Can Mature Eyes Handle the Weight of Lash Extensions?
Lash extensions are not just for the kids! No matter your age, there’s a perfect lash extension style for you — and the perfect lash weight. What does age have to do with lash weight? Many people with mature eyes find lash extensions uncomfortable, not because of the adhesive or the flutter, but because of the weight.
If you have mature eyes, your eyes can totally handle the weight of lash extensions because lash extensions can be extremely lightweight. Lightweight lash extensions are best for mature eyes.
Why Do Mature Eyes Need Lighter Weight Lashes Than Other Eyes?
As we age, we lose muscle tone across our bodies. Additionally, our skin loses elasticity.
In your eye area, from your lids to the skin around your eye, these two facts make wearing lash extensions more difficult. Difficult, but not impossible. Let’s look at what actually happens to your eyes as you age:
The Lashes
Your lashes will become more fragile as you age. To be clear, eyelashes are fragile to start with, so to retain the lashes after menopause, you will have to be even more careful with the products you use on your eyes.
Menopause actually causes thinning of hair all over your body, including your head. The loss of estrogen post-menopause can actually kill hair follicles all over your body, so you may notice thinner, whisper hair all over, not just your eyelashes.
You will likely notice your eyelashes thinning and individual fibers getting shorter. Many people worry about their eyelashes falling out at the root, but in mature eyes, your eyelashes may actually be splitting in the middle of the brittle fiber.
Because of this, be extremely careful with the curler, and don’t crimp too hard, if at all. A supplemental vitamin B (aka, Biotin) serum is one natural way to combat this lash degeneration. It’s like a vitamin for your eyelashes.
The Skin
Since the skin around our eyes is extremely thin, constantly moving when we blink, and exposed to the sun more frequently, it will show signs of aging sooner than other areas of skin. Though it may be most noticeable around your eyes, your skin will lose elasticity across your body with age, beginning at age 25.
What causes the loss of elasticity? Loss of collagen and elastin, the proteins that provide structure to your skin. Hormonal changes, sun damage, poor diet, lack of sleep, and changes in your body’s oil production cause your body to produce gradually less and less of these proteins. A high-quality collagen supplement, a protein-rich diet, and a skincare routine with adequate SPF can help combat this loss.
Since your skin may suffer a shift in fat deposits as you age (more on that in a moment), this may leave you with extra, loose skin around your eyes. We already know about the loss of elasticity, so when the fat deposits shift, the skin around them isn’t able to reshape itself to the structure beneath it, resulting in “extra” skin that may appear as wrinkles or bags.
The Muscles
The muscles around your eyes naturally weaken with age. You may experience droopy skin in multiple places that could interfere with your lashes: the skin just below your brow, in the crease, and on the eyelid itself.
Ptosis is a common condition in mature eyes that weakens the muscle that opens and closes the eye. It appears as a drooping eyelid: when the eye is open, the eyelid rests at the same level as the pupil.
For some, this can hamper their vision, but for others, it’s not noticeable without a mirror. Many people have this condition without realizing it; it can be aggravated by rubbing your eyes often, prolonged use of contact lenses, or a side effect of eye surgery.
Other Tissue
In general, fat around our faces is a sign of health and youth. This fat is there to protectively cushion all the important structures in and around our eyes.
With age, we may find the fat in our face shifting or disappearing altogether and leaving behind dark circles, sagging skin, or hallows around our eyes. When fatty tissue shifts around our eyes, we may end up with puffy bags under our eyes or on our upper and lower eyelids.
This is normal, though it can be uncomfortable, and it’s just the result of gravity pushing fatty tissue forward and down. Puffy upper eyelids can make wearing extensions a bit more difficult.
How Much Do Lash Extensions Weigh?
The answer is that it varies. Different lengths and different materials will have different weights. People who are new to lash extensions, people with sensitive eyes, and people with mature eyes will naturally want to choose a very lightweight extension. But how can you know if an extension will be lightweight before you try it on?
In general, shorter lengths will be lighter. Not only is there less material to hold up, but think back to your high school physics lessons: A cup of water in your hand doesn’t weigh much, but the same glass feels much heavier when you hold it at the end of a stick.
