Make-up Monday: How my Skincare Routine Changed with Lash Extensions

Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was nice and relaxing with lots of time spent outside, since it was so beautiful!

Today I have a Makeup Monday post for y’all; and I’m sharing how my skincare has changed since getting lash extensions.

I’m sure you’re thinking, what does your skincare routine have to do with lash extensions? Well, don’t worry, that’s what I’m here to tell you.

The biggest thing with lash extensions is retention. You want to keep them as full as you can in between fills for a few reasons. 1. You obviously want them as full as possible because that’s when they look the best. 2. The more lashes you retain the less time your lash artist will have to spend during fills. 3. If you loose too many some places may charge you more.

Because you want to retain as many of your lashes as possible you might have to swap or be super careful with a few things in your skincare routine. 

Let’s go through my new skincare routine and I’ll tell you items I no longer use and a little more about why.

A.M. Routine

My morning routine is pretty much the same. I wash my face, use my under eye cream and then face serum. The biggest change was how I wash my face. Because I shower in the morning that is where I usually wash my face. I used to just lather up and then put my face in the water to rinse off the soap. With lashes you want to avoid getting any cleanser on your lashes. I still use Tula, but instead of just putting my face under the stream of water I carefully rinse my cheeks, nose and forehead. I’m sure a little cleanser drips down, but I try to keep it as minimal as possible. I still use my eye cream and serum I shared in this post.

P.M. Routine

This is where things have changed the most. I still start with my cleansing balm, but since this turns to straight oil I am very careful to not go below my brow bone or above my cheekbone. Rayanna told me the skin around your eye is so thin product will quickly migrate all over the area. So be very careful what you put inside the oracle bone. Once I have removed all my makeup I very carefully rinse it off. Again, you don’t want this to drip down to your lashes. After that I use my Philosophy cleanser and again, very cautiously rinse. After that I have added a new step. Cleansing my lashes. It is SO SO SO important to cleanse your lashes once a day. This helps get all the dirt, grim and pollution off your lashes and your lash line. This helps with retention and keeps your eyes from getting irritated. Rayanna supplied me with lash cleanser on my first visit and I’m still using the same bottle. I use one pump and swirl it around with a brush then “paint” it on my lashes. I get my lash line really good and also use this to remove any eye makeup and under eye concealer. After I’ve done that I rinse thoroughly with cold water. It’s nice and refreshing and is good for your lashes. Extreme heat can also loosen adhesive and cause lash loss.

After that it’s time for all my creams and serums. I used to use this under eye cream from Kiehl’s however, it’s derived from avocado oil so I had to stop. (If you don't have lash extensions I would highly recommend it!) I have since started using this eye cream from Tula and use it mostly on my crow’s feet. (It's AMAZING!) After that I use my Kiehl’s Vitamin C serum, and this collagen serum. Then finally my TulaDay & Night Cream. I’m very careful to make sure I don’t use any of these below my brow bone or above my cheekbone. (You really don’t want or need to anyway.) After I finish my nighttime routine I brush out my lashes and I’m ready for bed.

Cleansing Balm: Clinique | Cleanser: Purity Cleansing Gel | Eye Cream: Tula | Vitamin C Serum: Kiehl's | Collagen Serum: Physicians Formula | Moisturizer: Tula | Lash Cleanser: Bella Lash Deep Cleanser

I want to share a couple other things you can’t and can use with lash extensions. You basically can’t use ANY makeup removers. Even the oil free ones like Micelleular water. You can however use a makeup wipe on your lids and under eye if you are wearing heavy makeup. I usually try not to do this, but I’ve had my makeup done twice for events and had to use these to get all the eyeshadow and liner off.  I avoid getting right on my lash line if possible.

So there you have it. I bet you didn’t even think about your skincare routine changing if you get lash extensions. I know I sure didn’t. Rayanna is an amazing lash artist and prepared me for all of this before I even got my lashes put on. Some of these things I was expecting from following her on instagram, but some were a total shock. If you don’t follow her on instagram you definitely should because she is a WEALTH of knowledge in this industry. I’ll leave her handle right here for y’all.

If you have any other questions about lash extensions or a certain product feel free to email me, DM me, or drop a comment below.

I hope y’all have a great week and check back tomorrow for a new outfit post. (Finally!)

Lash Q&A

I’ve had my eyelash extensions for almost a month now. I am absolutely obsessed! They have seriously made my life so much easier. It’s nice to always look like I’m wearing mascara and not actually take the time to put mascara on. All that being said, today I’m doing a huge Q&A all about lash extensions. If you’ve been debating getting lash extensions read on to have some of your questions answered. At the end if you have any additional questions that I didn’t answer, please feel free to email me or leave them in the comments below.

