Lash Extensions vs. Strip Lashes
When choosing between professional lash extensions or store-bought strip lashes, go beyond comparing price. Here’s what you can expect from each:
Strip Lashes:
Strip lashes are not to be slept in!
Sleeping in strip lashes will cause damage to the natural lashes, period. They are heavy, covered in glue, and attached to your natural lashes and eyelid. Why in the world would you think it’s a good idea to sleep in them? Face sleepers, I’m talking to you!
When we sleep, we roll around, and our eyes will rub against our pillows. If you have this giant strip of lashes stuck to your own lashes, wouldn’t you think the damage would be done if they started to rub and tug? Sleeping in your strip lashes will rip and break your natural lashes, sorry, but it is true.
Sleeping with strip lashes can cause more lash mites. Warning: nasty facts coming your way!
Everyone has something called Demodex folliculorum or Demodex brevis, both frequently referred to as eyelash mites. They live in or near the hair follicle. They feed on the mucus, sebum, and oils that are secreted from the eyes.
Unfortunately, there isn’t really anything we can do to get rid of them, but we can prevent more eggs being laid, and we can stop giving them more food to consume. How can we do that? We can do that by not sleeping in our makeup, and making sure we cleanse our faces and lashes twice a day!
Strip lashes can rip out natural lashes when you remove them.
In order for strip lashes to stay on, you have to use an adhesive. You can spend anywhere from $3 to $15 on a lash adhesive, and they range in strength as well. When you go to remove your strip lashes at the end of the day, they can become very tricky to remove.
If there is a ton of glue, or the glue got stuck to one of your natural lashes (very common), then they could very well rip out the natural lash. Not only is this slightly painful, but it is not the most aesthetically pleasing when you have choppy lashes.
Strip lashes are much heavier
There are many different types of strip lashes. Some have a clear band, while others have a thick black band. They also range in length, volume, and style. Although having a range of options can be nice, they are also very heavy to the eyelids and natural lashes.
Not only do your eyes have to work harder to open them, but the weight and glue can cause wear on your natural lashes, causing them to thin out or even fall out. Sometimes, when one of our natural lashes gets ripped out like that, it can completely shock the follicle and kill it.
This means that a lash will never grow back from that follicle, and we do not want that to happen!
Strip lashes can cause eye infections
When you don’t properly take care of your strip lashes, they can become breeding grounds for bacteria. Excess glues, makeup, and eye gunk can get stuck on the strips and not get cleaned off, causing all that dirt and bacteria to get put right back on your eyes. That bacteria can go into your eyes and cause minor or severe infections. You can also cause clogged eye ducts which can cause a range of symptoms and issues itself.
Lash Extensions:
Lash extensions are individual lashes, not one big strip.
Lash extensions are applied one by one. Meaning, the lash technician will adhere one individual lash extension to one natural lash. Lash extensions will move with your natural lashes, causing no tugging or pulling.
They are completely comfortable and fall out with your natural lashes. Oil-free cleansers and products are recommended to keep the extensions clean and healthy. Lash extensions can be slept in, treated like regular lashes, and can last 4-5 weeks: although fill-ins are suggested every 2-3 weeks.
Lash extensions need not be removed at night.
They are much safer for the natural lashes than strip lashes, especially if we’re talking strictly to wear at night. Lash extensions adhere to the natural lash individually versus with a large strip attached to the entire lash line – this makes lash extensions much more comfortable and safe. Definitely make sure you are brushing through your lashes at least twice a day (morning and night) to ensure that your lashes are laying in the right direction. This will allow them to stay clean and look their best.
Lash extensions save you a ton of time!
Getting strip lashes, measuring them out, trimming them, putting glue on them, and waiting for them to get tacky so you can apply them, is just way too much work to be doing every morning. Not to mention the hassle of having to remove them at night as well. So much time is wasted in the morning and at night trying to put on or remove strip lashes.
Get a set of customized lash extensions that you only have to worry about filling in every 2-3 weeks instead of daily! Let me also add that there is no fidgeting with the inner corners of lash extensions like you do with strip lashes. I can’t tell you how many times I have to bring with lash glue in my purse to fix that inner corner of my strip lash throughout the day or night! It is absolutely annoying and totally avoidable with lash extensions!
Lash extensions look natural.
Strip lashes are obvious they’re not your own. Let’s be honest here, we all know when someone is wearing strip lashes. We can see that thick band, and we know there is no way that your lashes have a blunt start and end. Then there are lash extensions. Yes, there are different styles of lash extensions that range in drama, but a lot of times, people have lash extensions and we really don’t know it. When done properly, lash extensions can give us the lashes we’ve always wanted, without being obvious.
Lash extensions can be worn in the shower, swimming, and while working out.
Bet you didn’t think about this one!
Lash extensions are ideal for everyday life. Unlike strip lashes, they will not fall off in the shower. The adhesive used to keep strip lashes on will disintegrate under the water and they will fall right off. Pretty much the same result if you tried to go swimming with them too!
During a workout should not be a time to worry about your lashes. You would be surprised how many people go to the gym with a full face of makeup on and their strip lashes. You would also then laugh at the number of people you’d see (if you paid attention), that are constantly pushing their strip lashes into their lash line to make them stay on. Sweat will also make your strip lashes fall off!
Do us all a favor, and just get a set of lash extensions, you won’t regret it.
