Thick, luxurious eyelashes naturally enhance your eyes, making them look brighter, more well-defined, and more beautiful. If you weren’t lucky enough to be born with perfect lashes, eyelash extensions can help. With extensions, individual lashes are attached to your lash line using a special adhesive. This creates thicker, longer lashes, enhancing the appearance of your eyes.

Over time, the lash extensions fall out, just like your natural eyelashes. Learning how to properly clean your eyelash extensions at home will help them last a lot longer. Here is a step-by-step guide to cleaning your lashes without damaging the adhesive:

1. Avoid any products that contain oil. Oil can cause the adhesive that is used to attach the eyelash extensions to weaken or dissolve. If you use the wrong products on your eyes, your new lashes may fall off. If you have extensions, you should only use oil-free products in your eye area. You should also avoid products that contain glycerin.
2. Remove your makeup every night. Most lash extension experts advise their clients to avoid wearing mascara or using an eyelash curler. Eyeliner and eyeshadow, however, are perfectly fine. If you opt to wear eye makeup along with your extensions, always remove it at the end of the day. Choose an oil-free makeup remover that is safe for use with eyelash extensions to keep from damaging the adhesive.
3. Clean the lashes with your fingers. Instead of using a cotton ball or cotton pad, use the tips of your fingers to gently clean your eyelids using a special lash shampoo. When you are done, rinse your eyes with cool water and pat the area dry with a clean, soft towel. Finish by using a lash wand to separate the lashes so that they dry in the correct position.

Cleaning your eyelash extensions at home is easy when you use these tips. The key is to be gentle and to use the correct products to avoid damaging the adhesive or pulling out the lashes.