Are Self Adhesive Lashes Safe?

Before sticking anything near your eye, you want to know it’s safe. Eyes and the skin around them are super sensitive. No aesthetic upgrade is worth the risk of compromised health. 

You naturally want to ensure that false lashes won’t make your natural eyelashes fall out since that would be entirely counterintuitive. You want to find the best false eyelashes for you. You’re asking the right questions, and we’ve got the answers. 

What Are Self-Adhesive Lashes? 

Self-adhesive false eyelashes are just like strip lashes, except instead of applying the glue to the lash strip or your lash line yourself, they come with the adhesive already tacky and ready to apply on the lash spine. They’re also known as pre-glued lashes. 

They’re generally made from synthetic, inexpensive plastic lash fibers. Self-adhesive lashes come in many styles: classic lashes, volume lashes, and even stylized wispy lashes in self-adhesive lash sets. 

These lashes were designed with speedy applications in mind. Self-adhesive lashes are faster to apply than strip lashes because it takes the messiest step out of the equation. 

All you have to do is measure, trim, and apply with tweezers. Measuring may still be difficult for first-time lash wearers; it’s necessary to measure the length of your lash line and trim the lash strip accordingly because everyone’s eyes are different. 

However, self-adhesive lashes are a great option for first-time falsie wearers since they allow you to focus on placement without worrying about the glue. Since the application is so fast, they’re better for daily wear than strip lashes. 

Be advised: self-adhesive lashes are not reusable. Since they are single-use, the cost of replacement for daily wear can really add up over time, not to mention the cost of wasting so much single-use plastic. 

Removing self-adhesive lashes is not as easy as applying them. The adhesive used on pre-glued lashes is slightly stronger and stickier than traditional lash glue. This is because the adhesive has to remain sticky the entire time it’s in its package.

So, removing self-adhesive lashes can be more time-consuming than removing regular strip lashes. You can use any oil-based cleanser, or just straight oil, like coconut oil, to remove the lashes. 

Take care not to get the oil in your eyes, and repeatedly swipe a saturated cotton swab across the lash line until the lash loosens enough to slide off on its own. The oil will break down the bond of the adhesive. 

Never tug a false lash off since it can rip your natural lashes out with it. It does not matter how oily you get the false lashes since they’ll need to be discarded anyway. After the lashes are removed, continue using the oil-based cleanser to dissolve any extra adhesive, then wash your face with your regular face wash to get rid of leftover oil.

Even though self-adhesive lashes are generally safe, be cautious: just like regular lash glue, the adhesive used in self-adhesive lashes is not regulated by the FDA. Self-adhesive lash glue may still contain unsightly and harmful ingredients, like formaldehyde and cyanoacrylate. 

You don’t always know what's in the adhesive. Just because you can stop this glue from going into your eye easily, any amount of toxic ingredients near your eyes is too much, in our opinion. Always read ingredient lists carefully and do a patch test to check for sensitivities and allergies. 

Other Types of DIY Lashes 

Regular Strip Lashes

Strip lashes are what you expect from drug store lashes: they’re a single band of lash fibers that must be glued to your lash line with glue that you often must buy separately. Like self-adhesive lashes, you must measure your eye and cut the strip lash to size. Then carefully add just a little glue, and apply with tweezers. 

The best thing about strip lashes is the price: there are high-end and low-end strip lashes, but most will be significantly less expensive than salon lash extensions. However, since strip lashes can not be reused, you’ll spend more money over time to maintain enhanced lashes. 

Additionally, even among the high-end brands, strip lashes just don’t look very natural because it is difficult for one continuous strip to mimic your natural lashes and lay correctly. Many people find regular strip lashes to be heavy and hard to apply, even with practice. The glue can get very messy, which increases the risk of getting glue in your eye relative to self-adhesive lashes. 

Regardless of the ingredient list, lash glue can damage your eye by scratching or scarring the cornea, causing burning, itching, and redness in and around your eye. Even the vapors of some lash glues can be enough to cause irritation. Negative reactions to lash glue often have the same symptoms as severe bacterial and fungal eye infections, so you’ll need to see a doctor promptly. 

