Advice for clients who have damaged lashes from extensions

What advice can I give to clients who have damaged lashes from extensions?

There's nothing more gorgeous than thick, luscious lashes, so it’s natural that clients want to enhance theirs from time to time. However, they need to be made aware that overuse of extensions and falsies may, in the long run, cause permanent damage to the follicle, resulting in reduced volume and thickness.

Education is the first step in helping your clients maintain healthy lashes. Tell them how to nourish and condition their lashes daily, cleansing them before going to sleep and resisting the temptation to pull extensions out. The result will be strong lashes with real staying power and flutter.

There are other great ways your clients can improve the condition of their lashes, from using conditioners such as olive oil and green tea, which should be applied at night, to over-the-counter lash serums. When choosing a serum, tell clients to stay away from products that contain alcohol and perfume. The best ingredients for boosting growth are vitamin E, biotin and panthenol, as well as lash stimulators like castor oil and liquorice root.

Whatever serum clients go for, they should apply it once a day like a liquid eyeliner, and most that are available on the market can be used under make-up. Once your clients have taken on your advice, the application of a conditioning oil at night and lash serum in the morning will become part of their daily beauty regime.

Michelle Washington is chief executive of Innovative Nutraceutical Cosmetics (INC) and founder of the Avante range, which includes lash and brow serums. She has more than 13 years’ experience in the industry.