Most of us girls tend to keep our beauty appointments at the weekend. Afterall we like treating ourselves a little.
But there are some things that don’t mesh well. Eyelash extensions and tanning is one of them.
Your artist might recommend a period of 24 hours before you can use any tanning solution. That is to avoid any damage or retention issues that may arise.
The thing is heat and eyelash extensions is a not a good combo in any way. And there are multiple reasons why.
Understanding Your Extensions
A bit of understanding in what your extensions are goes a long way. All you need is a little common sense to avoid ruining your expensive extensions.
Lash extensions are created from two kinds of fibers. Organic and artificial. Artificial being more common. Organic fibers used to be the luxury of the trade but they have become somewhat obsolete due to excessive expense and no real benefits.
PBT (Polybutylene Terepethalate) fibers are now a days used to create high quality artificial lash extensions. Don’t let its name scare you, It is a type of polymer, plastic in simpler terms.
PBT is a very versatile material. It is easier to handle and mold. That is why even if the shape of your eyelash extensions is ruined by sleeping, you can set them again just like the day they were attached.
Technology have come a long way for lash extensions. Even then plastics react to heat and ultraviolet radiations in several ways.
Ultraviolet radiation is the type of light that gives tan to the skin. It is also known to degrade plastics. This might not be the most problematic thing for your new lash extensions.
The biggest problem is heat. Any kind of direct or indirect heat changes the physical properties of your lash extensions. Low heat can change the shape whereas excessive heat can cause them to melt altogether.
Although we can reset the shape if it gets distorted, excessive heat can cause some serious damage to your natural extensions.
Tanning beds work by introducing both heat and Ultraviolet light. This encourages our body to produce melanin that gives your skin a golden glow. On the other hand, heat and UV rays also produce lots of sweat and pore dilation.
This heat can cause damage to your natural eyelashes to which your extensions are attached to.
Sunbeds & Lash Glue
As if that was not enough. Sunbeds can also directly effect your lash extensions.
You what we say to every lash artist. A good lash adhesive can make or break your business. This is true. If you use a good adhesive then your client is gonna love you for long retention.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that can cause your lash adhesive to not work correctly. One of them is sunbeds.
First, UV light directly weakens the adhesive bonds causing it to become brittle. In addition to that if you are within the hour curing window, sweat can cause the adhesive to cure prematurely. Both of this can cause very poor retention.
Your sweat also introduces oils in the mix to facilitate the breakage. As I’ve discussed before, body fluids and uncured glue is a bad combo in any shape.
All these factors greatly deteriorate your lash glue and cause them to fall off prematurely. That is why the first 24 hours are very critical to get good retention.
Now-a-days most glue manufacturers are providing with curing time of a few seconds. This does not mean you can neglect them as soon as you are out of salon. First 24 and in some cases 48 hours are very critical.
There are two things are used interchangeably and might look like a marketing gimmick. Drying and Curing. While a lash glue can dry within seconds, it takes at least 24 to 48 hours to cure completely giving the strongest bond possible. It is the nature of cyanoacrylate based adhesives.
But wait there is one thing left that involves no heat or sweat.
What about Fake Tan Sprays?
Fake tans are quite popular, that is if applied correctly. They are often used with some oral tanning solutions or to compliment tanning. Of course, you can also choose to have them separately.
It has no restriction whatsoever especially when you use a DHA based tanning agent. The only problem is the oil used in tanning products.
You have to avoid the eye area altogether which can create something you might not like.
You also need to shower after some time when you use a tanning spray. This is necessary in most cases. You will most likely get some of the product on your extensions deteriorating their bond.
Whereas in case of eyelashes, steam is a big no for first 24 hours. Any kind of moisture can cause flash curing and steam is a very reactive form of moisture.
How to handle Sunbeds and Eyelash Extensions after 24 Hour?
We have discussed what can go bad if you try to tan or spray tan in the first 24 hours of getting eyelash extensions. Now that it is out of way, you should also take proper care even after that period.
UV rays can weaken lash glue nonetheless. That is why it is imperative that you take proper equipment to protect your lash extensions. Use of a good quality UV protective google is a must in this case.
Another thing to keep in mind is not let too much sweat build up on your eyelashes. As salts and oils in your sweat can negatively affect your retention.
From experience, you are pretty much free to do anything after the 24 hours as long as there is not too much physical stress on your lashes. Things like heat or tugging can cause you to go for a refill earlier than expected.
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