Inspiration

How to Repair Damaged Lashes

Claire

Your eyelashes are delicate, that's for sure. And they have been put through their paces, whether that is through the natural elements or years of make-up applications. Even eyelashes that have never seen a drop of mascara will have encountered damaging effects from the sun's UV rays and wind and rain. So to the untrained eye, eyelashes can look healthy as ever on the surface, but the reality can be completely different.

Inspiration

How to Repair Damaged Lashes

Claire

Your eyelashes are delicate, that's for sure. And they have been put through their paces, whether that is through the natural elements or years of make-up applications. Even eyelashes that have never seen a drop of mascara will have encountered damaging effects from the sun's UV rays and wind and rain. So to the untrained eye, eyelashes can look healthy as ever on the surface, but the reality can be completely different.

Various illnesses can cause lasting damage to eyelashes, the same way your skin or your hair can feel these effects and the damage can be more obvious, possibly leading to lacking in confidence. How amazing would it be if everyone could feel the power of their eyelashes and have them look as best as they can on a daily basis? As they are show 24/7, having your eyelashes noticed can be the boost we all need sometimes to make us feel really good, so it is good to know it isn't all doom and gloom. There is hope for damaged eyelashes and eyelash follicles and its time to do something about it. It is never too late to have the lashes you deserve!


Are My Lashes Damaged?

You may have so much going on in your life… work, family or even diet and latest fitness regime, that you may not even notice your eyelashes straight away. It isn't until you start to think about your lashes from a year ago or even 5 years ago that you start to realise they are lacking the lustre and the shine they once had, that classic "look how young we looked" when you look back at old photos. Perhaps there aren't as many as they were, or they don't look thick and healthy anymore. It is easy to forget your eyelashes when daily life gets in the way, so the more time passes, the more you neglect them.


Or it could be overcoming an illness that required attention elsewhere on your body and your eyelashes were left behind in the recovery process. The priority would lie elsewhere of course, but if you feel that your eyelashes have been affected in a negative way, it can affect your confidence even once you feel back to your normal self.


Maybe now is the time to think about getting yourself back to being the best version of you and you want to feel that confidence once again by applying your favourite mascara and letting your eyes do the talking. This is where it is easy to fall back into a routine with mascara, eyelash curlers and other methods that lead to short term appearance of eyelash growth. So by doing what you think is best to ensure you have the longest and curviest lashes in town, may ultimately be adding to the problem.


Easy Eyelash Repair

So we need to slow down and not jump ahead of ourselves, look at the problem and have patience while we work on the solution! By taking careful steps to help your eyelashes recover before getting ahead with make-up, extensions or lash lifts, you will help your eyelashes in the long run and you can actually notice the positive difference every day. Trust me on this, other people will notice too!


Have a think about what you would want to do first if you tried to repair your eyelashes from previous damage… I'll bet that eyelash extensions first came to mind. A quick and easy fix, right?


Wrong! Although eyelash extensions are massively popular at the moment, and with technicians moving along with the times and new products available on the market, they have become far more achievable and affordable than ever before. It is no surprise that so many women are opting for the salon these days! So why is this so unhealthy? Well, to be honest, lash extensions aren't unhealthy when they have been done in the right place by the right person. But what can be unhealthy is not looking after them first. Think about when you heat style your hair, and how you prepare it first to prevent lasting damage or when you moisturise your face before even thinking about make-up. We do this as second nature because we know it is good for us, good for our skin, good for our hair and good for looking youthful.


The best way to prepare for eyelash extensions is to invest in an eyelash conditioner or an eyelash conditioning serum to keep them strong before you have even started the process of getting eyelash extensions. Now I'm saying this it seems like common sense, right? So, stick to this plan, apply daily conditioners to your eyelashes and you can extend and extend without worrying that you are causing lasting damage.


We have all heard that you should never sleep with your make up on and I also bet we have all done it. But why is it so bad? Well when it comes to eyeliner and mascara, the damage is easily done. No mascara slides off the eyelashes easily, if it did, we would all be walking around with panda eyes all day! It is designed to last all day or night and contains oils that adhere to the lashes.


Don't get me wrong here, I LOVE mascara! Mascara has magical powers that can bring even the dullest and shortest eyelashes to life! BUT mascara adheres to the eyelashes and thickens and lengthens them so you don't have to think about them for the rest of the day. But eyelashes need to breathe too. Mascara also stiffens the lashes so sleeping while still wearing it can be the number one cause of breakages of eyelashes. Think about when your head literally hits the pillow, your lashes may be in an awkward position that the mascara is working against and therefore causes them to bend and ultimately break off.


So, how do you fix this? Well obviously, don't sleep with make up on, but primarily remove make-up and mascara with a cleanser that will be delicate to your skin and eyelashes and allow them to breath and bend naturally. By adding an eyelash conditioning serum to the mix before bedtime too… well, you are onto a winner! Keeping you covered with this is the Xlash Eyelash Serum or Xlash Pro Eyelash Serum that is perfect for applying just before sleeping. The serum makes its way deep into the follicle to work on strengthening the eyelash all while keeping your lashes in perfect condition so you are ready for the next hit of mascara the next day. You can start relaxing and getting rid of any worry that make-up use is causing damaging effects to your eyelashes. Perfect!


What Did Your Eyelashes Ever do to You?!

Another common quick fix that definitely damages eyelashes is curling your eyelashes AFTER putting on the mascara. It makes me want to scream "What did your eyelashes ever do you you?!"


I think it's the classic ‘act now, worry later' scenario. Please promise me you won't do this. Eyelashes have some bend to them, they are hair after all. But they are not designed to stretch and all you are doing by applying mascara and then using an eyelash curler on them is stretching them, weakening them at mid-points in the last, and embedding the mascara deep into the lash.


This is again, nothing that a shift in the routine of applying and removing make-up can't fix, but also a strengthening serum can do wonders for this mistake. Faster than you would imagine too! I mean, it isn't overnight, that's impossible, but within the eyelash growth cycle of around 3 months by routinely applying an eyelash conditioning serum, the damage is almost completely reversed, and you will honestly thank yourself for this new conditioning treatment in the long run.


The Lesson

Well the lesson is a mere warning and hopefully preventative. As I said earlier, eyelash issues can be both natural, through illness or almost self-inflicted torture by tying to lengthen and curl eyelashes that have been caked in mascara. The main fix for either problem will always be to look after and nurture your eyelashes in the same way you would condition your hair or moisturise your skin. We are all ageing naturally and with ageing comes wrinkles, greyer hair and even hair loss. But if you can get ahead of the game, and give your lashes a little treat, I promise you they will treat you kinder in return.


Since using Xlash, the compliments I have had on my eyelashes have done wonders for my confidence. But not only that, it has given me one less thing to worry about each day. I no longer try to force more mascara onto each lash, nor do I curl them to high heaven! But I do keep up with applications and make sure that even though I have more length now, the condition of them is what gives me that length so this is the important part.


If you can be a little patient and trust that your lashes will work for you if you work for them, you won't think twice about incorporating a conditioner into your routine. Treat yourself, and don't forget those lashes!