What a lash lift is
A lash lift curls your own natural lashes upward from the root. Nothing is added: no extensions, no glue, no individual hairs applied one by one. The effect is that your eyes look more open and your lashes look longer, because they are now pointing outward rather than straight ahead or downward.
It is frequently combined with a tint, which darkens the lashes at the same time. For anyone fair-haired, the tint is often what makes the difference between a subtle result and an obvious one.
How the treatment works
Your lashes are cleaned and then set into position against a shaped shield placed on the eyelid. A solution is applied to soften the structure of the lash so it can take a new shape, followed by a second solution that sets it there. Your eyes stay closed throughout, and the treatment is not uncomfortable.
Because the process temporarily softens the lash, aftercare in the first day matters more than it might seem. Getting them wet too soon is the most common way people undermine a good result.
How long a lash lift lasts
A lift lasts as long as the lashes it was applied to. Because lashes shed and regrow on their own cycle, the effect fades gradually as lifted lashes are replaced by new ones, rather than dropping all at once.
How long that takes varies genuinely from person to person, more than most clients expect. Rather than quote a number that may not apply to you, your therapist will look at your lashes and give you a realistic expectation, then refine it once we have seen how yours behaved after a first appointment.
Resist the urge to rebook too early. Lifting lashes that have not had time to recover is the fastest way to damage them, and a good salon will tell you to wait.
Lash lift or lash extensions?
Extensions add length and volume that your own lashes do not have. If you want a dramatic result, that is the treatment for you. The trade-off is upkeep: infills at regular intervals, care with oil-based products, and a certain amount of daily attention.
A lash lift works with what you already have. The result is more natural, the maintenance is close to nothing, and there is no infill schedule to keep up with. Clients who switch from extensions to lifts almost always cite the upkeep rather than the look.
If your lashes are naturally short, a lift will not make them long. It will make the most of them. Being clear about that at the consultation saves disappointment later.
Who a lash lift suits
- Anyone with straight lashes that point downward and disappear behind the eyelid.
- People who wear glasses and are tired of lashes brushing the lens.
- Clients who want to wear less makeup, or none, and still look awake.
- Anyone who has tried extensions and found the maintenance too demanding.
- People going on holiday who would rather not pack mascara.
Aftercare
- Keep lashes dry for the first 24 hours. No swimming, steam rooms or hot showers.
- Avoid mascara for the first day.
- Try not to sleep face down on the first night.
- Be gentle with oil-based cleansers and eye makeup removers.
- Use a conditioning serum if your therapist recommends one.
Full aftercare is explained at your appointment, and you are always welcome to ring us afterwards if something is not behaving as you expected.
Before you book
If you are having a tint alongside your lift, a patch test is required in advance of the appointment rather than on the day. Mention it when you ring and we will arrange it, so your first appointment is not spent finding out you need to come back.
We offer lash lifts, brow lamination and tinting at our salon in Hamble-le-Rice, near Southampton.
