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One of the best things about applying DIY lash extensions at home is that you can effectively enhance your lashes without seeing a beauty professional. This means that you can give your eyelashes the perfect boost without paying a lot of money or spending a lot of time. But wearing DIY lashes and fake eyelashes requires special maintenance to keep them in good and high-quality condition. Here’s how to clean false eyelashes the right way.
Article At A Glance
- Read this guide to find out how to clean fake eyelashes correctly.
- We will explain the techniques and steps required to do this properly.
- We will also discuss reusing and the best ways to store false eyelashes.
Can I Reuse False Lashes?
False eyelashes can be reused, but they come with a ‘shelf life’, so to speak. On average, false eyelashes will begin to decline in quality after four or five uses, and with proper care and maintenance, your false eyelashes could be used up to 20 times. False sets can be reused, but not single-lash sets.
In order to maintain the quality of false eyelashes, it’s important to clean the lashes before using them and store them properly after taking them off. For a full breakdown of how many times you can reuse each type, what shortens their life, and when to retire them, see our guide on can you reuse fake eyelashes.
What Can You Use to Clean False Lashes?
You do not need a special lash shampoo to clean false lashes. An oil-free makeup remover or micellar water handles the job, dissolving mascara and product without attacking the lash band. For disinfecting, a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad wipes the band clean between wears. Water alone is not enough; warm water helps loosen residue during the soak, but you still need a remover to break down makeup, so warm, lightly soapy water only works in a pinch for the soak step itself.
What to avoid matters just as much. Skip oil-based cleansers and coconut or olive oil, because oil breaks down lash adhesive and shortens the life of the fibers. Skip hot water, which can warp the band and loosen the knots, and skip waterproof mascara over falsies in the first place, since it is the hardest product to clean off later.
How Often Should You Clean False Lashes?
Give your false lashes a quick wipe to remove glue and product after each wear, and do a full deep clean every eight to ten wears, or sooner if you see heavy buildup. Cleaning too often is not necessary and only adds wear on the band, but skipping it lets glue, mascara, and bacteria collect, which both shortens the lifespan of the lashes and is not something you want sitting against your lash line.
You can freshen the lashes lightly while they are still on, wiping along them with a clean spoolie or a barely damp cotton swab to lift surface makeup, but a real clean with the soak and disinfect steps only happens once the lashes are off and you can reach the band without irritating your eye.
How To Clean False Eyelashes?
So, you might be wondering how to clean false eyelashes properly. Well, if you follow our simple, step-by-step guide, you can be sure to keep your false eyelashes clean and well-maintained. Here’s how.
Step 1: Wipe Them Down
Start by removing surface makeup and glue. To get started, you will need to wipe down your false eyelashes. For this step, you will need a cotton ball (or two), a makeup remover, and a small bowl. Pour some of the makeup remover in a plastic or glass bowl, then soak the cotton ball in the makeup remover. Once the cotton ball has been fully absorbed, gently dab on the false eyelashes and cleanse until the makeup residue and eyelash glue has been completely removed from the lashes.
Step 2: Rub Away Eye Makeup And Glue
Peel the glue off the band until you can see the bare lash strip. When using and reusing false eyelashes, the glue used during the application process can build up over time, so it’s important to clean your false lashes before applying them to your real lashes as part of your makeup look. Keep your false eyelashes refreshed and preserve them by gently removing the glue until you can see the natural lash band, and repeat this process every time you take off your false lashes.
Step 3: Use Another Cotton Swab Dipped in Warm Water
Wipe away any remaining mascara. Grab another cotton and dip in warm water. Then, dab on the false eyelashes to remove any remaining mascara. Removing every bit of build up and mascara is a really effective way to keep them clean and fresh. Unfortunately, mascara can shorten the lifespan of false eyelashes so it’s important to remove every bit and avoid applying waterproof mascara over fake eyelashes, as they can take so much effort to remove.
Step 4: Disinfect
Once you’ve cleaned your false lashes, it’s time to disinfect them. You can do this by soaking a cotton ball or pad in rubbing alcohol and gently rub all over the false lashes and adhesive strip.
Step 5: Let Them Dry
Air dry them fully before storing. After cleaning and disinfecting your false lashes, it’s time to let them dry. You can reshape the lashes when wet, but afterwards, it’s important to let them air-dry to prevent bacteria or mold from growing on the lashes.
Allow lashes to air-dry completely before reusing them, and avoid using artificially drying products such as hairdryers - after all, you don’t want to apply dried-out and straw-like lashes to your makeup look!
How To Properly Store Lashes?
In order to keep your clean false eyelashes lasting longer for reuse, preservation is key. To store, preserve and maintain your false lashes properly, you can store them in the packaging they came in as long as they can be sealed. Alternatively, you can use sealable bags or containers to store your false lashes.
Once the lashes start to lose their quality, then it’s time to throw them away. However, if you follow this guide, regularly clean false eyelashes the right way, and take extra care of them, then they should last as long as possible and stay in tip-top condition.
What did you think of this guide on how to clean false lashes the right way? Did you find it useful? Let us know!
