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Eyelash Extension Guide: How to Deal with Seasonal Allergies
We all love springtime — warmer temperatures, cuter outfits, and upcoming vacations. However, with flowers blooming and bees buzzing comes the looming dread of seasonal allergies as well. Runny noses, itchy eyes, and constant sneezing, and more, none of it fun. While these symptoms can be frustrating on their own, lash extensions can sometimes make it worse. Let’s discuss seasonal allergies and how it affects your lash extensions, as well as share some helpful tips and tricks to minimize allergy symptoms while keeping your lash extensions looking fabulous.
Understanding Seasonal Allergies
Seasonal allergies, also known as hay fever or allergic rhinitis, are a common condition that affects many individuals during specific times of the year. These allergies occur when the immune system overreacts to allergy triggers. These are harmless substances in the environment, such as pollen, mold, or dust. The body’s immune response triggers symptoms such as sneezing, itching, runny nose, congestion, and watery eyes.
Seasonal Allergies: How Might They Affect Your Lash Extensions?
Unfortunately, seasonal allergies can manifest in a lot of different ways, all of them irritating. And if they’re pretty bad, they can make it harder for your lash artist to complete the set. Let’s go over some of the main symptoms you might experience during allergy season and how they can affect you during your lash appointment and after.
Watery Eyes
Watery eyes can definitely be problematic, both while you’re getting lashes and after the appointment. Excess moisture can cause the adhesive to shock cure, which leaves behind a white residue and is not reversible. Additionally, it can be harder to keep yourself from touching or rubbing your eyes to remove the moisture, which then leads to oil and debris building up in the lashes.
Itchy Eyes
It can be so hard to resist the temptation to scratch or rub your eyes even if you don’t have seasonal allergies. And then if you do, it just gets worse! However, to preserve your lashes and keep them on as long as possible, it’s imperative that you keep your hands away from your eyes. Rubbing, scratching, or pulling on your lashes is a surefire way to decrease retention, which means you’ll have to go back in for a fill sooner. Plus, it can even be harmful to your lashes if you accidentally pull out a lash that wasn’t ready to fall out naturally.
More Buildup In Your Lashes
This is sort of the opposite — your lashes making your allergies worse! But if you think about it, it makes sense. If your lashes are longer and thicker, more debris, dirt, and pollen will build up in them. While this shouldn’t dissuade you from getting lashes if you still want them, it’s all the more important to keep up with your daily cleaning regiment .
Tips For Dealing With Seasonal Allergies
But don’t worry — all hope is not lost! Seasonal allergies don’t have to hold you back from your beloved lashes. Of course, if you feel relief from skipping lashes during the height of allergy season, then go for it. But you can still enjoy your lashes with just a few tips and tricks for managing your annoying symptoms.
Avoid eye makeup and mascara.
You should always avoid mascara if you have lash extensions on, but especially during allergy season, it’s best to avoid eye makeup and mascara, as they can trap allergens. If you must wear makeup, opt for hypoallergenic products and be sure to remove them thoroughly at the end of the day.
Brush, Don’t Scratch!
Your lashes might get a little itchy from time to time, especially during allergy season. If you feel the urge to scratch, try using a lash wand instead. Gently brush through your lashes (which you should be doing daily anyway) to satisfy that need to scratch without using your fingers or pulling on your lashes.
Use Tissues And Cotton Swabs To Remove Moisture
If you’re experiencing watery eyes, use tissues or cotton swabs to dab away that moisture instead of rubbing your eyes. Sensing a pattern here? The best thing you can do for your lashes during allergy season is to not rub them with your hands — use gentler methods to keep your symptoms at bay. Your hands will introduce more foreign contaminants to your eyes, making your allergies even worse.
Cleanse Your Lashes Every Day
While everyone with lashes should be cleansing them on a daily basis, it’s even more important for those who suffer from allergies. Cleansing extensions thoroughly with a dedicated lash cleanser removes all that unwanted oil, dirt, debris, dead skin, and pollen from the lashes that accumulate throughout the day. Plus, regular cleansing helps prevent the buildup of lash mites, which can lead to irritation or infection.
Of course, make sure your lash artist knows that you’re dealing with allergy symptoms before your appointment. It’ll be up to your tech to decide if they’re still comfortable working on you (but remember, they’re not a doctor either and shouldn’t be giving you medical advice). If you’re having really severe symptoms, it’s always a good idea to check with a medical professional to make sure you’re still a good candidate for extensions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, seasonal allergies can present unique challenges for individuals who desire eyelash extensions. As professionals, it is our responsibility to provide essential allergy management and care tips for our allergy-prone clients. By understanding the effects of seasonal allergies on eyelash extensions, managing allergies through consultation with healthcare professionals, practicing proper eyelash hygiene, and offering suitable alternatives when needed, we can ensure that our clients enjoy their eyelash extensions with comfort and satisfaction throughout allergy season. With proper care and attention, allergy-prone clients can confidently showcase their beautiful lashes and enhance their natural beauty.
