Your first lash extensions: what happens at the appointment, step by step

Most clients who come to us for the first time share the same three worries: that it will hurt, that it will take forever, and that they will not know what to choose. All three are solved by knowing in advance what is going to happen. So here it is, from start to finish.

The day before

• Leave your lashes alone. No curler, no waterproof mascara, no oil-based lash serums. Oil residue on the lashes shortens the life of the adhesive even after we cleanse them.
• Arrive without make-up, at least around the eyes. We will cleanse you anyway, but the less make-up on the lashes, the better the bond.
• Contact lenses should come out before the application, or come in glasses. Your eyes will be closed for two hours and lenses can irritate.
• Set aside two to two and a half hours and do not schedule anything straight after. A good set cannot be rushed.
• Allergies and sensitivity. If you have ever reacted to adhesive, plasters or nail polish, tell us when you book. We will do a patch test a few days ahead.

Step 1: consultation

We do not start with bonding, we start with a conversation. We want to know the result you are after — natural, more dramatic, just longer, or fuller — and what you usually wear. Then we look at your natural lashes: how long and thick they are, which way they grow, whether they are healthy. That decides the method we recommend.

For a first visit we advise almost every client to have classic 1:1: one extension on one natural lash, the most natural result and the best way to find out how your lashes cope with extensions. If your lashes are sparse, we go for a light volume. If your skin is on the oily side, we offer the UV method, where the bond is cured with a lamp.

Step 2: choosing length, curl and thickness

This is where the result is decided. Extensions differ in length, fibre thickness and curl (how much they turn upwards). We choose them by what your natural lashes can carry — not by what is in fashion. You cannot bond a long, thick fibre to fine lashes without weakening them within a month.

We also plan the shape: longer lashes in the centre open the eye, longer towards the outer corner elongate it. If you have a photo of a result you like, bring it; we will tell you what from it is realistic on your eyes.

Step 3: preparation

You lie down, we cleanse the lashes and degrease them with a special primer — adhesive does not hold on an oily surface. The lower lashes are covered with a protective pad so they cannot bond to the upper ones. From this point your eyes stay closed until we are done.

Step 4: application

With tweezers we isolate one natural lash, bond one extension to it, and move on to the next. Both eyes, lash by lash, for around two hours. None of it touches the skin — the extension is bonded to the hair, a millimetre from the root.

Does it hurt? No. You feel nothing more than a light touch. Most clients fall asleep, and we take that as a compliment. What you might feel is a mild stinging if you open your eyes slightly during the application — adhesive fumes irritate the mucous membrane. That is why it matters to keep your eyes properly closed and not try to watch what is going on.

Step 5: check and instructions

When the last lash is in place, we check every one to make sure no two natural lashes have been bonded together — the most common mistake, and one that pulls and hurts later. We let the adhesive finish curing, you open your eyes, look in the mirror and we go through what comes next.

You get a spoolie and aftercare instructions. Aftercare decides half of your retention; we have a separate article on it.

The first 24 hours after you leave

• No water on the eyes, no steam, sauna or heavy sweating — the adhesive is finishing its cure. (This does not apply to the UV method; the bond is lamp-cured immediately.)
• No make-up removal, no mascara, no pulling.
• Do not sleep face-down in the pillow.

From the second day you can wash your face normally. Just keep make-up remover and eye creams oil-free — oil dissolves the adhesive.

When to come back

A natural lash sheds together with the extension bonded to it; that is the normal cycle. After three to four weeks the set looks thinner and you come for an infill: we replace what has shed, it takes less time and costs less than a new set. If something irritates you in the meantime or a lash comes loose, do not pull it — call us and we will remove it in a minute.

When we will advise against extensions

An honest lash artist sometimes says no. We do not apply extensions with an eye or eyelid infection, with a known allergy to cyanoacrylate adhesive, or on very weak or brittle natural lashes — there a set would do more harm than good. In that case we offer a lash lift, which works with your own lashes and no adhesive.

Still have a question? Write or call. It is better to arrive at a first appointment with a clear head than with a list of worries.