You have probably followed your grandma, mom or sister's advice on improving your lashes. Some of the tips may have sounded a bit surprising, leaving you suspicious of their effectiveness. Let's go through 10 most popular eyelash myths that need debunking.
Eyelash Care. Why You Need to Stay Cautious
Eyes are the extremely gentle organ that needs to be taken care of carefully. People tend to forget that the major role of eyelash hair is eye protection. It is super important that we follow everyday lash care, however, we need to stay cautious. Following every tip we hear or find over the Internet may end badly and cause serious consequences.
Eyelash Care Myths
Today we round up eyelash myths and explain why using some methods may do harm.
MYTH: Using more mascara will make your lashes longer and fuller
FACT: Applying too much mascara may cause eyelash breakage. A mascara formula dries forming a kind of a crust. The excess sticks lashes together and leaves them looking spidery. Rubbing the eyes accidentally may simply break lashes that are stuck together. Plus, mascara excess causes lash dryness.
ADVICE: You should buy a mascara that is the most likely to fulfill your needs and wants. The cosmetic market offers various mascaras for volume, length and curl. To improve eyelash hair health, we recommend getting a mascara primer that hydrates lashes and locks moisture in, leaving your makeup neat at the same time.
MYTH: Trimming lashes will make them grow thicker and longer
FACT: Trimming eyelashes does not have any effect on the speed of eyelash growth or the lash volume and thickness. Hair as well as brows and lashes grow out of hair bulbs; trimming the tips only removes split and brittle hair. This way lashes become healthier and they may seem to be growing more quickly yet the speed of growth is the same - the lash tips simply stop breaking off.
ADVICE: Never trim your lashes. Such a treatment is neither helpful nor safe. To make lashes grow healthier and thicker, we recommend using a tried and trusted eyelash serum or considering a lash treatment such as eyelash lift and lamination.
MYTH: Eyelash extensions cause damage to real lashes and are bad for the eyes
FACT: The proper application of false lashes does not cause any damage to our real lashes. Naturally, you need to choose a pro lash artist who knows her job and uses good-quality products. Sometimes, when some of the lashes already fall out, clients have an impression that their natural lashes are shorter. In most cases it is a false impression. We simply get used to long lashes watching them every day in the mirror.
ADVICE: Always follow your lash artist's instructions on lash extensions aftercare - it is her duty to tell you how to care for lash extensions after application. Truth be told, following aftercare tips is halfway to success.
MYTH: Eyelash curler pulls out and ruins lashes
FACT: A lash curler does not cause any damage to lashes. Any tool that has been designed for body or hair care has its purpose and has to be used according to instructions. Using an eyelash curler is not complicated and does not affect lashes when we do it properly. You can use it every day provided you are gentle on your lashes.
ADVICE: To up the look after the lash curler, you can use a mascara for curl. It will hold the curl and your lashes will stay lifted all day.
MYTH: Eyelashes falling out are the symptom of an illness
FACT: The natural eyelash growth cycle comes in three phases: anagen, catagen and telogen. Each phase represents the specific life stage of a lash hair which finally falls out. We lose around two or three lashes per eye a day. This is perfectly natural because the old lash is replaced by a new one. A lash hair stays on the eyelid from a few weeks to two months, which differs for different people.
ADVICE: If you notice your lashes are falling out in excess, you need to watch them carefully. Using an eyelash serum or taking supplements may be necessary to enhance weak lashes. Your body may be letting you know it's lacking vitamins and minerals.
MYTH: Nothing bad happens if you skip makeup removal from time to time
FACT: Precise eye and face makeup removal as well as cleansing during everyday skin care routine are super important for your lash and skin health! Leaving mascara on for sleep causes lash damage when you rub the face on the pillow. You wake up with dry lash hair and clogged skin pores on eyelids which causes awful eye infections, plus ruins lashes!
ADVICE: Always remove your face makeup before sleep and be gentle when handling the eyelids. Instead of rubbing the eyes, press a cotton pad to the eyelids and hold it for a few seconds. Next, slide it down gently and see that mascara can be easily washed off without rubbing.
MYTH: Straight lashes cannot be curled and lifted
FACT: You can curl any lashes. If you have straight, short lashes, you should go for mascaras that deliver lash length, volume as well as curl. You will also love the results after lash lift, and the already-mentioned mascara primer.
ADVICE: If you would like to do a lash nourishing and curling treatment but you are scared off by the salon prices, you can try a lash lift and lamination kit to do the treatment at home. Such sets come with clear and easy-to-follow instructions, and produce sensational effects.
MYTH: As long as your mascara works well, you can keep using it, even for a year
FACT: Every cosmetic has an expiry date and so does a mascara. The formulas that have gone off have different texture, are harder to apply, and leave unwanted clumps on lashes. Plus, the expired mascara is bad for lashes and leaves them extremely dry.
ADVICE: Replace your mascara every 2 or 3 months. Your lashes will be grateful.
MYTH: Washing your lashes may cause lash loss and faded lash color
FACT: Washing eyelash hair does not cause lashes falling out excessively or their color fading. You just need to make sure to do it gently and not use harsh washing products which may cause eye irritation.
ADVICE: The cosmetic market offers products designed for this purpose. We recommend getting a lash and brow shampoo which has very mild ingredients not to irritate the eyes or delicate eyelid skin. You should use a soft brush for washing your lashes which is much better than rubbing them with your fingers.
MYTH: Applying food ingredients on eyelashes will make them thicker, nourish them, and stimulate faster lash growth
FACT: We definitely warn against such experiments. Using egg yolk, yogurt or honey on lashes may cause eye irritation and acute infections that may even end up in poorer vision. Plus, most of the homemade methods and their benefits for lashes are not confirmed by tests or research.
ADVICE: Castor oil, olive oil and green tea are the only products that have been tested, and their positive effect on lashes has been confirmed. They are not harmful for the skin or eyes (provided that you use pure oil, not products with additives and oil blends). Those who are not afraid of possible allergic reactions try aloe on lashes.
Recap
Beauty myths have been passed on for ages and there are still new ones appearing. You should always make sure that what you do to your lashes is 100 percent safe. Never use any suspicious mixtures or dangerous tools on your skin and hair, let alone lashes. Try to do some research and check whether a given method has been confirmed by tests, and seek opinions of people who may be a good source of information. Remember to always check the expiry date of products for the eyes area, and never take new ideas and methods for granted.