Have you had clients who came back with almost no lashes or who said “I lost them in one eye”
Have you ever wondered why eyelash extension retention is always worse in one eye? Can’t understand why? Well, a surprise awaits you because in this article we reveal the most common reasons why customers lose multiple eyelash extensions in one eye.
Let’s start with the fact that eyelash extensions are a semi-permanent way to make lashes appear longer and fuller. Eyelash retention is 50/50 between artists and clients. Eyelash extensions require regular maintenance known as infills because they go through their lash cycle and fall out.
Lash artist! Whenever you are experiencing retention problems with one eye, always ask yourself this: What’s different about that side? Make a list of all the factors that are different, from the environment to your setup to how you clean your lashes and apply for extensions. Really think about all the major potential culprits.
Believe it or not, this is a common thing! A customer may come back for their infill and tell you that they have lost more lashes in one eye than the other, and some may call or text you sooner due to the loss of lash extensions in one eye! Don’t panic! This happens to all eyelash artists. The only solution is to take the time to analyze the situation and we are here to help and guide you!
You’ve got your temperature and humidity on point, and you’ve educated your customers on after-care service. Still, you have a persistent problem where more clients come back with much worse retention in one eye than the other.
If you’re having trouble fixing this, here are some tips that may help you identify the cause: It doesn’t matter if your client is new to eyelash extensions or has been using them for a decade; At some point, you will find that eyelash extension seem to fall out faster from one eye.
The answer is not black or white as to why this happens and if you keep reading you will see why.
Why do my client’s eyelash extensions keep falling out on one side?
There are five possible reasons why your client’s eyelash extensions fall out faster in one eye than in the other …
Your lash-shedding cycle
Unfortunately, our eyes and hair aren’t always in sync, which means our lashes don’t fall out the same way. One side may lose more lashes than the other and this could be due to natural shedding. There isn’t much to do about it. You can advise your clients to get an eyelash serum, so that their cycles grow faster, which will allow you to properly fill their lashes, or you can advise your client to come back earlier.
An eyelash artist cannot prevent eyelashes from falling out but always does her best to fill all the lashes. Our lashes don’t always fall out evenly. You probably already know that we constantly lose and regrow our natural lashes. When this happens, it’s not always a case of uniform detachment in both eyes.
It is common to have uneven shedding, which means that one eye loses its lashes faster than the other. The problem may seem bigger when your client arrives for their replacement appointment and gets extra attention from you as an eyelash artist on the side that has lost the most extensions.
They may go home after their infill and notice that the other eye seems to be losing faster. It is simply because they now have older lash extensions and natural lashes on the other eye.
Do your best to fill in their lashes so they look completely even, but if your client is always struggling with uneven shedding, the solution is simple, tell them to get their infill more regularly (e.g. after two weeks instead of three weeks).
Uneven shedding is generally not something you, as an eyelash technician, can prevent. You can also tell your customers to buy mascara to protect their lashes and see if that helps their situation, if not make sure they come for their infill sooner.
Environmental difference
You’re probably thinking… “What? It’s not as if one eye is in a different room. “The environmental difference we are referring to, for example, is perhaps that the left eye is directly next to a window or a humidifier. This is common! If a heat source or moisture is close to an eye, it can definitely affect eyelash extension retention. Both heat and moisture work to speed up the curing time of the eyelash adhesive, so the adhesive will cure faster on that side If the adhesive hardens before the lash extension is applied to the natural lashes, the retention will be poor.
Solution:
✅ Make changes to the room tab settings to avoid environmental differences
Adhesive curing
Most of us lash artists have our lash extension palette and a lash sticker placed on the lash bed on one side of the client’s head (left or right). This means that the eyelash adhesive is getting closer and closer to an eye, right? The distance and time it takes to travel from the lash adhesive to each eye are different because one eye will be further and further away from the lash adhesive. This can be a problem for eyelash artists who use very fast-curing adhesives or for new eyelash artists who are slower in applying lashes.
By the time the adhesive-soaked lash extension travels to the farthest eye, the adhesive is partially cured and does not form a proper bond. For this reason, the eye with the worst lash retention is the eye that is not right next to the lash adhesive.
Solution:
✅ Use a slightly slower curing adhesive
✅ Tilt/turn the client’s head to shorten the distance between the eyelash adhesive and the client’s eye
✅ Gather a little more adhesive when covering the lash extension
Poor application
Have you ever noticed that it is always easier to apply extensions to one eye than the other? Having trouble with the right eyelash extension attachment? Have you tried to apply for the eyelash extension several times without success? If this is the case, the eye with eyelash retention problems is the most difficult eye to lash. When the eyelash extension isn’t applied correctly, or you weren’t able to apply it in the first go, retention will definitely be an issue.
Solution:
✅ Use tape to make lash application easier (glue, lift the eyelid, lengthen the eyelid, etc.)
✅ Tilt the client’s head to better see/apply eyelash extensions.
Clients factors
The last factor is totally related to the customer. Although less common than the eyelash artist’s mistake, customer after-care, medical conditions, medications and natural lash criteria can affect retention.
Many people sleep on their side, which is something we cannot control, but this could be the cause of poor retention on one side. Whenever you sleep, the extensions will rub against the pillow and cause the extensions to fall out.
Try to educate them to sleep on their backs and keep silk eye masks in stock. This is an opportunity for you to earn some money and a way for them to keep their lashes longer. A silk eye mask will allow your lashes to gently touch the silk material, instead of rubbing abruptly against the pillow. If you are not a fan of eye masks, you can always replace the cotton pillowcase with a silk pillowcase which allows for less friction.
Clients who sleep on one side of their face may have poorer retention in the eyes they sleep on. Constantly rubbing your eye with the pillowcase can cause your eyelashes to fall out.
