How to Keep Your Lash Extensions Healthy on Holiday

One of the best things about lash extensions is waking up on holiday looking ready for the day. No mascara melting by the pool, no eye makeup routine before breakfast. But holidays are also the hardest week of your set's life. Salt water, chlorine, sun cream, and heat all work against the adhesive, and we see the difference at infill appointments every summer.

The good news is that holiday lash care is simple. A few small habits will bring your set home in great shape.

Rinse and cleanse after every swim

Salt water and chlorine both leave a residue on your lashes. Left to sit, that residue dries onto the extensions and slowly breaks down the adhesive bonds, and salt crystals in particular make lashes brittle and prone to twisting.

You do not need to avoid swimming. Just rinse your lashes with fresh water as soon as you are out of the pool or the sea, then give them a proper cleanse with your lash foam later that day. Think of it the same way you treat your hair on holiday. You would not leave chlorine in it for days, and your lashes deserve the same.

Watch out for sun cream

This is the one that catches most people out. Sun cream is designed to spread, and in the heat it travels. SPF applied to your face or even your hairline will migrate towards your eyes during the day, leaving your lashes sticky and coated.

The problem is twofold. Most sun creams contain oils, and oil is the fastest way to break down lash adhesive. And once lashes are coated, the fans on volume and hybrid sets close up, so your lashes lose that full, fluffy look and start to clump.

Two things help:

• Keep SPF away from the immediate eye area, and use an oil free facial sunscreen if you can find one
• Cleanse your lashes every single day on holiday, even if you have not been swimming

Daily cleansing lifts the SPF residue before it has time to do damage, and a quick brush afterwards will reopen any fans that have started to close.

Pack a lash kit

Your holiday lash kit is small enough for hand luggage:

• Your lash safe foaming cleanser
• A cleansing brush
• A couple of clean spoolies
• A small towel or clean flannel for patting dry

That is it. Two minutes in the evening, a brush through in the morning, and your set will hold its shape all week. If you are not sure which cleanser to use, ask at your appointment and we will point you to one we trust.

A few more holiday habits worth knowing

Heat and steam. Saunas, steam rooms, and very hot showers soften adhesive over time. You do not need to avoid them completely, just keep sessions short and do not make them a daily habit.

Rubbing your eyes. Chlorine and salt can leave eyes feeling itchy. Rinse with fresh water instead of rubbing, because rubbing pulls extensions out along with your natural lashes.

Sleeping positions. Holiday naps count too. Face down into a sun lounger cushion does the same damage as face down into your pillow at home.

Waterproof mascara. Leave it at home. You have extensions so you do not need it, and removing it strips adhesive with it.

Time your appointments around your trip

The smartest thing you can do is book a fresh set or an infill two to three days before you fly. That gives the adhesive time to fully cure before your lashes meet a pool, and it means your set looks its best in every holiday photo.

Then book your infill for a few days after you get home. Even with perfect care, a week of sun and swimming is hard work for a set, and a post holiday infill brings everything back to full.

If a holiday is on the horizon and you want lashes that can handle it, our Hybrid and Russian Volume sets are both brilliant travellers. Book online through Fresha, and if you are new to extensions our guide to lash extensions in Wallsend covers everything you need to know before your first appointment.