Here are a few tips that’ll help you keep your lash extensions looking great when you swim.
Choose your pool carefully. Lakes and natural swimming pools are going to be kinder to your lash extensions and to your skin. If you can avoid salt and chlorine pools, definitely do so.
Wear goggles. Goggles will protect your extensions as well as your eyes from the harsh pool chemicals or salt water. If you’re going to engage in more vigorous activity, like swimming laps or diving, they’ll also protect your extensions from getting pulled off by the force of the water. As a bonus, they’ll even help you see better. Choose a pair that’s large enough so as not to put pressure on your extensions but that will still create a good seal. We recommend looking at options from Speedo or Barracuda.
Don’t rub your eyes. Do not rub your eyes no matter what. Friction and tugging are damaging to both your extensions and your natural lashes, so while you might be tempted to wipe away sweat or water, resist the urge. Goggles, once again, will probably help.
Avoid diving or horsing around. Swimming with extensions is fine, but anything that’ll put pressure on them can be a problem. You may want to avoid diving or swimming intense laps or getting into water fights, especially if you’re not wearing goggles. Sadly, getting splashed with a high-powered water gun can definitely cause you to lose a couple of lashes.
Try a protective product. Lash extension sealants like our Crystal Coat can help further protect your lashes and the glue when you go swimming with eyelash extensions. This coat will create a protective layer surrounding your lashes and glue, to help prevent salt or chlorine from impacting the material and causing lash loss.
Be careful with sunscreen. As you probably already know, oily skincare products can speed up the breakdown of your extension glue. It’s so important you protect your eye area from the sun, though, so the best choice is to use a stick sunscreen that won’t migrate.
No mascara. One question that often comes up is whether you can wear waterproof mascara with extensions to go swimming. The answer is a resounding no. While some mascaras are safe to wear with extensions, these are also the mascaras that are most likely to run in water. If you’re going swimming, we recommend avoiding all eye makeup.