Solution:
✅ Remind customers not to sleep on one side or on their stomach
✅ Educate customers on proper after-care
✅ Recommend switching to a silk pillowcase for less friction
How to tell if your client losing lashes is your fault or not?
If you have successfully attached the eyelash fan to natural lashes, that is, if you have wrapped the eyelash fan beautifully around the lashes and your client shows up with some lashes lost on one side, you can confidently explain that your lashes (such as hair) grows and falls over time. It’s another great reason to book infill regularly with your customers to keep them topped up.
Are you to blame? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Is it the fault of your client? NO, unless they pick, pull and damage their own lashes.
But if there are no natural lashes attached to the fan, it means that the lash extension was not properly attached to the natural lash at the initial appointment. There is the main reason for this and is that you may be using the wrong adhesive for your speed and environment. In short, if the adhesive hardens too quickly, it will settle before it can form a proper bond with the client’s natural lashes, which means poor retention.
Are you to blame? More than likely.
Is it the fault of your client? Unlikely, however, poor after-care can be a factor.
Is it normal for some eyelash extensions to fall out?
It is natural and normal that we lose 3 to 5 lashes per day, as the natural ones regenerate and give way to the growth of new lashes. Likewise, if you were to rub your eyes, you might drop some of them due to friction. Some days you may notice one or two fluttering away, while on others you may not even notice them; it depends on what you are doing and if you are paying attention.
However, if you are losing most of your lash extensions in a week or less, there is definitely something wrong, be it the after-treatment technique, the quality of the lashes or the glue used.
Lashes are more than just cosmetic bangs. Eyelashes protect the eye from debris that can obstruct vision or cause infection or injury. Lashes grow, fall out and replace in a natural cycle every six to ten weeks, just like the hair on the crown of the head.
It is normal to lose one to five lashes per day. Sometimes the more rapid loss of eyelashes (known as madarosis) can be a symptom of an underlying health problem in the eye or elsewhere in the body.
How many eyelash extensions are normal to lose per day?
You need to understand the natural eyelash growth cycle.
First, it is important to understand that eyelash loss is a normal part of the growth cycle. Like the hair on your head, eyelashes grow (and fall out) in one cycle. Wondering how often your lashes fall out in this cycle? Well, natural lashes fall out every day and a loss of 2-5 natural lashes per day is normal.
We have covered the natural lash fall behavior. But how many eyelash extensions fall out per day? The answer is ԛuite simple.
The lash extensions are positioned to allow the natural cycle to continue as usual. This means that the natural lashes will come off with your extension while they are attached. So the shedding of the lash extensions reflects the natural shedding of the lashes. In other words, if you normally lose 2-5 lashes per day, you are likely to lose about the same number of lash extensions per day. Full growth can take a few weeks, so lash extensions can generally last around 2-4 weeks.
While you can’t change anything about the natural lash cycle, you can tell your clients to expect some shedding.
Due to the natural falling out of the lashes on a daily basis, regular “refills” or “touch-ups” are required to keep the lash extensions looking their best. To keep the newly installed lash extensions looking healthy and full, we recommend regular touch-ups every 2-4 weeks. With regular “touch-up” appointments you can maintain your optimal appearance indefinitely! With the commitment of a regular maintenance program, many of our satisfied customers keep their eyelash extensions all year round!
How do you stop your clients from losing eyelash extensions on one side?
• Are the natural lashes clean? Remember, the presence of any makeup, oils, face powder, serum, etc. will result in poor retention! As soon as your client goes to clean their lashes in the shower, they will all fall out if they are attached to the dirt and not the natural lashes!
• Ask your customers to turn their heads. This way, you can bring the opposite side closer to your dominant hand, which will allow you to apply the eyelash extension faster.
• Do you check the condition of your room? Keeping an eye on the temperature and humidity of the room will ensure that the glue is working properly. Remember that the vast majority of eyelash glues work best in temperatures between 68 and 72 Fahrenheit (20 and 22 degrees Celsius) and humidity levels between 45 and 65%. A good hygrometer will be a lifesaver for this!
• Use a glue ring on the opposite hand. This way, the drop of glue will be closer to the eye and you can reach your natural lashes faster.
• If you are not comfortable with the glue ring, you can always place your jade stone on the opposite side as well, so that the distance is closer to your eyes.
• Make sure you isolate your natural lashes properly before dipping the lash extension with your other hand. Many times we make the mistake of dipping the lash extension first and then trying to isolate it, then sticking it on at the end. This is a mistake that will slow you down every time you are tying and can be problematic when it comes to retention because the bead of glue will definitely heal before it reaches the point.
• Are you using enough glue? Always make sure you have enough glue on the extension so that it wraps around the extension and natural lashes; you don’t want a big drop, but you want to be able to see the glue on the extension. You’ll also need to make sure your glue is fresh and has the correct drying time for you – it’s all fine using the best eyelash extension glue on the market, but using a glue that doesn’t suit you will result in retention issues., Leaving you and your client asking why eyelash extensions fall out in one side.
REMEMBER: When using a little more glue, make sure you take those eyelash extension tweezers and insulate your lashes well to prevent them from sticking. Always make sure that the application is correct and that the lash extension is well glued to the natural lashes!
Conclusion
With all the information above on why your clients lose multiple extensions on one side, we are sure they will help you when you have a client with excessive eyelash loss on one side.
Always be confident and educate your customers about what the process entails and how normal it is. This way, your lash clients will know that you are great at what you do.
We hope you understand that it is common to lose multiple lashes on one side or one eye and we hope this article can help you solve this problem! We also hope we have shed some light on some reasons you may not have considered as to why your client’s eyelash extensions don’t last on one side.
Thanks for reading and have a nice day!
