How Often Should You Refill Your Eyelash Extensions? Information on refill schedules and maintenance

How Often Should You Refill Your Eyelash Extensions? A Complete Guide to Refill Schedules and Maintenance

Eyelash extensions are a popular beauty treatment that offers a glamorous, hassle-free way to achieve fuller, longer lashes. However, to maintain their fresh and voluminous look, regular refills are essential. One of the most common questions asked by clients is, “How often should I refill my eyelash extensions?”

In this detailed guide, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about maintaining your eyelash extensions, including how often you should get refills, what factors influence refill schedules, and tips for extending the life of your lash extensions. By understanding these key aspects, you’ll ensure that your lashes always look fabulous while minimizing the need for frequent touch-ups.

What Are Eyelash Extension Infill or Refills?

Before we jump into refill schedules, it’s essential to understand what a refill entails. During an eyelash extension refill, your lash artist will:

1. Remove any loose or overgrown extensions that have moved away from the lash line as your natural lashes grow. (overgrown lashes with extensions that’s dangling on the tip will put weight and strain on your lashes and can potentially cause damage.
2. Replace extensions that have shed with your natural lash cycle.
3. Fill in any gaps to restore the fullness and even distribution of the lashes.

Refills are a crucial part of maintaining lash extensions because they keep your lashes looking fresh and symmetrical. Since your natural lashes shed regularly (just like the hair on your head), the extensions attached to those lashes also fall out over time.

How Often Should You Refill Your Eyelash Extensions?

Most lash artists recommend scheduling refills every 2 to 3 weeks. However, the exact frequency can vary depending on several factors, which we’ll explore below. Sticking to a regular refill schedule ensures that your lashes remain full and voluminous without gaps or unevenness.

Here’s a breakdown of common refill timelines:

– Every 2 Weeks: Ideal for clients who want to maintain a consistently full look. This schedule is especially helpful for those with high metabolism rate/fast-growing natural lashes or clients who are hard on their lashes (frequent makeup use, eye rubbing, etc.). If you notice that your nails grow out very quickly, the same situation will apply to your lashes!

A lot of our younger clientele do 2 weeks infill due to their higher metabolism rate.

– Every 3 Weeks (most common): Suitable for clients with slower lash growth or those who take meticulous care of their extensions. A three-week refill keeps your lashes looking good while spacing out appointments slightly more.

– Every 4+ Weeks: After 4 weeks, many lash artists will likely recommend a full set rather than a refill. By this point, a significant portion of the extensions will have shed. Even if it looks like you still have quite a bit left, most of them would need to be removed during the appointment as they would have grown out from the lash line which might not be noticeable to you. Keep those on would mean they will look messy very quickly and because they have already been there for a month, they will fall out quickly as well if not removed! Subsequently, filling in the gaps will take more time and effort than a regular refill.

Factors That Influence Refill Schedules

While 2 to 3 weeks is a general guideline, several factors can influence how often you need a refill. Understanding these factors will help you better plan your appointments and maintain the longevity of your lashes.

1. Natural Lash Growth Cycle
Your natural lashes grow and shed in cycles, with each lash going through three stages: growth (anagen), resting (catagen), and shedding (telogen). The average person loses 2-5 natural lashes per day, sometimes more sometimes less, meaning that extensions attached to those lashes will fall out as well. If you have a faster lash growth cycle, you may notice your extensions shedding more quickly, requiring more frequent refills.

It is also normal to see a huge more than usual fall out every 3-4 months during seasonal change as well as during your lash shedding cycle (just like animals, you will notice this if you have a pet at home!)

This is normal and doesn’t mean your lash technician is not doing a proper job. During this time, you might want to bring your infill appointment forward a little.

