Every woman dreams of long, full, and voluminous lashes. A good lash care routine is the key to healthy natural eye lashes. Unfortunately, most of the time we are not satisfied with how our natural lashes may look. More than ever before we are seeing all kinds of lash enhancements on the market- from wearing false lashes to lash lifts, and even lash extensions.

Although these “enhancements” can be safe when done properly, there is always the possibility of causing some kind of damage to the lashes like impeding their growth. We are not saying that you shouldn’t ever have these done if you want to, but perhaps leave those for special occasions and just embrace your own lashes.

Why Should You Embrace Your Natural Lashes?

Our lashes have an important role, they help keep the eyes safe and protected. They protect the eyes by keeping out dust and debris, any kind of small particles that could be harmful to the eyes. They act like protective curtains that will catch small particles when the eyes are opened. Lashes are so sensitive that they can sense when something is too close and will act as a shield, signaling the eyelids to blink, preventing contact with the eyes. When the eyes are closed, eyelashes act as a strong barrier against any potential irritants.

Because eyelashes are so crucial for the safety of the eyes, it is so important to embrace your natural lashes. How can you do so? Love your lashes and take well care of them just like you would your hair and skin. When your lashes are taken care of, not only will they be in great condition to do their job, being strong and healthy, but they will also look their best. If you feel that your lashes are not as full or as long as you would like, maintaining a good lash care routine can help. There are ways to improve your look without the use of fake lashes or extensions.

How to Care for Lashes

We have put together a lash care guide to help start a good eyelashes care routine. Lashes are a type of hair and they need to be taken care of just as our hair does. Having a solid eyelash care routine will help you embrace them. You will feel great about them because they will be in the best shape possible.

Lash Care Guide, And A Few Tips:

Nutrition

Just like with hair, it all starts from the inside. What you take in plays a huge factor when it comes to lash health. Now, we make completely vegan & cruelty free makeup - but we know not everyone reading this section is vegan. So the following are suggestions that fit all lifestyles. Take what you like, and leave the rest. Make sure to include vitamins* such as Vitamin B-3 (Niacin), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Vitamin H (Biotin), to name a few, in your diet to help promote lash growth. These are all great for hair/eyelash health and growth. You can either take a good multivitamin supplement that includes these and/or you can make sure to eat foods containing these in them. If you aren't vegan, eggs are great to include in your diet as they are high in protein and Biotin. Beans are also a great source of iron, Biotin, folate, and protein. Fatty types of fish are high in omega-3's which are also good for the overall health of all hair.

*you should for sure consult with a doctor before taking any medication

-> Here's a great article about foods with Biotin from Healthline.com

Maintain Clean Lashes

Always cleanse your face, including your eyes and lashes, at the end of the day. Be extra careful and gentle when cleansing around the eye area, making sure to properly remove makeup from the eyes and lashes. Oil cleansers, as well as balm cleansers, are some excellent options for gentle makeup removers.

Moisturize The Lashes

Just as it is important to moisturize your skin as well as your hair, you want to moisturize and hydrate the lashes. Oils are amazing moisturizers and they contain so many beneficial vitamins that will help condition and keep them healthy, just make sure you are using good quality oil. Some great options are castor oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, argan oil, olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil. You can use a lash brush to apply and coat the lashes with oil evenly. Brushing will help distribute the oils throughout the entire lashes. Maintaining moisture will also help prevent breakage, which can mean possibly longer and fuller lashes.

Invest in a Lash Serum

If you feel like your lashes are too short or/and too scarce, try incorporating a lash serum into your eyelash care routine. A good quality serum could help promote lash growth as they tend to be jam-packed with all kinds of lash-loving ingredients and vitamins. However, not all serums are created equally, so make sure to always check the ingredient list. And remember, serums work at the lash line, but be sure to read the instructions on your serum of choice.

Let Them Breathe

Constantly wearing makeup could irritate the eyes and lashes. Make sure to take makeup breaks to let the lashes breathe and keep their good health. It is also very important to not constantly wear false lashes or lash extensions, try to keep them to a minimum or you could just avoid them if possible. It's okay to go mascara free sometimes. Damage is cumulative. You might think that no harm is being done today, but damages to lashes is slow and hard to detect as it's happening.

Check Ingredients

When choosing lash products, and eye products as well, always check to see what ingredients are in them. Whether it’s makeup or care products (like serums for example), always look for gentle lash-loving ingredients that will help keep them healthy. Stay away from potentially harmful ingredients like parabens, phthalates, plasticizers and fragrances. Red Apple Lipstick offers safe and great eye makeup products that are eyelash health-friendly, check out their selection by clicking here. If you get a stye or a clogged lash hair duct, don't use that product again. There's a reason is clogged your hair duct.

Use Natural Mascaras

Since mascaras are directly applied to the lashes, it is super important to choose natural mascaras that do not contain harsh ingredients. Avoid mascaras that contain toxic ingredients like drying alcohols, fragrances, and Teflon. Look for mascaras that are paraben, phthalate, and fragrance-free. The Lash Project Mascara is an excellent choice, it is a lash conditioning mascara full of ingredients that your lashes will love, promoting healthier and stronger lashes the more you use it. It is non-toxic and vegan, gluten, paraben, soy, and cruelty-free.

Apply Mascara In A Tiny Amount

It's okay to go slow. Especially when we're in a hurry, it's easy to over use mascara products in an effort to just get it done. When you have the time, slow down some and use only as much product as you need to get the job done.

Sanitize Eye Lash Curlers

If you use curlers, keep them clean and bacteria free with a good sanitizer. You sure don't want to pass bacteria back to your lash line.

Things to Avoid:

- Over curling, or curling aggressively- doing so could cause breakage and damage.

- Sleeping with makeup, including eye makeup.

- Scrubbing and/or rubbing the eye area when cleansing and in general.

- Harsh and toxic ingredients.

- Sharing eye makeup- there's always the risk of contracting an infection.

The better care you give your lashes, the better they will look. Following a good lash care routine will give you naturally healthy, possibly even longer and fuller, better-looking lashes. Do you have an eyelash care routine? Share in the comments below along with any tips and suggestions.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How can I take care of my eyelashes at home?

It starts with nutrition, make sure to maintain a good diet. Make sure you are cleansing your face, gently and carefully around the eyes, at the end of the day, removing makeup completely. Moisturize and brush the lashes. Avoid harsh and harmful ingredients in your makeup and care products. Use a good quality eyelash serum and use natural mascaras.

Should you brush your eyelashes?

Just like your hair, brushing your eyelashes daily will help keep them groomed, putting stray lashes in place. You can use either a lash comb or brush to do so, just make sure to brush gently. You can even apply a bit of oil to the brush to moisturize the lashes at the same time while brushing, doing so could help stimulate lash growth.

How can I grow my lashes naturally?

Having a good lash care routine will promote growth and maintain healthy and strong lashes. Use oils to moisturize and condition the lashes. Make sure you are taking in those important vitamins that help in hair health and growth such as Biotin. Look into a good-quality lash serum that is packed with lash-loving ingredients.

We hope this blog post has helped you learn how to take care of your lashes. If you enjoyed reading these tips, then please share with friends and family who may also be in need of some help when it comes to their eye lash health. For more information on good-quality eyelash serum brands that are safe for the eyes, check out The Lash Project Mascara or Red Apple Lipstick (available here). We want nothing but the best for your beautiful lashes!