Magnetic Lashes

Like self-adhesive lashes, magnetic false eyelashes are another type of strip lash. Magnetic lashes typically use magnetic eyeliner to bond the lashes to the lash line. Magnetic lashes that rely on magnetic eyeliner are just as disposable as regular strip lashes. 

Magnetical lashes that come in pairs and use magnetic spines to cling to each other, one on top and one beneath your natural lashes, are slightly more reusable but generally not durable enough to withstand more than a few repeat wears. 

Dual lashes with magnetic spines and no eyeliner are fairly new, so manufacturers are still nailing down the best structures. Many of these styles are poorly reviewed, with many customers claiming they feel heavy and look unnatural. 

However, they’re certainly much safer than traditional lash glue since there is no adhesive to risk dripping in your eye. So if safety is your only concern, these magnetic falsies might be a great option for you. 

DIY Lash Extensions

Here at Lashify, we’re kinda the experts on DIY lash extensions. That’s why Marie Claire and Good Housekeeping alike agree that our Gossamer lash extensions are a worthy, where-have-you-been-all-my-life investment. 

Gossamers are made of lightweight, premium Korean PBT silk. They come in lash clusters in a wide variety of styles. The biggest perk about the Lashify system, aside from the good-for-you ingredients in our Whisper light adhesive, is that the Gossamers are reusable! 

With a little practice, Gossamers are easy to apply with the help of the Fuse Control Wand. A single application can last up to 10 days before you’ll need to remove and reapply. After the first 48 hours, Gossamers are water resistant, though should not be exposed to steam to keep them in tip-top shape. 

Removing Gossamers is super easy with Melt Away remover to dissolve the bond so the lashes slide right off. Gossamers look fabulous — seriously, check out Hollywood’s red carpet to see our Gossamers in action — and help keep your natural lashes safe. 

How To Tell if DIY Extensions Are Safe

Did you know that if your eyelashes’ growth cycle is interrupted by being ripped out by a false lash, it can take up to eight weeks for a single eyelash to grow back since you’re forcing it to start its cycle again from scratch? 

Your individual lashes are meant to fall out naturally every six to eight weeks, and they’re all supposed to be at different points in the growth cycle to help you maintain a balance of young and old lashes. Falsies may cause more frequent and concentrated fallout, resulting in semi-permanent damage to your lash line, like bald spots.

How? Strip lashes, both traditional and self-adhesive, are glued above the natural eyelashes. The glue hardens, and they weigh down the natural lashes. False lashes can cause breakage of natural lashes, especially when the natural lashes are dehydrated. The adhesive of both styles can pull out your natural lashes during application, wear, or removal. 

As we’ve covered above, traditional lash glue is unsafe, and the chemical make up of the bond on self-adhesive lashes is not much better. The adhesive on self adhesive lashes isn’t dramatically different from the lash glue you would buy to apply yourself. The same rules apply: look for ingredients harmful to your eyes in the packaging. 

Instead, look for positive ingredients in your lash adhesive. Lashify’s Whisper Light contains only good for you ingredients and no toxic junk. Whisper Light bond contains biotin to nourish your natural lashes while holding your Gossamers securely in place. 

Plus, Whisper Light doesn’t fully cure or harden, so it stays a soft cushion of protection around your natural lashes, reducing breakage while wearing extensions.

Final Verdict

Self-adhesive lashes are not inherently unsafe. Self-adhesive lashes may be slightly safer than traditional strip lashes because they reduce the risk of getting excess glue in your eye. 

However, self adhesive lashes are just as likely to contain formaldehyde and cyanoacrylate in their adhesive as any other lash glue. Different brands and styles offer varied adhesive strength, and if you find yourself with a weak bond and choose to add glue, obviously, any safety benefit disappears. 

Sources: 

Ask an Ophthalmologist: Are False Eyelashes Safe? | Jefferson Health

The Risks of Eyelash Glue for Extensions | Missouri Poison Center

Lashify Control Kit Review: Why These Lashes Are Worth It | Marie Claire

Lashify Review 2023: DIY Lash Extension Pros, Cons & Photos | Good Housekeeping