When getting eyelash extensions from the stylists, they always recommend you to keep lashes away from water for the first 24 to 36 hours. It means no showers, no swimming, and no touching your face with wet hands. However, it is also crucial to know how to wash your face with eyelash extensions on the usual days to make them last longer.
After 24 hours of putting on lash extensions, you can gently wash your face with a mild cleanser and tepid water, being careful not to rub or scrub your lashes. With proper care, your eyelash extensions will last for weeks.
Yet, learning how to care for your volume lashes is not limited to the first few days. You’ll need continued diligence about how to take a shower or wash your face with eyelash extensions to prevent them from falling out too early.
In this article, we share five helpful tips about how to wash your face with volume lashes on. So, let’s get into it!
Can I Wash My face With Eyelash Extensions?
If you have eyelash extensions, you might wonder how to best care for them, specifically whether it’s okay to get them wet every time you wash your face. The good news is that you can continue to wash your face as usual, even with lash extensions.
Washing your lashes helps them clean and keep your eyes away from dryness and infections. Moreover, it helps remove the makeup build. Do you know that you can use tea tree oil to clean your eyelashes and extensions?
The key is to use a very gentle cleanser and avoid rubbing or scrubbing your lashes. Instead, splash some water on your face and use your fingertips to massage the cleanser into your skin lightly.
Here Is How To Wash Your Face With Lash Extensions
First of all, it’s crucial to avoid getting the extensions wet for the first 24 hours after they’re applied. It gives the adhesive time to set and helps ensure that the eyelash extensions will stay in place.
After that initial period, you can go ahead and splash some water on your face or take a shower without worry. Just be careful about the following things when showering or washing your face with lash extensions.
1. Use a Gentle Cleanser
Maintaining long, luscious lashes takes work, but it’s worth it when you can flutter your eyelashes and watch hearts melt. If you’ve invested in eyelash extensions, you want to make sure you’re using the gentle face wash for them – one that will cleanse your skin without damaging your delicate lashes. Look for a gentle face wash that is designed specifically for eyelash extensions.
Experts recommend using a foaming, oil-free cleanser that is gentle on the skin and eyelash extensions. A good face wash will remove makeup and impurities without leaving your skin feeling dry or lashes crunchy.

When choosing a cleanser to wash your face with eyelash extensions on, make sure it is free from the following ingredients.
- Glycol is organic alcohol, and a variety of face washes contain this ingredient. While it is good at cleansing, glycol can react with eyelash extensions glue and make it break away easily.
- Oil and lash glue don’t go well together. Some of the oils can soften or even break the eyelash extensions adhesive.
- Sulfates rich cleansers are infamous for the dryness they cause. Therefore, washing your face with them while putting on the lash extension can make your fake eyelashes feel crunchy and plastic.
2. Avoid Rubbing Eyelash Extensions When Washing Your Face
When you get volume lashes, it is crucial not to rub your eyes when washing your face or taking a shower. The extensions are attached to your eyelashes with a medical-grade adhesive. If you rub your eyes, you can loosen the glue and cause the extensions to fall out.
In addition, rubbing your eyes can damage your natural lashes, making them thinner and weaker over time.
So, if you want to keep your lash extensions looking their best, be sure to avoid rubbing your eyes. Instead, gently cleanse the area around your eyes with a mild cleanser and a soft washcloth.

If you want the dirt out from your lash extensions, brush them before washing your face. Once the fake eyelashes, even natural, get wet, you need not touch or tug them.
3. Avoid Hot Steamy Water
Instead of water, you should be more careful about the steam because it reacts with the eyelash extension glue and makes it brittle. Moreover, prolonged or regular exposure to hot water can soften the adhesive, weakening its bonds.
So, take care when washing your face, showering, or cooking, and keep your face away from steam sources. If steam is unavoidable, wear goggles to protect your eyelash extensions.
4. Don’t Scrub
Scrubbing the face to remove all those dead skin cells, oil, and dirt can be handy, but not when wearing eyelash extensions. First, the ingredients in the scrubs are a bit harsh, and if they get into your lashes, you may see the repercussions. Second, scrubbing involves using force, which can tug your lash extensions and make them fall out.
However, if it is inevitable, you should wear goggles to protect your lashes or at least don’t scrub around your eyes.
5. Avoid Water Pressure
While it is less common to wash your face with eyelash extensions than when you take a shower, allowing water to hit your lashes directly can damage them. When you pour water onto your lashes, the pressure can cause the bonds to loosen and weaken the glue.
So, avoid the direct running water or harshly splashing your face while wearing eyelash extensions.
6. Air Dry Eyelash Extensions After Washing Your Face
Drying eyelash extension each time you wash your face is crucial because if you let the water sit in your lashes, it can weaken the glue. Also, be mindful not to rub them with your everyday use towel. Often, the fiber from the towel gets entangled with lash extension and can tug them.
So, it is better to blow dry your eyelash extensions with cool air and using a low speed. However, you can also sit in front of a fan. But if it feels tiring to do multiple times a day, use a microfiber cloth or cotton pad to lightly dab the lash line, being careful not to pull on the extensions.
Can I wash My face in the Shower with Eyelash Extensions?
After the first 24 hours of getting eyelash extensions, you may still wonder whether I should wash my face in the shower. After all, exposure to water is one of the things that can cause lash extensions to fall out prematurely.
However, washing your face in the shower is fine as long as you take a few precautions. First, make sure that the water is not too hot, as this can cause the glue to loosen. Second, avoid using harsh cleansers or scrubbing too vigorously, as this can also damage the bond between your lashes and the extensions.
Finally, be sure to pat your lashes dry gently after washing. You can keep your lash extensions looking great even if you wash your face in the shower with a bit of care.
Executive Summary
It is a common myth that you should not get water onto your lash extensions. Water helps clean your lashes and keep the lashline healthy. However, there are a few things you need to be careful about when washing your face with eyelash extensions.
The best way to wash your face with eyelash extensions is to use a gentle and sulfate-free facial cleanser. You should avoid using bar soap, as it can be too harsh on the skin and eyelashes. Instead, wet your hands and massage the cleanser into your skin before rinsing off with water. Gently pat your skin dry with a towel. Do not rub or pull on your eyelashes!