The further your lashes reach away from their bond at your lash line, the heavier they’ll feel. Naturally, the same goes for volume — increasing the volume of the lash will increase the number of fibers in the fan and therefore increase the weight of the lash.
Let’s Compare Materials
Synthetic, nylon, and plastic strip lashes you can find at the drugstore are going to be the heaviest. They’re the cheapest option because they’re cheaply made. The fibers are the densest, therefore they’ll weigh the heaviest.
You can also find synthetic individual lash extensions from professional lash artists. These lashes are generally totally fine and can look very realistic; however, they won’t be the most lightweight. Synthetic lash extensions, not strip lashes, can be a great choice for you as long as you’re getting a set from a reputable and hygienic lash tech and your eyes can tolerate a slightly heavier lash.
Mink lashes are among the most lightweight. However, they also carry the weight of supporting animal rights violations. The fibers of mink lashes are literally plucked from the tails of minks. There aren’t a lot of mink lashes on the market today, compared to other materials, because they’re expensive and unethical to produce.
One full set of mink lashes can easily cost over $400. They also require a ton of maintenance to reuse them and keep them looking like new. They may be as light as can be on your eyes, but they’ll weigh heavily on your wallet and conscience.
You may see some brands advertising that they’re made with human hair, but this is only a half-truth. No lashes on the market right now are honestly made of 100% human hair. Strip lashes are available made of a mixture of human hair and synthetic materials.
These lashes do get the natural sheen of human hair, but they also suffer from the same unnatural-looking mapping of strip lashes. They also require all the same attention as mink lashes to maintain their curl. Most of the time, these lashes are not reusable beyond a couple of wears.
Silk lashes are extremely lightweight. We’ve saved the best for last! Imagine the weight of a silk shirt compared to a polyester one — no contest, the silk shirt is lighter.
Silk lashes are the perfect weight for mature eyes. Plus, silk lashes hold a curl and don’t come with ethical concerns. That’s why we use Premium Korean PBT Silk to make our Gossamers!
Lashify to the Rescue
We at Lashify have the perfect Gossamers for mature eyes. Gossamers are DIY, at-home lash extensions that anyone can learn to use.
They’re all the convenience of strip lashes with the same or better quality as salon extensions. Our bond, Whisper Light, contains no formaldehyde or cyanoacrylate; it contains good-for-you ingredients like biotin to protect your natural lashes while you wear it.
People with mature eyes should check out our Intimates Collection! These are our most natural-looking Gossamers since they come in a variety of natural colors, from Black to Ash to Ginger and everything in between. These lashes are available in Curl and Amplify styles, perfect for beginners and pros alike.
But who said that older people have to have natural-looking lashes? Who said you can’t rock a glam look? If you’re looking for lightweight glam, take a peek at our Volume Collection and try the Plushy or Plushy Tame Gossamers, which are available in three colors. These voluminous lashes use Lashify’s finest, lightest fibers to date in a plushy soft fan.
These lashes are lightweight enough for mature eyes, and since Gossamer lash maps are 100% personally customizable, you can apply as many or as few fans as you’d like to flatter your eyes. For help designing a perfect lash map for you, we offer one-on-one assistance from our lash experts to help you become your own lash stylist.
Sources:
10 Top Eye Makeup Tips and Techniques for Older Women | AARP
7 Things You Never Knew About Eyelashes | Women's Health
How to improve skin elasticity - The Ultimate Guide | Waterhouse Young Clinic
Droopy Eyelid (Ptosis): 5 Causes of Drooping Eyelid & Treatment | WebMD
How To Fix Droopy Eyelids, Circles and Sags | Cleveland Clinic
Natural Looking Lashes: Intimates Meet Plus+ | Lashify
Intimates Gossamer Lashes Collection | DIY Lash Extensions | Lashify
Show Off Dense, Dark Lashes With Lashify’s Volume Lashes | Lashify
Book Your Complimentary 1:1 with a Lashify Educator Now | Lashify
