Eyelash extensions can be an amazing way to enhance your lashes and eyes. If you really want your eyes to pop, you’ll want to pair your new lashes with the right makeup and a high-impact eyeshadow will really make your eyes stand out.
Make sure you use a highly-pigmented powder shadow when wearing eyelash extensions. Use a primer and apply your eyeshadow with a small, tight-bristled brush for the best results.
Why Use Eyelash Extensions?
Eyelash extensions are a semi-permanent treatment that can make your natural lashes look longer, thicker, and fuller.
While false lashes are typically applied in a strip, lash extensions are glued on one lash at a time, making them highly customizable and surprisingly natural-looking.
With lash extensions, you’ll have beautiful-looking lashes from the moment you roll out of bed.
Since your new lashes will add extra volume to your natural lash line, it can help lift your face, making you look younger and more alert even before you apply any makeup.
Best of all, when properly cared for, lash extensions can last for as long as six weeks, which means you’ll see lasting results.
If you love your new lashes, you can maintain that by getting regular refills. It’s easy to see why lash extensions have exploded in popularity over the last few years. (1)
Can You Wear Eyeshadow With Eyelash Extensions?
Yes, you can wear eyeshadow with eyelash extensions but you’ll want to avoid wearing any eye makeup in the first 24 to 48 hours after you get your lash extensions.
Once your lashes have had time to fully set, you can start wearing eyeshadow again.
However, you’ll want to take a few precautions to avoid damaging your lashes:
Avoid oil-based makeup
Check the ingredients list of your favorite eyeshadows to make sure they’re not oil-based. You’re most likely to find oil in liquid or cream shadows.
Oil can cause issues with the adhesive used to secure lash extensions, and wearing oil-based products could cause your lashes to fall out more quickly.
Use easy-to-remove products
You should also make sure you choose products that are easy to remove.
If you have to rub and tug at your eyes to get your eyeshadow off, you’ll probably wind up rubbing and tugging at your lashes too!
Use a gentle makeup remover, such as micellar water, to take off your makeup at the end of the day.
How To Wear Eyeshadow With Eyelash Extensions
Before you apply your shadow, you should use a primer that will help to keep your makeup in place.
Use a brush or a makeup sponge instead of your fingers; it’ll help you apply the product without touching your lashes.
Apply your makeup with high-quality brushes designed for precise application.
If possible, use a magnifying makeup mirror so that you can see exactly what you’re doing.
That way, you’ll be able to get amazing results while keeping your brushes away from your lashes.
Not sure what sort of looks you should try? These three looks will take you all the way from day to night.
How To Wear Eyeshadow With Eyelash Extensions – Daytime Look
Oil-based eyeshadow sticks can be an amazing way to create a one-and-done eyeshadow look, but thankfully, you can achieve this with powder shadow as well.
Choose a matte powder shadow in a neutral shade. Using a brush, pat the shadow across your lid.
Instructions
- Once there’s visible color on your entire lid, blend the color upward with your brush in a half-circle motion.
- Work to bring the color all the way up to your crease.
- When your shadow is fully blended, use your brush to add a little more color to the outer corner of your eye.
- Take a flat brush and apply a small amount of the same shadow just below your lash line.
- Use a fluffy blush to blend the shadow on your upper outer corner into the shadow below.
That’s all you need to do to create this fast and flattering daytime look!
How To Wear Eyeshadow With Eyelash Extensions – Glam Daytime Looks
If you’d like to add a little glamour to your everyday look, choose a shimmery or metallic powder shadow.
Instructions
- Before you apply the shadow, spray your brush with an alcohol-free setting spray. This will give you a bold look that’s similar to the effect you can achieve with cream eyeshadows!
- apply the shadow all over your lid. If you feel like your look is a little too much, you can remove any excess shadow with a wet makeup sponge.
- Choose a matte shadow in a similar shade to the color you have on your upper lid.
- Apply a small amount of that color to the outer corner of your eye, then bring that shadow down below your lash line.
