A DIY lash lift is a semi-permanent treatment you can do at home to curl your natural lashes from the root, creating a lifted, eye-opening effect that lasts 6-8 weeks. Cost: $15-25 for a kit vs. However, a DIY lash lift requires patience, precision, and strict attention to safety. As Dr. Thomas Jeneby, a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 20 years of experience, I’ve seen patients achieve beautiful results with both professional and DIY lash lifts when done correctly. Before we dive into the exciting part, a successful DIY lash lift hinges on thorough preparation and a firm commitment to safety.
Most DIY lash lift kits come with the core components you need, but having a few extra supplies on hand makes the process smoother. Silicone Pads (S, M, L): Different sizes help you achieve different curl intensities. Timer: Crucial for adhering to the exact processing times. Monitor: Leave on for the recommended processing times, then wipe off. Importance of Safety: If you experience any reaction, do not proceed with the lash lift. The American Academy of Ophthalmology advises caution with any cosmetic procedure involving the eyes, emphasizing the importance of professional application.
Once you have completed your patch test and gathered all your supplies, it is time to get started. Take your time with each step, especially the first time you try a DIY lash lift. Place Pad on Eyelid Close to the Lash Line: Position the pad on your upper eyelid, as close to your lash line as possible without touching your lashes. Avoid Clumps: If you see any clumps, gently adjust them with your tool. Apply Perm Solution (#1): Using a fresh micro brush or cotton swab, apply a thin, even layer of Perm solution to the lower half or middle of your secured lashes. Cover and Process: Cover with new cling film and process for the time recommended by your kit, often similar to the Perm solution. Gently Dissolve Glue and Remove Silicone Pads: As the glue dissolves, the lashes will release from the pad and the pad will detach from your eyelid. Congratulations, you have completed your DIY lash lift.
When to See a Doctor: If you experience severe pain, persistent redness, swelling, vision changes, or any discharge, seek immediate medical attention. Official Warnings: The American Academy of Ophthalmology advises caution with any cosmetic procedure involving the eyes. Many risks stem from common mistakes during the DIY lash lift process. The entire DIY lash lift process typically takes between 45 and 60 minutes from start to finish. Yes. Combining a lash lift with a lash tint is a popular choice, especially for those with lighter-colored lashes. If you tint your lashes at home, perform the tint after completing Step 4 (Cleansing and Nourishing) of the lash lift process. The curl will relax and fade over time as your lashes go through their natural growth cycle, typically within 6 to 8 weeks.
Starting on a DIY lash lift journey can be rewarding. It offers a way to improve your natural beauty, save money, and enjoy salon-quality results from the comfort of your home in San Antonio, TX. Achieving these results requires a meticulous process, especially with preparation, precise application, and strict safety measures like the patch test. For those who love the idea of lifted lashes but prefer a worry-free experience, or who have specific lash needs or conditions, professional lash lift services remain an excellent option. For a truly polished, worry-free improvement, the experts at Find Your Beautiful can help you achieve your goals. With social distancing and stay-at-home guidelines in order, regularly-scheduled beauty appointments are (temporarily) a thing of the past. You can't get a haircut, your nails may look rough, and your roots may be screaming for some color, but life does go on. And if these are the most of your problems these days, count yourself blessed. But even if you get the itch to do your own beauty treatments, we beg: exercise some discretion. Some things should be left to the professionals and that includes lash lifts.
Lash lifts are like a perm for your lashes. Typically, the process goes like this: You go to a certified lash technician's salon and lie down on a bed with your eyes shut. A silicone pad that doubles as a guard and "curling rod" is affixed to your upper eyelid with a gentle adhesive so it stays put. The sloped shape of the guard serves as a foundation to give your lashes a curve once they're slathered in perming lotion. The length of your lashes is what determines which size silicone shield the technician will choose for you. Once everything is set up and ready, your lashes are brushed back to lay against the curve of the shield, awaiting the curling chemicals.
