EYELASH EXTENSIONS - ARE THEY TOXIC?
Sooo at one point eyelash extensions were pretty important to me. Slightly embarrassed to admit this seeing that it sounds a bit vain but my 2017 and partial 2018 obsession was easily, hands-down, eyelash extensions. I have since removed them and have gone back and forth about getting back on the extension wagon….but first…research!
In my continued efforts to eliminate as many toxins as I can from my daily schedule and regimen…without totally losing my mind, I had to dive into this subject because the glue used for the lashes have always freaked me out. BUT when I was having a tough day, these lashes eliminated a lot of the need to wear makeup and led me to feel a little less horrific looking.
Gone are the days of the extensions I had at my wedding that would literally bald all of your natural eyelashes. They now have glue that doesn’t cause your own to all fall out immediately – is this a victory? Now, I’m not convinced. Yes mine didn’t fall out, but since I’ve removed mine it has greatly stunted the growth of my natural lashes.
So let’s talk about the products that are used. One important thing to note – these products are NOT subject to FDA approval <not that this necessarily means all that much! Since very few toxic ingredients are restricted in the US unlike the UK//Europe>
Things to know:
· Formaldehyde and Latex are the biggest controversial ingredients. SO HERE’S THE CATCH: Formaldehyde <yes the stuff they use to preserve dead bodies & a carcinogen & cancer causing> is also found in cyanoacrylates– which are typically in all adhesives & actually give off Formaldehyde when it is drying. It will typically never say “Formaldehyde” on the actual ingredient list*. A few things to consider:
· You can have an allergic reaction to the adhesive
· Extensions can cause erosion of the inner surface of the eyelid/cornea – damaging the present and future growth of your natural eyelashes
· Bacteria is easily collected on faux lashes
SO the bad news is it seems like there is no real natural, or non-toxic option for an adhesive – no matter what someone tells you! And formaldehyde will be involved in some capacity with any brand of adhesive. If you decide to continue or to initially get extensions then I would suggest trying to be careful about the following – have control over things you can effect –
1) Ask for the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) for the glue that the technician. If they refuse to give you any ingredient info… they’re probably hiding something
2) If you’re afraid of a reaction, have them do a patch test on your wrist or back
3) Go to a high quality, trained and licensed salon/technician
4) Ensure the technician has washed/cleaned their hands and their space
5) Ask for a sensitive or hypoallergenic adhesive
6) Confirm that the lashes and adhesive will only touch your lashes and not your skin <which would equate to greater exposure of the toxins>
7) Learn about and strictly follow the cleanliness guidelines – including not using products on the extensions
8) Pump the breaks on the extensions – I wouldn’t consider this a permanent thing – maybe a couple times a year or less? Again they can stunt permanent growth to your natural lashes and then you’re in a really bad place..
Also, please note, that I currently haven’t had extensions for over 6 months now and my natural lashes still aren’t back to what they used to be, from a length prospective. I may start to use castor oil or something else to assist with re-growth.
After waiting and re-evaluating, will I ever get extensions again? Well I do believe in balance – if I lived an obscenely strict life in all areas, I would probably self-implode. But, for the unforeseen future, I don’t feel the need to add this back into my regimen. It’s my current preference to work on the lashes I have…maybe down the road I’ll have a change of heart, but for now I’m staying natural with my good eyelash primer + mascara.
Health and happiness,
Liz