The dangers of DIY home lash lifts The temporary closure of salons during lockdown drove many people to attempt at-home beauty treatments. This (and TikTok) has led to a surge in popularity of at-home lash lift kits, available cheaply from all kinds of places. But attempting a lash lift is not like giving yourself a manicure or dying your own hair - it involves the use of chemicals which have the potential to be very harmful if used incorrectly.
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Are your clients are tempted to grab themselves an at-home lash lift kit thinking it will save them money? Let us run you through the dangers of the DIY lash lift so you can educate them properly on the (substantial) risks. Lash lifts vs lash perm: What's the difference? Although both are procedures that curl natural lashes, the main difference is that a lash perm is a more old fashioned treatment using a different formula, and a lash lift is a modern beauty treatment using the very latest formulations including nourishing steps to promote lash health. A professional lash lift, also known as LVL or lash lamination lifts the lashes very close to the base, making lashes look longer and curlier, and eyes appear more open. Various solutions are applied to the lashes along a silicone lash lift shield, often including a nourishing treatment with keratin in synch as Lash Botox or Lash Plump to keep lashes in good condition. Is a lash lift safe for your eyes? Yes, when carried out by a trained lash professional, a lash lift is a perfectly safe beauty treatment. Lash artists master the art of applying the glue and lotions safely, so there should not be any risk to their clients. They train for months, gaining the kind of knowledge and expertise that can only come with experience. They must receive the proper accreditation and also have the relevant insurance
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Treatments take place on eyes that are closed at all times so that product cannot get into the eye. Glues and solutions are applied very precisely to ensure no products gets onto the skin or eyes. Also, lash professionals are experienced in judging how long to leave each product on the lashes in order to get the desired result without leaving the product on too long - this can vary depending on the individual’s eyelashes. Eyes are properly prepared before the treatment, and product is removed effectively and thoroughly after every step. A lash perm usually involves curling the around a cylindrical rod or roller. This very rounded shape can actually make lashes look shorter rather than longer. A perming solution is used which may be harsher than a modern day lash lift, and there are no nourishing steps meaning lashes can be left brittle or damaged.
Is it safe to do a lash lift at home? No. It is not safe to do an at-home lash lift. For a start, the home lash lift kits are not being properly regulated by any kind of authority so there is no telling the suitability or the strength of the chemicals included. Secondly, no matter the quality of the home kit you buy, they all contain potentially dangerous chemicals, and the risk of an accident or improper application of the chemicals used is huge. This can lead to all manner of problems as we’ll go on to explain, including burning your lashes and eyeballs, even causing permanent eyesight damage. Thirdly, it is almost impossible to attempt an at-home last lift without having your eyes at least partly open - and eyes must remain closed at all times during a lash lift treatment. Even the best lash artists in the world would not be able to safely perform a lash lift on themselves as the treatment is simply not designed with self-application in mind.
