
- Olive oil is ineffective as an eyelash glue de-adhesive because it takes too long to work. Several times a day, soak a q-tip in warm water and roll it over your eyelashes.
7. Removal of eyelash extensions using coconut oil
Coconut oil is one of our skin’s favorites. You can also use it on your eyelashes if you don’t want to eat it. Coconut oil works wonders when it comes to removing eyelash extensions.
This oil can be obtained from dried coconut kernels or raw coconuts, depending on the extraction method.
Regardless of which brand you choose, coconut oil is completely free of any potentially harmful compounds (unlike petroleum oil).
It’s fine to use food-safe products on your skin, and the same is true for cosmetics. When the substance is exposed to heat from the skin or other sources, it becomes liquid.
The body can use these fatty acids for both sustenance and repair. It’s also a powerful disinfectant, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Coconut oil can be used for skin therapy, such as treating acne and wounds. Coconut oil is a one-stop shop for all of your needs.
Coconut oil can be found in a variety of forms. The most effective way to ensure that your skin receives the highest possible care is to use organic, extra-virgin, unrefined coconut oil.
- Coconut oil can help remove eyelash extensions by softening and breaking down the glue. Follow these steps to remove eyelash extensions with coconut oil:
- Step 1: Cleansing – Completely remove all of your makeup.
- Step 2: Steam your face – To prepare a steam bath for your face, you will need a large bowl of water and a steamer. To keep the steam in, place a towel over your head and place your face over the bowl (being careful not to get too close, as the steam can burn you). The steam from your body will begin to melt and dissolve the adhesive glue after around 10-15 minutes.
- Step 3: Warm oil – As a last resort, you might hold the coconut oil over the steam for a few seconds to make it easier to apply.
- Step 4: Use cotton pads to apply – Using a cotton pad and a small bit of coconut oil, carefully dissolve the glue and remove the false lashes. Repeat as necessary until all of the glue has been removed.
- Step 5: Wash your face and moisturize. – Re-wash your face to get rid of any remaining oil and moisturize your skin as necessary. If you like, you can use a paper towel to remove any extra coconut oil, which is an excellent natural moisturizer.
8. Apply eye cream generously.
Oil-based moisturizers, such as argan, rosehip, sunflower, jojoba, and squalane, will help break down eyelash glue over time while also providing additional skin benefits.
9. Use baby oil
Apply some baby oil to your lashes with a cotton swab. Use only as much as you need to avoid getting it in your eyes! Then, using an old (and clean) mascara wand, remove the glue from your eyelashes in a rolling and outward motion.
You can also safely and effectively remove the glue from your lashes with a fine-toothed eyebrow comb. Baby oil, which is safe for babies as well as your eyelashes, is here to save the day.
10. Baby wipes and steam
To help get that stubborn glue out of your eyelashes:
- Add a little more steam.
- Follow the same steps as before to prepare your steam bath.
- Allow up to 15 minutes for the steam to break down the glue.
Then, as gently as possible, wipe away the excess glue from your lashes with a baby wipe. Swipe the baby wipe across the area until all of the glue is gone. Make sure you’re not pressing too hard!
The baby wipe’s chemicals will gently lift the debris from your lashes. For each eye, use a different wipe. Remember that this procedure will take the longest of all, so be patient and let the steam and baby wipes do their magic!
Be Extra Careful With Your Natural Lash After Removal
After you’ve removed your eyelash extensions, give yourself 24 hours to recover. Take special care of your eyes and avoid any treatment for at least 24 hours after the onset of symptoms. Use an eyelash conditioner with amino acids, peptides, and nutrients to hydrate and nourish your lashes. Aside from that, it strengthens and lengthens your lashes.
If you can’t get to the salon for a new set of extensions, it can be difficult to know how to care for your lashes. It can be difficult to maintain the look of long ones once they’ve been removed. Whether you want to wear false lashes or let your natural lashes grow out, the good news is that you can maintain the look of extensions in a few different ways.
Lotti recommends using Lashify to tide you over until your next appointment for the quickest fix.
“I created the Lashify system to mimic the exact look of extensions as a lash extension fanatic. Our Gossamer lashes can be used to fill in gaps without the need for a professional service. Gossamers stick to lash extension fibers easily, and you can remove them without removing the extension with Melt Away, our dual-phase remover.”
When asked if natural lashes should be curled with eyelash curlers, Richardson says, “I always advise against using mechanical eyelash curlers. They can harm your natural lashes in a variety of ways, including breaking them in half or pulling them out at the root. Instead, you can lift your lashes with a heated eyelash curler without harming them or your natural lashes.”
By being aware of the proper methods for removing extensions and the products that can be used to keep your eyelashes healthy, a once daunting task can become easier with practice.
It is never advisable to use eyelash removers designed for professional use on your own lashes. The risk is just too high.
If you don’t want to wear lashes at all, try using a lash serum to encourage your natural lashes to grow longer, thicker, and fuller. Peptides and other ingredients in eyelash and eyebrow serums aid in the natural growth of lashes and brows.
It’s important to remember that serums don’t produce immediate results, but if you apply them consistently during your daily skincare routine, you’ll notice a difference in 4-5 weeks.
