TLL Magazine December 2018 | Page 5

Beauty 10 N O I S N E T X E LASH COMMANDMENTS Flutter those false lashes with confidence during the festive season with our dos and don’ts F alse lash fans will know that as beautiful and brilliant as they are, they do need more TLC than you might think. With office parties in full swing, you’ve got to be on top of them to keep them looking lush, so it’s time to get the expert lowdown on how to look after your lashes. Bridgette Softley, co-director of Nouveau Lashes, explains her top 10 dos and don’ts to keep your lashes looking better for longer. 1 For the first 48 hours after your treatment, it’s important not to allow water to come into contact with your lashes – this includes sweat from high intensity workouts! 2 3 4 5 For two days afterwards, don’t steam your face, use a steam bath, swim or wash your face with hot water. Never try to perm or use lash curlers on your extensions. Don’t rub your eyes when washing your face — always pat your lashes dry after cleansing. Ensure your lashes aren’t manipulated out of position, for example don’t sleep with your face buried in the pillow. 6 7 Brush through your lashes morning and night with a disposable lash wand. Use a conditioning serum regularly to nourish and strengthen lashes and help to prevent breakage. You wouldn’t shampoo your hair without conditioning it, so treat you lashes with the same respect. 8 9 If you like to supercharge your lashes, make sure you use a lash extension- friendly mascara. Remember to always be gentle when touching the eye area, especially when removing make-up. Use an oil- free make-up remover to remove product without interrupting the adhesive bond. Delicately pat or press and hold a cotton pad at the lids, rather than pull or rub. 10 Don’t panic if your extensions start to fall out! Natural lashes have a lash cycle of around 90 days, after which they shed and naturally fall off. Our lash line is constantly shedding – on average we lose between two and five natural lashes every day and each lash takes about two months to grow back. When a lash comes to the end of its life cycle, any lash extension will naturally fall off also. We are born with a set number of lash follicles, and contrary to popular belief this does not decrease as we age, but time and abuse can damage lashes so that they fail to grow back as thickly or as long as they did when we were younger. The Lifestyle Library | 5