Love swimming, but don’t want to ruin your beautiful eyelash extensions? Don’t fret! They are more resistant than you think. You can continue taking long dips in the pool during those scorching summer days even with eyelash extensions and other makeup on.
You can go swimming with eyelash extensions, in both a swimming pool and outdoors, as long as the eyelash glue has completely cured. In the past, the recommendation was to wait 24-48 hours, but nowadays the glue can cure in approximately 4 hours. Afterwards, you can swim with peace of mind knowing that your extensions will remain in place.
In this article, we’ll answer all of your burning questions about swimming with lash extensions and why it’s okay. We’ll cover the impact that chlorine and saltwater has on the retentiveness of lash extensions, best practices to ensure your lashes stay in place, as well as the proper after care you should perform after swimming. Read on to find out more.
How long do you have to wait for the glue to cure?
I’ve read so many articles claiming that you need to wait 24 to 48 hours, and a handful that even recommended 72 hours for the glue to cure. That’s absolutely ridiculous and not true anymore.
With advancements in the adhesive formula, now 4 hours is more than sufficient for the glue to completely cure and bond the extension to your natural lashes.
If you were to follow the old recommendation, you would have to go two full days without being able to wet your lashes. What about if you cry, or if you want to wash your face or take a shower? Two whole days of not being able to do that or doing awkward workarounds? That’s just asking for too much.
I can only imagine that the next innovation will shorten that time even more, and maybe one day you won’t even have to wait any significant amount of time before you can head into the water with lash extensions.
Swimming in the ocean with lash extensions
If you’re thinking about swimming at the beach with eyelash extensions, there are two main concerns: saltwater and waves.
Exposure to salt
It’s no secret that salt can un-stick the lash extensions, or at least reduce the lifespan of the extensions more so than oil-based cosmetics. The reason is that salt is a desiccant, meaning it absorbs moisture, which is essential for the glue to set in the first place.
Even after the glue has cured, salt can slowly disintegrate the glue on a chemical level which will cause your fake lashes to fall out much faster.
That said, small amounts of exposure to salt is not a problem, since our perspiration is slightly salty. The issue is continued exposure, such as if you are submerged underwater for any significant period of time.
The key here is to protect your lashes by limiting exposure with goggles or a dive mask. This also offers physical protection which can prevent anything from physically ripping the lashes off.
After swimming, it’s likely that you still got some salt on your lashes. You should always have a bottle of freshwater to rinse your extensions after a swim.
Exposure to waves
The other concern when swimming at the beach is the force of the waves splashing onto you and potentially tearing off your extensions.
Waves can splash really hard. It’s not uncommon for people to literally have their tops or bottoms blown off, or even for a tight pair of goggles to slide off after getting hit by a wave. How do you expect lash extensions to fare?
Honestly, it’s not just waves you should be worried about. Other people splashing about, stray volleyballs, or your own desire to rub your eyes can be the cause of your eyelash extensions falling off.
After leaving the beach to shower, be wary of letting the shower head spray directly on your eyelashes. You can shower with them on, but just don’t let your extensions be the first point of contact with pressurized water.
Swimming in the pool with eyelash extensions
If your eyelash extensions can survive a day at the beach, then they can certainly be worn while swimming in the pool. Again, you should wait at least 4 hours for the glue to cure. Also, there are a couple of dangers to the extensions you need to be wary of.
Exposure to chlorine
Swimming pool water is treated with chlorine, which is a chemical that kills bacteria and keeps the water safe to swim in. It is also known to cause plenty of side effects like dry hair and skin, and can react with lash adhesives as well.
Like salt, chlorine can also dry out your skin and hair by stripping the natural oils away from them. This is starting to go beyond the scope of this article, but just know that you should be thoroughly rinsing yourself after swimming and applying plenty of moisturizer and conditioner.
With regards to exposing your extensions to chlorine, you want to limit that as much as possible by wearing goggles. The goggles must be spacious enough to not choke or obstruct your false lashes, while having a tight enough seal to keep water out. If you can’t find a pair of goggles that meet these requirements, try wearing a dive mask over your eyes instead.
Limiting chlorine exposure is critical because it can cause cyanoacrylate-based adhesives (such as the one you use for your lashes) to descale and, with time, un-stick from your natural lashes. If you are frequently swimming in the pool, your lashes will fall off much faster because the bond is being disintegrated by chlorine.
After swimming, rinse the extensions with fresh water to remove any lingering chlorine from them to ensure the adhesives last longer. You may even have to go as far as to refill after every swim at the pool.
Exposure to splashes and water pressure
Aside from exposure to chlorine, you also need to be wary of anything at the pool that could physically tear the lashes off.
Be very careful around kids or teenagers rough-housing. Any unexpected splashes could tear on the lashes if you aren’t wearing goggles. Also be wary in general of stray pool noodles, kick boards, or other swimmers. A collision would cause more problems than just your extensions falling off.
Furthermore, are you a fan of diving? Also not a good idea with lashes on. Not even goggles can protect you because the force of the impact with goggles on can damage your eyes in general.
If you’re at a water park, pay attention to where water sprays and splashes. Getting sprayed in the face at a high water pressure is not just disorienting, but will almost certainly cause your extensions to fall out earlier than expected.
Clean your extensions after swimming
After swimming, you need to rinse your false lashes with freshwater to remove and salt or chlorine on them. Let the water run down your face instead of splashing it directly on it.
Next, take out a clean mascara wand or brush, your favorite lash cleanser, and some cotton pads.
First, apply the cleanser onto your lashes or onto the clean mascara wand. You can foam the cleanser up by putting a few drops of it in the palm of your hand and swirling it with a soft makeup brush.
Gently brush the foam onto your lashes to remove any lingering dirt or oil along the lash line and to spread the cleanser. Rinse the foam off with water.
Lastly, dry out your extensions using a soft washcloth or cotton pads. You need to be very gentle. You can pat your face gently or use a blow dryer on a cool-low setting.
The bottom line
Don’t let your eyelash extensions be the reason why you can’t enjoy swimming at the beach or the pool. Instead of limiting your opportunities, you should learn how to best protect and care for your extensions during those activities.
Even though you can go swimming with eyelash extensions, you should still try to limit their exposure to water. Always wear a pair of goggles or a dive mask to protect them from water or from an outside force tearing them off.
If you are not careful protecting your extensions, then don’t be surprised if they fall off much sooner than you expect.
