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Once you’re committed to wearing lash extensions, learning how to take care of them is very important. That includes taking care of them at bedtime. Nothing is worse than waking up in the morning and seeing a collection of lashes dotting your pillow!
In this post, we’ll explain how to sleep with eyelash extensions in a way that keeps them looking fluffy and full, with minimal lash loss.
Can You Sleep With Eyelash Extensions?
When you consider the alternative, the answer is hopefully obvious: Yes, you can sleep with eyelash extensions. In fact, you’re expected to sleep with them.
Lash extensions are meant to stay in place anywhere from a few days with DIY ones and up to six weeks. For many, they’re a permanent part of their look! Humans aren’t meant to go without sleep for so long.
On the other hand, when it comes to regular false lashes, you’ll need to remove them before going to bed, along with the rest of your makeup.
The Importance Of Sleeping Habits With Eyelash Extensions
We don’t have much control over our body when we sleep. It’s very common to lose lashes and lash extensions at night when you’re off in dreamland. Lash loss is mainly caused by friction against your lashes from pillows or bedding.
Extensions are expensive, especially if you’re getting them done professionally. By learning how to sleep with lash extensions, you can avoid going in for refills too often, thereby keeping the costs a little more accessible.
Often, the lash extensions themselves actually stay intact, and it’s our natural lashes that fall out. While it’s perfectly normal to lose between 3 and 5 lashes a day, any more than that is a sign that you’re a little too rough with your eyes.
Additionally, the wrong sleep habits can cause your lash extensions to get tangled or bent out of shape.
However, by adopting a few good sleeping habits and maybe changing a few of your bedtime accessories, you can help your lash extensions stay in place and look great.
How Not To Sleep With Eyelash Extensions?
These are the main habits you’ll need to avoid when sleeping with eyelash extensions, in order to prevent them from falling out.
Sleeping On The Stomach
If you’re a stomach sleeper, this is the hardest habit to break. Unfortunately, sleeping on your stomach means that your lashes rub against the pillow all night long. This pressure and friction can put stress on the lash adhesive, leading to extension loss.
It can also put stress on your lash line, causing you to lose your own lashes along with the extensions attached to them. Further on, we have some tips on how you can train yourself to sleep on your back.
Smooshing Face Into Pillow
In the same way, sleeping with your face pressed into the pillow (or your favorite Teddy bear) can also lead to lash loss. First, there’s the risk of the pillow rubbing against your lashes and pulling on them.
Second, there’s also a risk of dust mites or bacteria finding their way into your lash line, potentially causing itchiness and irritation. This is especially a problem for stomach sleepers and side sleepers who like to hug a pillow in their sleep.
Wrong Eye Masks
You’ll want to avoid most eye masks when wearing lash extensions. Cheap cotton or synthetic eye masks, especially, can end up pressing against the lash line and causing friction.
Many women use them, hoping it’ll help with their lash retention when the opposite is true. That said, some eye masks are okay and even helpful, as we’ll explain below.
Using the Wrong Bedding or Pillow Case
Even once you adjust your sleeping position, the wrong pillow case or bedding can still damage your extensions. Some fabrics, especially cotton, are a little rough and textured.
Rolling in your blanket like a burrito can be very comforting, but you’ll want to avoid it with extensions. Since we can’t fully control our bodies in our sleep, any risk of contact between your lashes and textured bedding may lead to lash loss.
You may want to consider how much you tend to wrap yourself in your blankets at night, and if needed, switch your bedding to a more lash-friendly one.
Wet Lashes
Going to bed with wet lashes is another big no-no. When wet, your natural lashes actually absorb and swell with some of that water. This makes them more fragile and increases the risk of losing lashes and extensions in your sleep.
Make sure that your lashes are completely dry after you’ve washed them. This usually requires waiting a little between washing your lashes and going to bed.
Don’t Rub Your Eyes
After waking up, avoid rubbing your eyes in the morning. Even without lash extensions, rubbing can pull off a few precious natural lashes. We often do it subconsciously, so it may take you a few days to break the habit. We recommend practicing even before you pop on your DIY extensions or book a professional appointment.
How to Take Care of Eyelash Extensions When Sleeping?
So how to sleep with lash extensions? Follow these tips to ensure maximum retention.
The Best Position To Sleep With Eyelash Extensions
We already mentioned that you shouldn’t sleep on your stomach or with your face mashed into the pillow. So what’s the best position to sleep with eyelash extensions?