Sounds complicated, right? So much so that it's something you probably wouldn't want to try at home? In our world, yes. The lash lift appears to be a success in the end, but I was curious to know if it was safe to do yourself. So, naturally, I reached out to the experts. According to cosmetic chemist Ginger King, the Icon Sign Offical Lift Kit contains ingredients like propylene glycol and methylparaben that are allowed to be used in cosmetics, but they are not ideal to use on your eyes because they can cause irritation. Meaning if you mess up with an at-home kit and accidentally get the formula in your eyes, you could be in some trouble. And right about now, the emergency room is the last place you should be - especially over a lash-lift gone wong. Dermatologist Mona Gohara backs this up, explaining: "First and foremost, at this time, we should be minimizing the number of times we touch the face," she tells Allure. "Eyelids are so sensitive and the skin is so thin that the barrier can be easily compromised, leaving it vulnerable to irritation or infection. In the worst-case scenario, you could potentially damage your eyesight. This kind of product [should] be used under the supervision of a professional." Those who do lash lifts for a living agree. According to New York-based licensed aesthetician Geena Gardalena, who is certified in Yumi Lashes (a keratin lash lift) application, says that in professional kits, the main ingredient is keratin, which according to King, is a protein that helps nourish the lash while it is being held upward so it can get the desired lift. Gardalena highly recommends not trying this at home. "Technicians that are skilled in performing this service undergo months and months of training before they are certified to be able to lift lashes in the most sanitized and safe way," she says. "Any little misstep in the process can damage lashes and even sight."
Technicians have access to the best products you need to perform the technique. They also have the expertise to execute the service properly. The kits you can purchase online sometimes have harsh chemicals that aren't approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so unless you're well-versed, you never really know what you are buying and using. These days, as long as you have your health, count your blessings. In-salon services should wait until an all-clear has been given to open salons and studios. I’ve had lash lifts done in salons a handful of times, about once or twice a year for the last few years. My natural lashes are medium-length and pretty straight, more on the sparse side with the tips slightly lighter in colour than the dark brown roots. My previous lash lift appointments have been a bit of a mixed bag and the results have been ok. A few times, the tips of my lashes have been left a bit frazzled and fried looking (this is from leaving the formula on too long or by getting the formula on the tips, which I now know you should avoid). We like nosy people. Maybe my eyes are just sensitive or I’ve been unlucky, because when I told my friend, “It always stings my eyes so much!” she looked rightfully concerned. Aside from the stinging, I’ve always found these appointments kind of uncomfortable, which is the main reason I haven’t been back for one recently. That and the $70 to $100 cost per treatment. Admittedly, I try to find the cheap deals for around $60, rather than forking out for high-end salons, my reasoning being that the process is pretty much the same no matter how luxe the room looks. It’s not the salon or bed I find uncomfortable, it’s the process of having my lashes stuck up to a silicone pad which is then glued down on my eyelid, while my eyes are closed and someone is touching and adjusting my lashes with sharp tweezers. I recently moved to Amsterdam and I’ve been on a tight budget, but I wanted to feel extra nice for my upcoming 30th birthday and treat myself to a lash lift. The cheapest I could find was about $100 AUD. After searching on my phone, I started getting served ads for magnetic clip-on lashes (still curious about these) and DIY lash lift kits. I was intrigued. After comparing three or four options, I settled with a brand called ‘Fleeky’. Fleeky seemed to have nice branding with simple-looking instructions and all the contents of the kit shown, plus the price was right. I bought the Mini Kit for $30 AUD (Black Friday sale, it’s usually $54) which comes with two to four applications. The kit arrived after several days with the contents nicely laid out and clearly labeled. I was excited to try it as soon as possible but I’d recommend you do this when you have a few hours free - you wouldn’t want to have to multitask or be interrupted.
If you’re keen to give it a go, I have a few tips. For starters, the tutorial video instructs you to do both eyes, starting one at a time but together. What wasn’t mentioned anywhere in the instructions was when I should tint my lashes in the process. If you’re tinting too (it will give you the best result) do this at the end of your lash lift, when you’ve applied both formulas one at a time and carefully wiped them off (without using water!) with your lashes still stuck on the pads. This is because the lash lift formula can lighten your hair. Again, wipe this off after with a dry cotton pad. You then select from small, medium or large silicone pads according to your lash length and desired curl. I probably overestimated my lashes and chose large - since it had the biggest rounded curve, I thought it would have the best result but it actually gave me a more subtle look. If I chose medium, the curve is smaller but it would’ve made the shape more curled, if you get what I mean. I trimmed the ends of the silicone pad a little so the rounded part of it sat where my lashes needed to be placed, which also made it stick to my eyelid easier. You can get a feel for this by holding the pad onto your eyelid without the glue on to see if it sits right. I found the trickiest part was getting the silicone pad to stick to your eyelid with glue. Make sure your eyelid and lashes are cleansed with a non-oily cleanser like micellar water to begin with, as per the instructions. I had to put a lot more glue on the back of the pad than I thought, blowing on it first to get it tacky, then holding it down firmly on each eyelid for one minute. Once it’s stuck, you then need to add some glue to the outer rounded part of the pad to stick your lashes to. Importantly (and not mentioned), you want to do this with as minimal amount of glue as possible, as you’ll need to peel your eyelashes off this pad at the end without using water as this can undo the lash lift. There was definitely less stinging than my salon visits but my eyes did get a little watery towards the end of the application. I’m really happy with the results and I even found the process to be quite fun! You can’t really get around the sticky eyelid feeling but I found it more comfortable doing it myself at home than having someone else fiddling with it. That’s just my personal preference, plus having one eye open to see at a time made it less weird. My lashes look naturally curled which was exactly what I was hoping for and for the price of the kit, I’m thrilled.
