Sometimes, we all need a good cry. In fact, crying has various health benefits, from helping you to self-soothe and regulate your emotions to releasing the feel-good hormones of oxytocin and endorphins. But can you cry with eyelash extensions?
You can cry with eyelash extensions, provided that you have given the adhesive eyelash extensions time to dry and properly bond to your natural lashes. Ideally, you should wait for at least four hours before crying after your extensions are applied. You can then cry as much as you need or want to!
What Happens If You Cry During An Eyelash Extension Appointment?
Getting eyelash extensions in should not be causing you pain.
If you do experience any stinging, itchiness, discomfort, or pain doing the procedure, you should immediately mention this to your technician.
Ideally, you would have conducted a patch test with the adhesive that will be used during application.
This should be conducted at least 24 hours before your appointment. This way you can ascertain whether or not you are allergic or sensitive to the glue.
You might experience slight eye-watering mid-application as a result of the fumes and vapor from the adhesive.
Cyanoacrylate, which is the main bonding agent used in lash glue, is an extremely strong compound. It can result in some light tearing and crying because of the fumes it releases.
Sensitivities and mild weeping might also be caused by light sensitivity. Your technician may use a super strong light in order to be able to better view your lashes, which might cause some weeping and tearing initially.
You can always request that they turn the light down somewhat in brightness if you experience this.
However, you should never experience excessive streaming or crying from your eyes as a result of the application of your extensions.
In fact, crying during application may further spread the adhesive, which might cause further sensitivity and irritation. You and your technician may need to seek medical advice if you do start to cry extensively during the appointment.
Crying during the appointment will also impair the ability of the adhesive to properly set your extensions. You may experience premature shedding as a result.
If you do tear up slightly during your eyelash extension appointment, your technician should clean and dry your lashes as soon as possible.
This will minimize any negative reaction between the adhesive and your eyes themselves.
What Happens If You Cry After An Eyelash Extension Appointment?
Ideally, you shouldn’t cry immediately after an eyelash extension appointment.
Any kind of moisture in any form – so, as either steam or liquid tears – can disrupt the way that the adhesive bonds, which will in turn affect how long your eyelash extensions last.
Most eyelash extensions glue requires at least four hours to properly bond your extensions to your natural lashes.
You should therefore aim, if you can, to avoid crying for at least this length of time. Ideally, you’d give yourself a 24-hour buffer period between getting your extensions in and crying.
Crying is a completely natural response to getting something in your eye, and in reaction to any emotions that you feel.
Luckily, if you’ve got at least 24 hours between the application of your eyelash extensions and the time that you end up weeping, your extensions shouldn’t suffer for it.
What if I am getting married? I am bound to cry!
If you’re a bride looking to get eyelash extensions in before your wedding, you should therefore book your appointment at least a day in advance of your wedding day.
If you think you’re likely to cry a lot during your ceremony and reception, but you’ve only just got your eyelash extensions in, you might end up experiencing some irritation from the adhesive.
No one wants that for your special day. So it’s worth taking the time to pre-organize an eyelash extension appointment that gives you space between the application and your wedding day itself.
How To Clean Eyelash Extensions After Crying
You can help to minimize the impact of crying on eyelash extensions by cleaning your extensions once you have had a little cry.
Your tears naturally contain salt and oils. It is these elements that react negatively with the adhesive, as they can act to weaken and disrupt it over time.
It’s therefore worth putting in the effort to carefully clean your eyelash extension after crying.
Follow these steps to thoroughly clean eyelash extensions after crying:
- Use an eyelash extension shampoo recommended by your lash technician. This will be oil-free and suitable for use around the delicate skin of your eyes. You should ideally conduct a patch test before use, though, so as to double-check that you aren’t sensitive to the shampoo.
- Lather this shampoo up in your hands. Delicately cover your eyelash extensions from your lash line to the ends of your lashes.
- Use a soft, clean makeup brush or mascara wand to brush the lathered shampoo along your extensions and natural lashes.
- Gently rinse your lashes with cool water. Try not to aggressively splash too much water directly at your eyes.
- Use a hairdryer on a low, cool setting to dry your extensions. You can pat them dry with a clean, lint-free towel, too.
- Use a clean mascara wand or spoolie to gently brush your extensions back into place, taking care to comb out any tangles.
Even if you don’t cry regularly, it’s still a good idea to wash your eyelash extensions two or three times a week using the above method. You may need to do this more often if you regularly wear eye make-up.
Just remember to never use oil-based cleansers, as these will disrupt the adhesive of your eyelash extensions, just like tears do.
What You Need To Remember If You Cry With Eyelash Extensions
If you do cry with eyelash extension, these are the four main things to remember:
Clean them!
Crying is totally natural and, in many cases, actually good for us, providing a necessary sense of emotional release and relief.
If you do cry with eyelash extensions in, you shouldn’t feel bad. But it is important to clean them once you’re done with crying. Then they will last for as long as possible and keep you looking and feeling your best.
This is particularly the case if you weep before bed.
Sleeping with eyelash extensions that have dried tears on them might disrupt the adhesive, as the salt and oil content from your tears will interact badly with this adhesive.
Don’t rub your eyes
When you’re crying, it can be very tempting to rub your eyes – but don’t do this!
Any kind of excessive friction is a death sentence for your extensions, and you’ll likely start to pull some out by accident.
You might therefore need to go for an in-fill appointment sooner than you’d anticipated if you do end up tugging some extension out.
Seek help if necessary
If you’re crying excessively during the application of your eyelash extensions, it’s worth seeking medical advice.
You may be sensitive to the adhesive being used in the application process. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and ensure that your crying isn’t something to be concerned about.
Four hours minimum
Most eyelash extension glues require a minimum of four hours in order to properly bind the extensions to your natural lashes.
If you’ve just got in new eyelash extensions and can wait four hours before crying, this gives the adhesive the best possible chance to properly bond and will minimize any potential weakness.
Are Tears Good For Natural Eyelashes?
Tears – and crying more broadly – occur for various reasons. In terms of natural eyelashes and eyes, tears are designed to be protective and maintain the overall health of the eye.
Our eyelashes catch the dirt and debris that circulates in the air and prevents these particles from falling into our eyes.
However, sometimes debris will still fall onto the eye, which can cause further irritation if left unaddressed.
As a result of getting something in your eye, you’ll start to produce basal or reflex tears. These are protective, containing the antimicrobial agent lysozyme in order to protect against any bacterial invasion.
Tears also keep the eyes hydrated and provide oxygen to the cornea of your eye.
Tears are neither good nor bad for your eyelashes in themselves.
But they have a wider purpose for the health of your eyes. They work with your eyelashes to protect against the risk of infection caused by debris and other environmental pollutants.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
If your eyelash extensions are less than four hours old, then crying can cause them to fall out, because the adhesive hasn’t had time to bind to your natural lashes. If your eyelash extensions have been set for over 48 hours, you shouldn’t experience any impact to them from crying, but it’s a good idea to clean them post-cry.
You can swim with eyelash extensions, but ensure that you leave enough time after your appointment for the adhesive to properly take hold. Ideally, this would be 12 hours, but upwards of 24 or even 48 hours is best.
You need the adhesive of your eyelash extensions to properly set before you shower. If you can wait for 24 hours before exposing your new extensions to moisture, heat, or steam, this will allow the glue to work. Ideally, you’d wait 48 hours before showering, but this may not always be possible.