On your back, with your face not touching anything. This is particularly important for the first few days after getting professional extensions since the adhesive might still be in the process of curing.
Plus, sleeping on your back has other benefits. It keeps your spine aligned to prevent back and neck pain, and may even prevent morning puffiness and long-term wrinkles.
Side sleeping is a little riskier, but it’s still better than sleeping on your stomach (and it may help your digestion). If you strongly prefer to sleep on your side, make sure to rest your head at the edge of the pillow to reduce some of risk of anything coming in contact with your lashes.
To help you fall asleep on your back and then stay in that position, here are a few things to consider:
- Make sure your mattress is comfortably firm.
- Make sure your pillow keeps your head and neck stable.
- Consider placing a pillow under your legs or lower back to prevent you from rolling over.
Use a Silk Pillowcase
A silk or satin pillowcase can be useful, especially early on when you’re still tossing and turning a little more than you should. Unlike cotton, silk is extremely smooth with much less texture. If you do end up with your face in the pillow, this material is less likely to snag and pull on your lashes.
Plus, it’ll also be a kinder option for your hair and skin. If you tend to bring your blanket close to your face when you sleep, switching to a silk blanket cover will be useful as well.
Consider a Memory Foam Pillow
Training yourself to sleep on your back can be difficult with the wrong pillow. Memory foam pillows are a little more firm so they’re able to provide good support. They’ll help you stay on your back and ensure you sleep comfortably with less of a temptation to turn.
Choose the Right Eye Mask
If you don’t think you’ll be able to change your bedtime position, here’s how to protect your eyelash extensions when sleeping. All you need to do is choose a special eye mask that’ll help keep your lashes intact.
Cotton and synthetic masks are off-limits, but silk eye masks can work well to protect your extensions.
Even better are 3D sleep masks. Instead of sitting tight against your face, the contoured shape of this mask maintains a safe distance from your lash extensions, keeping them safe. Lilac's 3D sleep mask is perfectly molded to block light and protect your lashes, it boosts lash longevity and can help improve sleep. The mask is made with lightweight, super-soft material and an adjustable strap.
How to Fix Eyelash Extensions After Sleeping?
Even with the best sleeping habits, your eyelash extensions can still get a little tangled after you’ve slept. Here’s how to make sure they look fluffy and full in the morning:
- After you wake up, examine your lashes in the mirror to see if they’re bent or tangled at all.
- With a clean spoolie or eyelash brush, gently brush your lashes from the bottom to the tip. You can even wiggle the spoolie a little. This will help untangle and fluff up the lashes.
- If your natural lashes got a little flattened, you can use a heated eyelash curler to gently lift them up.
- If you feel that it’s necessary, clean your eyelash extensions to remove any grime and oil buildup from the night. If you do this, give them a chance to dry before brushing them.
Choose Forgiving Eyelash Extensions
DIY eyelash extensions are an excellent alternative to professional extensions, especially if you’re a committed stomach sleeper. While sleeping with your face pressed against the pillow can still lead to lash loss with DIY extensions, it’s not as big of a deal.
DIY lash extensions come as clusters that you can apply all by yourself. They stay put for as long as 10 days with an adhesive like our Pro Glue. They’re significantly more affordable than professional extensions. If a cluster falls out in your sleep, you can pop it back on pretty easily within minutes. What’s not to love?
Final Thoughts
For some of you, figuring out how to sleep with lash extensions will be pretty easy. For others, it can be a struggle and you might need to change a few of your sleeping habits.
Extensions are expensive, so taking care of them by sleeping on your back and avoiding friction is essential. It’ll keep them looking great and help you avoid frequent refills.
And remember - if the effort and cost of professional extensions seem like a lot, DIY extensions are always a great alternative!
Are you interested in eyelash extensions aftercare? Check out our guide to know how to take care of your lash extensions to make them last longer.
- Eyelash Extensions Aftercare: A Complete "How-To" Guide
- How To Take Care Of Eyelash Extensions?
- How To Clean Eyelash Extensions?
- How To Wash Eyelash Extensions?
- How To Remove Eyelash Glue? 4 Easy Steps
- How To Make Lash Extensions Last Longer?
- Can You Swim With Eyelash Extensions?
- How To Shower With Eyelash Extensions? Useful Tips And Aftercare
- How To Wash Your Face With Eyelash Extensions? 6 Easy Steps
- How To Sleep With Eyelash Extensions? 10 Proven Tips And Tricks
