How To Remove Eyelash Extensions At Home Safely

By Angela Trakoshis, Bianca London and Sheilla Mamona

Okay, so you've been frantically googling ‘how to remove eyelash extensions from home’? Don't worry, this is a judgement-free zone. We understand, needs must.

Admittedly, many of us probably feel pretty confident by now about handling most of our beauty-salon needs from home. That lockdown period had made many of us beauty professionals, with some of us graduating with first class qualifications straight from the University of YouTube or even TikTok College. However, even though that time may feel like a dystopian Black Mirror esc. experience that we've blocked out of our memories, we're all dealing with another life battle – the cost of living crisis.

So it's natural some of us may be opting to leaving the removal of eyelash extensions from home? Or perhaps we're just too busy working and are finding it hard to find the time to get an appointment with our lash ladies.

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Firstly, we would like to note that if you have the option, please do opt to leave eyelash extensions removal to the pros, as it will involve stripping away professional-grade lash glue. If done incorrectly, it can result in eye contamination, infections or losing your natural lashes. However, we understand, that sometimes it's a necessary skill to own. We're deep into the cost of living crisis, and every penny saved counts.

It's also fair to address the fact that it's summer, aka travel season, and your go-to lash-lady might be booked up, so you may well have to take matters onto your own hands. So, we're here to tell you that it is very much possible to remove eyelash extensions from home safely although we must admit is no mean feat — but it can be done with a few expert hacks.

According to Veronica Tran, founder of Canadian spa Pretty in the City, there are a few ways to safely remove your eyelash extensions at home — and actually, the longer your lashes have been on, the easier they should be to take out. Here is your ultimate guide on how to remove eyelash extensions at home according to the experts, safely, with ease and precision.

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By Charlie Teather

Okay, so that seems straight forward-ish. Well, now let's get to the nitty gritty, here are seven other ways to get your eyelashes removed at home in the healthiest way possible – in detail.

Oil-based cleansers help eyelash extensions fall quicker as they compromise the formulation of the lash glue and make it break up quicker. Use it as the first step of your double cleanse and gently move the oil around in circular motions using a makeup remover bad. You will start seeing the lash glue dissolve.

You may need to do this a few nights in a row to fully remove all lash extensions. Make sure you only use your oil-based cleansers when you're ready to take of your lashes, not any sooner, or you will see your lash-tech's handy work fall before your eyes — literally. Veronica recommends Lancôme Bi-Facil, £25, Boots and Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover, £13.30, Amazon to help remove all trace of eye makeup too.

Aside from the fact that hot, steamy showers are comfort and luxury galore, they also will help remove your eyelash extensions. Your lash lady probably always advices to avoid steam or even getting lashes wet, but this is the only time you should do the exact opposite, since you no longer want to keep the lash glue bonds together.

The steam will dry out the adhesive, making it brittle, and loosen the bond that connects the extension to your natural lash. There should be no picking and the process should be painless. Do this a couple of times a week to see the lashes fall gradually and naturally after a few gos.

By Annabelle Spranklen

Castor oil is another great oil to use as eyelash extensions removal as it's also gentle and agreeable with most skin types. It contains ricinoleic acid, and has anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidative properties, so it's safe to use around the eyes. However, do avoid if you're pregnant.

In this case, it will slowly break down the bond of the adhesive while you sleep, loosening the extensions so it’s easier for them to fall out on their own. Therefore, it's best to apply castor oil to your lashes before removal with your fingers in gentle circular motions just before bed. “You shouldn’t expect the extensions to come off all at once when doing an at-home removal,” says Tran. “Only a special adhesive remover that is available in the salons is able to achieve this without damaging your natural lashes.”

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After your lash extensions have been successfully removed, Richardson suggests continuing to use castor oil on your natural lashes before bedtime to help strengthen your natural lashes again. “Castor oil has traditionally been used as a natural remedy for thinning hair and eyelashes,” says Joshua Zeichner, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist, who agrees with Richardson’s tip. “Similar to hair conditioners, it forms a protective coating over the hair shaft itself to literally thicken it and enhance healthy growth.”

Vaseline is a god send in our beauty regimes and you can use it to remove your eyelash extensions quickly and easily by using a q-tip to apply a small amount of Vaseline to the glue on your lash line. Apply it in a swift sweeping motion. Although this is not a reliable way of breaking down eyelash extensions glue, it should help some loose lashes fall quicker without tugging naturally. Beware that vaseline in the eye area can cause irritation. Be sure to patch-test.

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Likewise, coconut oil is a great natural remedy for our at-home beauty woes, it carries low risk of irritation and allergy as it's well-tolerated by most skin types. In a similar way to the Vaseline method, saturate a cotton pad in coconut oil and place it on your eye for three minutes. Gently rub in a circular motion until the eyelashes and glue have come off. Top tip: use lukewarm (never hot) oil to speed up the process. Avoid spreading the coconut oil across the rest of the face as it's a product that can clog pores which can result in skin breakouts.

Sorry we had to plug this one in. Since this process requires a delicate touch and a lot patience, if that's not you, then the best tip here really is to go through a professional. If you also encounter resistance or discomfort, or if your extensions were applied with strong adhesive, it's best to stop and seek professional assistance for removal to prevent damage to your natural lashes.

Do not, and we repeat do not, start pulling, tugging or plucking at the faux lashes that are still attached — no matter how silly they may look. “Removing them yourself, by picking and pulling, can actually pull out your actual lashes since the extensions are attached strand by strand,” says Clementina Richardson, founder of Envious Lashes in New York City. “This can lead to bald spots that may never grow back.”

Do not feel temped to use harsh chemicals in order to make removal faster. So keep solvents, acetone, or any other harsh chemicals near your eyes. These can be harmful and irritating to the delicate eye area.

Clementina also recommends staying away from mechanical eyelash curlers, as they can damage your natural lashes in many ways, including pulling lashes out at the root or breaking them in half. Instead add some mascara to disguise the length retention in the gaps of the lash line.

For more from Glamour UK Beauty Writer Shei Mamona, follow her on Instagram @sheimamona