This look only takes minutes to achieve, but it looks incredibly glamorous.
How To Wear Eyeshadow With Eyelash Extensions – Smokey Eye
A classic smokey eye is a perfect look for nighttime.
Instructions
- To create this look with powder shadows, use your brush to apply a light matte shadow over your upper lid and brow bone.
- Blend the color upward towards your temple.
- Once your first color is blended out, apply a dark-colored shadow to your lid, keeping the color concentrated along your lower lash line.
- Blend the look together until the transition is virtually seamless. Make sure your makeup is blended out past the outer corner of your eye.
- Choose a medium-colored shade and apply it to your crease. This will help to soften the darker color you’ve just applied.
- Take a light shadow with some shimmer and use it to highlight your eye’s inner corner.
- Finish off the look by applying a small amount of the darkest shade below your lash line. Spend lots of time blending out the color so that it isn’t too overpowering. Eyeliner can make this look more dramatic, but you can get a fantastic-looking smokey eye without using anything but eyeshadow.
How Do You Keep Eyeshadow Off Eyelash Extensions?
Creasing and fallout can both be issues when you use a powder shadow.
To keep your eyeshadow from winding up on your eyelash extensions, you’ll always want to use a primer before you apply eye makeup.
If you don’t have a primer on-hand, you can blend concealer into your eyelid using a makeup brush.
You should also make sure you tap excess powder off your makeup brush, especially if you’re using a shimmery or metallic powder shadow.
These types of shades are more prone to fall out. When there’s too much product on your brush, there’s a good chance that some of it will wind up in your eyes.
Once your shadow has been applied, lightly dust your eyes with a fan brush to get rid of any excess powder.
After that, apply some setting spray to a makeup brush and tap it over your eyelid to keep your makeup in place.
Just make sure the product is alcohol-free; alcohol could dry out your lashes.
What Type Of Eyeshadow Is Best To Use?
Oil-free powders are the best shadows to wear with lash extensions.
Look for shadows that are highly pigmented. These shadows last longer and are less prone to fallout than other powder shadows.
Shimmer and sparkle are fine, but avoid pressed glitter; it’s not approved by the FDA and can be damaging to eyes. (2)
Make sure you pair your eyeshadow with some sort of primer to keep it in place.
Even if you normally apply eyeshadow with your fingers, you’ll want to use makeup brushes when you have extensions.
This will allow you to apply your shadow precisely without pulling at your lashes.
You can use an alcohol-free setting spray to keep your eyeshadow in place, but you should always apply it with a brush.
This will keep the spray from getting into your extensions.
As long as you choose an oil-free shadow and apply it properly, your eyeshadow shouldn’t damage your extensions in any way!
Eye Makeup To Avoid When Wearing Eyelash Extensions
Any type of eye makeup that contains oil can cause issues with your lash extensions.
While it’s always best to check a product’s ingredient list to confirm that it’s oil-free, the types of eyeshadow that are most likely to contain oil are:
- Liquid eyeshadow
- Cream eyeshadow
- Eyeshadow sticks
- Crayon eyeshadow
If you’re not sure if a product is oil-free, and you can’t find a list of ingredients, reach out to the manufacturer to check.
Eyelash extensions are a big investment, and it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the products you use.
You should stay away from oil when you’re choosing other products as well, like mascara and eyeliner.
Other ingredients to avoid include parabens, alcohol, and formaldehyde.
Try to look for clean beauty products; these products are less likely to contain drying or toxic ingredients that are bad for lash extensions.
In addition to picking out the right makeup, you’ll want to choose the right products to remove your makeup.
Oil and alcohol are both common ingredients in makeup removers, but gentle products like micellar water are completely safe to use on lash extensions.
Be cautious about using makeup wipes, even if they’re oil-free; they usually cause you to tug at your lashes!
Sources
1. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/valuation-of-lash-extension-market-to-reach-us-2-40-bn-by-2031-tmr-study-301460412.html