 2. Lifestyle and Activities
Certain lifestyle factors can cause eyelash extensions to shed faster:
– Swimming or exercising frequently: High humidity, sweat, and frequent water exposure can break down the adhesive, causing extensions to fall out sooner.
– Rubbing your eyes or sleeping face-down: These habits can dislodge extensions prematurely. Clients who are mindful of avoiding these behaviors may be able to extend the time between refills.
– Frequent use of makeup or oil-based products: Oils, even those found in makeup or skincare products, can weaken the adhesive bond, leading to faster shedding.

If your lifestyle includes any of these activities, you may find yourself needing refills more often.

3. Type of Lash Extensions
The type of eyelash extensions you choose can also affect your refill schedule:
– Classic Lash Extensions: These extensions are applied one-to-one on your natural lashes, giving a more natural look. Since fewer extensions are applied compared to volume lashes, refills for classic lashes may be needed more frequently to maintain fullness.
– Volume Lash Extensions: Volume lashes involve applying multiple lightweight lashes to one natural lash, creating a fuller look. This fuller appearance can make it easier to go a bit longer between refills, as the shedding is less noticeable.

The technique of Class and Volume is totally different and volume application technique gives a more secure bond with your natural lashes. Making them longer lasting.

4. Aftercare and Maintenance
Proper aftercare plays a significant role in how long your lash extensions last between refills. By following the recommended aftercare tips, you can extend the life of your extensions and reduce the frequency of refills. Key aftercare tips include:
– Avoiding oil-based cleansers and makeup removers: Oils break down the lash adhesive, leading to faster fallout.
– Cleaning your lashes with a lash cleanser or micellar water: This helps remove dirt and oil build-up without damaging the extensions.
– Brushing your lashes daily with a spoolie to keep them neat and untangled.

Taking good care of your lash extensions will ensure that they stay in place longer, reducing the need for frequent refills.

5. Technique and experience of your technician

As with everything that’s customised, the experience and technique of technician can play a big part on how long your extensions last. Good product doesn’t guarantee good result if it ends up in the wrong hands.

 Signs You Need a Refill

It can be difficult to know exactly when you’re due for a refill, especially if you’re new to lash extensions. Here are some signs that it’s time to book your appointment:

– Noticeable gaps in your lash line: If you start seeing unevenness or gaps between lashes, it’s a clear sign that some extensions have shed and need replacing.
– Sparse or thinning lashes: If your lash extensions are looking sparse and you can see more of your natural lashes, it’s time for a refill.
– Extensions are twisting or tangling: As your natural lashes grow, extensions may start to twist or get tangled if they’ve grown too far away from the lash line.

How to Extend the Time Between Refills

While regular refills are essential, there are ways to make your lash extensions last longer between appointments. Here’s how you can extend the time between refills:

1. Follow Proper Aftercare: This cannot be emphasized enough. Proper cleansing, avoiding oils, and keeping your lashes clean will help extend their lifespan.

2. Avoid Touching or Rubbing Your Eyes: Constantly touching or rubbing your eyes can dislodge extensions prematurely, leading to faster fallout.

3. Sleep on Your Side/Back: If you’re a side or stomach sleeper, consider switching to sleeping on your back. This prevents your lashes from being pressed against your pillow, which can cause them to loosen.

4. Use a lash growth serum:  A good and potent lash serum can make your natural grow longer, thicker, stronger and stimulate a lot more lash growth.

This will mean we can apply more extensions which means there will be plenty left despite the fallout. Stronger natural lashes also mean that they can withstand the weight of the extensions better and hold them for a longer time. Trust us when we say lash serum is NOT A GIMMICK. You just need to pick the right one as some that you purchase off the counter or online can be too weak to work.

Conclusion

Maintaining the perfect set of eyelash extensions requires regular refills, typically every 2 to 3 weeks. The exact timing depends on factors like your natural lash growth cycle, lifestyle, and how well you take care of your lashes. By scheduling consistent refills and following proper aftercare, you’ll keep your lashes looking fresh and voluminous all year round.

At our Sydney lash and brow boutique, we offer tailored eyelash extension services and expert advice on maintenance. Book your refill appointment today and keep your lashes looking flawless!