A lash lift is a great way to enhance your lashes. It’s a quick and simple treatment, gives stunning results, doesn’t cost much, lasts a relatively long time, and you don’t have to worry about your lashes that much, since aftercare is minimal.
Still, you do need to pay some attention to your fresh lash lift in the days right after getting the treatment, and clients get anxious not wanting to accidentally ruin the results.
So a common question lash techs get is can I wash my face after lash lift? Let’s answer it!
Can I Wash My Face After Lash Lift?
Yes, of course, just not immediately.
The lash lift is done by applying chemicals onto your lashes that penetrate the lash cuticle and do some magic with its chemical bonds. The procedure is, first the lash is straightened, and then fixed into the shape of an upwards curl.
So the basis is a chemical reaction between the lash hair and the solutions used, and it can take a while for the so-called disulfide bonds to set, assuring a fixed shape that can’t be straightened back out for the longevity of the growth cycle of each individual lash.
Getting the lashes wet while washing your face or doing any other activity that gets water or steam in contact with your freshly curled lashes can disrupt the setting of the chemical bonds, and it’s bye bye curl!
You definitely don’t want that.
You can find more information on the lash lift treatment in this guide.
Image source: Instagram @pretty_eyes_by_kellieanne
Okay, So When Can I Wash My Face After Lash Lift?
You shouldn’t get your lashes wet for at least 24 hours after getting a lash lift, but 48 hours would be even better, just to be safe. Of course, you can go a day without washing your face, but not washing it for 2 days would definitely be too long for your skin – you have to think of your skin as well!
So on day 2, you can wash your face, but try to avoid the lashes. Wash the lower half of your face the way you usually do, and use a wet cotton pad to clean the area around your eyes and your forehead.
From day 3, you can splash water on your eyes as much as you want – water can’t damage your lash lift anymore. But actual products can!
So you might want to reconsider what cleansers and skincare products you’re using.
Image source: Instagram @hediye.skin.beauty
With Which Products Can I Wash My Face After Lash Lift?
When deciding which products are safe for your lash lift, you need to use the good old turn-and-learn method. Meaning, you need to read through the list of ingredients and if you see the product contains one of the following, maybe find an alternative:
Acids, Especially AHAs
Very popular in skincare lately, including cleansers, acids are actually exfoliating ingredients that work away the dead cells from the skin’s surface. Great for your complexion, but not so great for your lash lift.
The acids could affect the chemical bonds in your lashes and cause them to relax.
And the no-acid rule applies to all skincare products, not just cleansers. While you obviously won’t be putting your fav AHA serum on your lashes, the transfer of product is inevitable from your skin to your lashes as you blink, and especially if you’re doing your skincare routine before bed. It rubs off on your pillowcase and can get onto your lashes.
Oils
There’s a debate among lash techs whether oils are acceptable after a lash lift, with some tech recommending it, and some tech strongly advising against it.
From a chemical standpoint, oils can be damaging to the bonds in your lashes. They can contribute to your lashes straightening out. It won’t be an immediate effect, but can rather happen bit by bit.
So to keep your lashes curled as long as possible, don’t wash your face with oil-based cleansers after a lash lift.
Again, this doesn’t only apply to cleansers. Avoid oil-based products in general. They don’t only affect the curl, but can also fade the tint, which you probably got as an add-on to your lash lift.
Image source: Instagram @pm_sofiya
Other Things to Avoid
So, we’ve gone over what you can and can’t do after a lash lift in terms of washing, but let’s mention some other factors that can affect the longevity of your lash lift:
- Makeup. You can’t wear eye makeup for 48 hours after your lash lift. You’ll need to remove it somehow and that means getting the lashes wet and rubbing them, both of which are immediate lash lift killers.
- Waterproof mascara. After the 48 hours elapsed, you can wear all eye makeup, including mascara, but stay away from waterproof formulas. Most waterproof mascaras have an oil base, harms your lash lift.
- Hot, steamy showers in the first 48 hours after a lash lift. You may not get your lashes wet directly, but steam is still water, and it can relax the curl.
For more info on lash lift aftercare, check out this guide.
Final Tip
Wash your face before you show up to your lash lift appointment! That way, you won’t have to wash your face for the rest of the day. And don’t wear makeup to your appointment, your tech will clean the eye area before applying the chemicals anyway.
Cover image source: Freepik
