While a lash lift can be an amazing way to enhance your lashes, this beauty treatment doesn’t always turn out perfectly. If your eyelashes are too curly or going in different directions, you might be asking yourself questions like “How do I reverse a lash lift?”
If your lash lift hasn’t completely set, you can quickly reverse it by cleansing your lashes and combing them with a brush or spoolie. An oil-based cleanser can help break the lifting solution down. After that, you can leave your lashes alone or give them a new lift.
What Is A Lash Lift?
Sometimes called a lash perm, a lash lift is a semi-permanent treatment that lifts and curls your lashes.
While a lash lift won’t create texture or add length to your lashes, it can make your lashes appear to be longer and fuller. It can also enhance your eyes by helping them look more open and awake.
While you’ll have to take a few precautions to keep your lashes looking great, lash lifts don’t require any real maintenance.
They can look very natural, even when they’re combined with other beauty treatments like a lash tint.
The results of a lash lift typically last anywhere from four to eight weeks.
Can Lash Lifts Go Wrong?
Lash lifts are safe as long as they’re done in a safe environment by a trained professional, but that doesn’t mean they always turn out perfectly.
You could be left with lashes that are frizzy, much too curly, or crinkled. Some of your lashes could even be fused together.
It’s also possible for a lash lift to fail entirely. After the treatment is done, your lashes may not be lifted or curled at all.
They’ll just look the way that they always do.
These problems crop up for a number of reasons. The lifting solution may have been left on too long, or it may not have been left on long enough.
A rod or silicone pad might have come loose while your lashes were setting. No matter what the problem is, there’s almost always a quick solution.
While it’s possible to correct the appearance of your lashes, you may find that your lashes are less healthy after a bad lash lift.
Thankfully, even these issues won’t be permanent.
New lashes will gradually come in as part of your lash growth cycle, and you can take steps to improve the health of your existing lashes.
Note that there are currently no age restrictions on lash lifts. This makes it even more important to only use reputable lash technicians.
Can You Fix A Bad Lash Lift?
It can be upsetting to look in the mirror and see that your eyelashes look like a disaster, but you shouldn’t panic if your lash lift doesn’t go well.
A bad lash lift won’t destroy your lashes, and you won’t have to wait for weeks for your lashes to go back to normal.
In most cases, the problem with your lashes can be fixed immediately.
A lash lift typically takes at least 24 hours to fully set.
You can easily reverse or relax your lift during that time. Even if you’re past the 24-hour point, there are several steps that you can take to get your lashes back to normal.
In some cases, you might experience a different kind of problem, like an allergic reaction. These issues are more common in people that have very sensitive eyes.
If this happens to you, you can try using saline eye drops or over-the-counter allergy medication. If the issue persists, you may want to reverse your lash lift.
How To Reverse A Lash Lift
Lash lifts are a semi-permanent treatment that’s completely reversible.
Whether you’ve done a lash lift at home or had your lashes done at a salon, you can fix your lashes if you’re unhappy with the results.
How To Reverse A Lash Lift At Home
- Apply an oil-based makeup remover to a cotton round and gently remove any build-up from your lashes.
- After that, you should cleanse your lashes to finish breaking down the lash lift solution.
- Use a spoolie to comb through your lashes, starting at the roots, so that you can correct their shape.
- Take a nourishing oil, like castor oil, and apply it to your eyelashes using a clean mascara brush. If you’ve followed these steps correctly, your lashes should be back to normal.
If you’re still not happy with the shape of your lashes, continue to clean your eyes with an oil-based cleanser.
Even if you’re not able to completely reverse your lash lift on your first try, you can gradually correct your lashes until you’re happy with the way that they look.
How To Reverse A Lash Lift At Salon
Make sure you speak up immediately if you’re not happy with the way your lashes look at the salon.
Salons often have access to solutions that are specifically designed to break down lifting lotions.
The technician will apply the solution to your eyelashes and comb them downwards with a spoolie.
This will allow the technician to remove the lifting solution and fix the shape of your lashes. You should be happy with the shape of your lashes by the time you leave the salon.
How Do You Know If Your Lash Lift Is Overly Done?
You can wind up with over-processed lashes if the lifting solution was left on your lashes for too long. Some indicators of an over-done lash lift include:
- Frizzy or frazzled lashes
- Lashes that look dry or visibly damaged
- Your lashes point in opposite directions
- Lashes that are clumped together
- Split lashes
- Lashes keep falling out
The curling lotions used for lash lifts break down bonds in your eyelashes, allowing them to be reshaped. This can weaken your lashes and damage the cuticle.
Although it’s possible to fix eyelashes that look messy because of over-processing, you’ll need to nourish your lashes to fully repair the damage.
Is Relaxing The Same As Reversing?
The terms “relaxing,” “reversing,” and “straightening” are often used interchangeably in discussions about fixing lash lifts.
With that said, not everyone that wants to correct a lash lift has the same goals.
If you’re not entirely happy with your lashes, but you don’t want to go back to normal and start over, there are ways to make your eyelashes less curly without reversing the lift entirely.
You can relax your lash lift by coating them with castor or coconut oil using a spoolie or clean mascara brush.
Not only will this weaken the lifting solution, but it will nourish your lashes and help them to grow faster.
For more intense results, you can brush the oil through your eyelashes in a downward motion.
Make sure you wipe away any excess oil with a cotton round so that the oil doesn’t wind up on your clothes or in your eyes.
Another way to subtly relax a lash lift is to apply hyaluronic acid to your eyelashes. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance that draws in and retains moisture.
Over time, it can repair your dry lashes, helping them to look less damaged.
How Soon Can I Redo A Lash Lift?
The amount of time you’ll have to wait to redo a lash lift will largely depend on the condition of your eyelashes.
If your lashes are in good condition, your lash lift can be redone immediately after it’s reversed, giving you the results that you were hoping for.
However, if your eyelashes aren’t doing well, you’ll want to wait and give them a chance to recover before you have another lash lift done.
You can speed up this process by conditioning your lashes and applying a nourishing oil once each day.
It can also be helpful to avoid products that can dry out your lashes during this time, like waterproof mascara.
Even if your lash lift turned out perfectly, it’s usually recommended that you wait at least six weeks between treatments.
Many salons recommend waiting for ten to twelve weeks.
That way, you can enjoy the perks of a lash lift without putting too much strain on your lashes.
I didn’t like my lashes, what to do?
If you weren’t happy with the results of your lash lift, you may want to try another type of lash lift.
Keratin lash lifts can be an excellent option for people that respond poorly to other lifting solutions.
A keratin lift deposits protein into your lashes, making them stronger and less prone to breakage.
If you’ve gotten bad results from an at-home lash lift, it’s best to go to a salon for your next treatment.
Even though home kits are designed to be easy to use, a single mistake could leave you with frizzy or over-processed lashes.
Reverse your lash lift, take care of your lashes, and then schedule an appointment with a professional.