Let’s jump right in shall we?

 Top-After | Bottom-Before

Top-Before | Bottom-After

Q1: Let’s start with the question I get asked the most….does it hurt?

A1: Absolutely not. Getting last extensions doesn’t hurt at all. Last time I completely fell asleep while I was getting them done. It’s pretty relaxing to say the least.

Q2: Will lash extensions ruin my real lashes?

A2: This was one of my biggest questions/concerns. Rayanna assured me that lash extensions wouldn’t damage my real lashes. As long as you have a good lash artist who uses quality products you should be fine.

Q3: Can I still wear mascara with my lash extensions?

A3: The whole point of lash extensions is so you don’t have to wear mascara. Your extensions should make your lashes longer, darker and fuller. If it’s doing all those things you shouldn’t really need mascara. If you still think you need it, unfortunately you can’t really use it. Mascara can cause the adhesive to break down and therefore your lashes to shed much quicker. (More on this topic to come in a couple weeks. Stay tuned.)

Q4: Can I get lash extensions while pregnant?

A4: Absolutely! Rayanna suggests checking with your doctor but there’s usually no reason you can’t have eyelash extensions while pregnant. Rayanna will also lash you while you lay on your side and accounts for extra bathroom breaks for expecting mamas.

Q5: I’ve heard of people having allergic reactions. What causes that and how will I know if I’m allergic?

A5: A small percentage of people are allergic to the adhesive. Fun fact: the adhesive used for eyelash extensions is the same thing they use for acrylic nails! WHATTTT?!? Crazy I know. Anyway a small percent of people can be allergic; however, there is no way to know until you get your lashes done. Rayanna checks on you throughout the lash process while you are there to make sure nothing feels off. She will also check on you for the next 72 hours via text, email, whatever to make sure you’re ok. If you do have a reaction, she will get you in immediately to have them removed. In the almost year she has been doing it she’s only had 1 reaction.

Q6: I have to use hypoallergenic makeup so does that mean I’m probably allergic to the adhesive.

A6: Not necessarily. It’s a good idea to mention this to your lash artist, but just because you’ve had reactions to makeup doesn’t mean you will have a reaction to lash extensions.

Q7: How often do I have to get them filled?

A7: Rayanna has 2 different fill options. You can get a fill every 2-3 weeks or every 4-5 weeks. This mostly depends on how quickly your lashes shed.

Q8: I have blonde lashes am I a good candidate?

A8: I too have blonde lashes. I feel like I was a great candidate! Rayanna lashes 100% of your lash so they look really natural. It’s also been life changing to look like I’m wearing mascara 24/7 without actually wearing mascara.

Q9: How long do appointments take and what do you do?

A9: Your appointment time varies. Your longest one will be your initial appointment. This can take anywhere from 2-4 hours. The length of your appointment depends on the type of set you get. The same goes with fills. These can last anywhere from 1 hour to 1.5 hours. This may sounds like a long time, but it’s a great time to nap, listen to a book on tape or podcast. I personally love taking what Rayanna calls a lash nap while getting mine done.

Q10: What are the different types of lash extensions you can get?

A10: Rayanna currently offers 3 different sets classic, signature & volume. Classic is very natural looking and gives you the look of light mascara. I haven’t personally had this set but I think it would look good on someone with darker natural lashes. The next set is signature. This is Rayanna’s most popular. It is a hybrid between classic and volume. It’s still natural looking with a little more. Finally we have the volume set. This is for someone who likes drama or normally wears a lot of mascara. This is also a great option if you have an event coming up. I did this last time I got a fill and LOVED it. I used to wear a lot of mascara so I think this is the set for me. Rayanna also makes all of her own fans and volume set lashes, which is amazing. She makes sure they work with your eye shape and enhance your natural beauty! (You can read more about the 3 different options here

Q11: How much do lash extensions cost?

A11: Everywhere is different. It also depends if you go with classic, signature, or volume lashes. You can go to Rayanna’s website here to check out her pricing. I will say this… It’s your eyes and you get what you pay for. Sometimes in beauty it pays to pay more. (Just my opinion.)

Q12: Do you have a discount code?

A12: I’m just kidding no one asked me this. I do however have a discount code. Rayanna has been gracious enough to offer all my followers/readers $10 off their service by using code “KATIE10”.

I hope this answered all your questions on lash extensions. As always if you think of a question I didn’t answer feel free to email me, leave it in the comments or DM me on Instagram and I would be more than happy to answer. And if you are looking for a new lash artist in Jax, you have to check out Rayanna. She is seriously the best!!