If you’re tired of using mascara every day to enhance your eyelashes or you simply want to wake up with beautifully curled and tinted lashes, then a lash lifting and tint at home might be the perfect solution for you. Not only can this DIY beauty treatment save you time and money, but it can also give you stunning results when done correctly. A lash lift and tint are beauty procedures designed to give your lashes a natural-looking curl and a darker, more defined color. While these treatments are typically performed at a salon, you can achieve similar results at home with the right tools and techniques. Lash lifting and tinting are two separate procedures that are often done together for a dramatic effect. A lash lift involves curling your lashes at the root to create a lifted appearance that lasts for weeks. Doing a lash lift and tint at home offers several advantages. It’s cost-effective, allows you to customize the results to your liking, and provides the convenience of not having to book salon appointments.
Start by preparing your work area. Ensure you have good lighting and a stable surface to work on. Lay out all your tools and products within easy reach. Using a gentle oil-free cleanser, remove any makeup, dirt, or oil from your lashes. Either use medical tape or a cover pad from your kit. Now choose the right silicone pad (if necessary, cut it to the correct size) and apply glue to the curved side of it, wait 2-3 min., and then place it very close to the eyelash line. Repeat for the other eye. Tip: small size = more curl, big size = less curl. Apply lash lifting glue to the front of the lash lift pads. Start lifting the eyelashes using the Y-applicator, it’s best to lift them one by one from the root onto the pad until all lashes are attached. Make sure they all are straight aligned and nicely positioned next to each other. Apply the Perm Lotion directly from the sachet or with a micro brush, which is included in your kit. Make sure to soak only the bottom half of the eyelashes from the root to the middle, avoid the tips. Cover with cling film and leave on for only 6-7 minutes for thick eyelashes or 4 to 5 minutes for thin eyelashes. Repeat step 6, but now using the Fixing Lotion. After completing the lash lift, it’s time to tint your lashes. Apply a small amount of tint to the lashes, ensuring they are evenly coated. Be cautious not to get the tint in your eyes. Use the conditioning solution included in your lash lift kit or a good sealer to nourish and hydrate your lashes. Once you’ve completed all the previous steps, use a clean spoolie brush to comb through your lashes, separating them and ensuring they are perfectly curled and tinted. Aftercare is essential to maintain the results of your lash lifting. Avoid getting your lashes wet for the first 24 hours, and be gentle when removing makeup around the eye area. With this step-by-step guide, you can achieve salon-quality lash lifting results in the comfort of your own home. Not only will you save time and money, but you’ll also enjoy the convenience of waking up to beautifully curled and tinted lashes.
Safety, Expertise, and Professional Alternatives
Notable insights from professionals emphasize caution. The main ingredient in many professional kits is keratin, which nourishes the lash while lifting it upward. Technicians undergo extensive training to ensure sanitized and safe application, whereas at-home kits may contain harsher chemicals not approved by the FDA. Experts advise that lash lifts involving the eyes should be used under professional supervision to minimize risks of irritation or damage to eyesight. For a truly polished result with less risk, consider professional lash lift services, especially for first-timers or those with sensitive eyes.
Lash Lift and Tint Process / Step by Step Tutorial from start to finish
Pros and Cons at a Glance
- Pros: cost-effective, customizable results, salon-quality look at home, convenience, potential time savings.
- Cons: risk of irritation or eye damage if misapplied, longer setup and learning curve, variability in at-home kit quality, potential need for tinting separately.
Practical Tips for a Safer DIY Experience
- Perform a patch test before any DIY lash lift.
- Use only gentle, oil-free cleansers around the eyes.
- Choose the correct silicone pad size to control curl intensity.
- Limit glue usage and avoid contact with lash tips.
- Follow exact processing times provided by your kit.
- Tint after the lift if desired, and avoid getting tint into the eye.
In conclusion, a DIY lash lift can be a viable option for those who value budget, flexibility, and hands-on control, provided that safety and meticulous technique are prioritized. If you prefer a worry-free experience, or have specific lash needs, professional services remain a strong choice.