Are you an expectant mom who would love to get her lashes done? You’re not alone! This is one of the most popular questions we are asked by Mummas-to-be at The Lash Spa. Looking back on the birth of my own two babies…I was so excited at the prospect of a fresh set of lashes before giving birth and managed to maintain my eyelash extensions throughout my pregnancies.
Why do women want eyelash extensions during pregnancy?
It’s simple – we may feel huge but we also want to feel beautiful! Not every mum is lucky enough to get that pregnancy glow and some can even find it quite a self-conscious time.
Fresh eyelash extensions can make you feel more put-together and beautiful throughout your pregnancy – plus in your birth and hospital photos. Our pregnant client feedback is that they were so relieved not to have smudged mascara and panda eyes at the end of their long labours and it made them appear to have a little bit of makeup on in their photos – not that this is a huge concern when you’re literally bringing new life into the world…but it would be nice to be able to frame and print hospital photos and feel somewhat put together 🙂
Another reason many women dream of lashes done before the birth of their baby is for maternity photos that you’ll cherish. Stick with me, keep reading and we’ll go through a few reasons why some doctors advise against having eyelash extensions applied during pregnancy and also what expectant mums really do when they come to get their lashes done.
You may have heard that getting eyelash extensions while pregnant is a big no-no. But is it really true? The simple answer is you can get extensions, but there are some things you should definitely be aware of before showing up to an appointment.
Below are some common concerns pregnant women have about eyelash extensions. Read on to learn more about the facts and to debunk any eyelash extension myth you’ve heard.
Top 3 Things to Consider When Getting Eyelash Extensions While Pregnant
1. Chemical Ingredients
With a baby on the way, it is understandable that mothers become more meticulous about the products they use. After all, it is common knowledge that toxic chemicals can have adverse effects on a baby’s health. With my first pregnancy I remember being scared of regular shampoo during the first trimester – it’s a nerve-wracking time and you just want to do the safe thing and make sure no harm comes to your little unborn baby.
Eyelash extension application is non-invasive but many pregnant women are still concerned about the chemicals involved – most particularly about the type of adhesive used to attach the extension to the natural lash.
A quick internet search may lead you to a couple of horror stories about toxic eyelash glue. Some people claim that eyelash glue containing harmful chemicals can even cause birth defects. While there may be unsafe options out there, a professional salon will not choose any product that will put their clients at risk.
Rest assured, our in-house adhesive glue has been tested and guaranteed to be safe for cosmetic use. It is also good to note that the eyelash glue does not actually touch the skin during the procedure. And together with our high-quality products, the eyelash extension process is perfectly safe even for pregnant women.
At The Lash Spa, we keep Material Data Safety Sheets on every product we use behind the counter (if you’d like to take a look – just ask) and ensure that nothing is harmful to our clients. Our glue is the best on the market and does not contain formaldehyde. Our team are highly skilled in lash application and are trained to ensure no glue ever touches the skin. We apply the extensions 1mm away from the lash line to ensure our client’s comfort.
2. Allergic Reactions
Allergic reactions are very rare when it comes to lash extensions. A busy lash salon may only see as few as one allergic reaction cases per year and generally, the client will be aware of their allergies (they may have also had a latex allergy for example so a higher chance of having allergies to the lash glue).
If you’d never had eyelash extensions in your life and want to try them for the first time while pregnant, we would advise against this. If you’ve had eyelash extensions in the past and have never had an issue – it’s unlikely you will experience a reaction.
The main concern is that if a pregnant client did react, treatment of the reaction would be a little trickier due to restrictions on what antihistamines and medication can be taken.
3. Application Process – Laying On Your Back – Is it Safe?
The application process of lash extensions requires clients to lay on their back for 60 minutes for a full set application. At The Lash Spa, we aim to do fast lash sets as many of our clients are busy professionals or mums who come during their work lunch breaks or baby’s nap time. This is why we ensure we only bring on team members who are highly experienced in lash application.
Our behind-the-scenes operations also include heaps of time-saving procedures which has allowed us to reduce our full set application time from 2.5-3 hours down to 60 minutes. We use pre-fanned lashes that come at a higher cost for us as a salon, but we consider it a worthy investment into our clients who have busy lives and simply cannot set aside half a day for lashes.
Other salons have their lash artists making volume lash fans by hand which is incredibly time-consuming and can result in the fans not being totally symmetrical. We have absolutely nothing against this method but our preference is to use perfect lash fans that are already fanned. The end result is the same but will save our lovely clients from laying on our lash table for hours (which would be impossible for our pregnant clients to do).
How some clients combat the “no laying on your back rule”
Health professionals warn against expectant mums who are past the 6-month mark, to not lay on their back for prolonged periods of times. We find the best solution is for pregnant clients to get their initial full set before the 6-month mark and then maintain the lash set with infills until their due date. The infill appointment is only 30 minutes of application time – we also keep cushions at the salon to help prop our heavily pregnant who may prefer to lay on their sides.
Always consult with your doctor before coming in for eyelash extensions if you’re pregnant. Please let us know in the ‘notes’ section of your booking so we can have the cushions ready to go for you.
If you think that laying down for the full hour might be a bit too much in one sitting, you could instead book 2 infill or half set appointments over a couple of days or even just let us know and we can schedule in a break fo you to walk down to a cafe and stretch your legs before finishing the application. So you’d still end up with a full set of lashes, but it would be done in two 30 minute sittings.
Conclusion
I hope all of this made sense – if a pregnant client called me and asked if it’s safe for them to get lashes…this is what I would say:
“We have many pregnant clients who continue to have eyelash extensions throughout their pregnancy. We keep cushions in the salon to help our pregnant ladies feel more comfortable. The main thing is, check with your doctor and get the all-clear before coming in. We also recommend you go to the bathroom right before we begin the application process. If you’ve never had lash extensions before it’s probably not the wisest time to get your first set just in case you do experience a reaction (the risk isn’t increased, it’s still super rare but just harder to treat due to limits on medicine you can take).”