Lash Aftercare Instructions to Give Every Client (Printable Card)

By the WIPE team · Updated October 21, 2026 · 8 min read

The short answer: tell every client five things in writing. Keep lashes dry and away from steam, sweat and saunas for the first 24 to 48 hours while the adhesive cures. After that, wash them gently every day with an oil-free, lash-safe cleanser and brush them through when dry. Keep oil-based products away from the lash line. Never pick, pull or use a lash curler on extensions. Book a fill on schedule, and stop and see a doctor if her eyes become red, swollen, painful or her vision changes. A printable card with all of this is below. This guide is general information, not medical advice; follow your adhesive manufacturer's instructions where they differ.

Why written aftercare matters

Most retention problems that end up as "your lashes fell out after a week" start at home in the first two days. Clients forget what you said in the chair, especially after two hours with their eyes closed. A card they take home, plus the same text in your confirmation message, solves most of it.

It also protects you. If a client follows written aftercare and still has a problem, you know to look at your adhesive, your humidity or her health. If she didn't, you have a calm, fair way to explain why retention suffered. Many artists tie their fix window to aftercare in their cancellation policy ("free fix within 72 hours, provided aftercare was followed").

What to do in the first 24 to 48 hours

The adhesive feels dry when the client leaves, but it hasn't finished curing. Lash Affair, a lash supply brand, explains that full curing "takes 24 to 48 hours" and advises "no water, no steam, no saunas, no heavy sweating" during that window (Lash Affair, Lash Extension Adhesive FAQ). The California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology gives consumers the same advice: do not get lashes wet for 24 to 48 hours, "this includes avoiding workouts, steam rooms, or hot yoga" (California BBC, Eyelash Extensions Safety Tips).

For the first one to two days, tell clients to avoid:

1. Water on the lashes: wash the face around the eyes with a cloth, and wash hair with the head tilted back.
2. Steam and heat: saunas, steam rooms, hot showers aimed at the face, opening a hot oven or dishwasher right at eye level.
3. Sweat: hot yoga, intense workouts.
4. Eye makeup: especially mascara and eyeliner on the lash line.
5. Sleeping face-down: back sleeping avoids crushing new lashes against the pillow.

Some adhesives are labeled for faster curing, and some artists use a nano mister or curing step and tell clients they can get lashes wet sooner. If your adhesive manufacturer gives a different window, follow theirs and put your number on the card.

How should clients clean lash extensions?

After the curing window, cleansing becomes the most important habit, and the one clients most often skip because they're afraid of losing lashes.

• Wash daily. Use a foaming, oil-free cleanser made for lash extensions and a soft lash brush. Wet, foam, brush gently in the direction the lashes grow, rinse with lukewarm water.
• Pat dry, then brush through. Pat with a lint-free towel or let them air-dry, then brush with a clean spoolie from the middle of the lashes outward.
• Remove makeup every night, using an oil-free remover around the eyes.

There's a health reason for this, not just a retention one. Healthline's medically reviewed article on blepharitis linked to lash extensions recommends washing the face and eyes "at least twice a day with clean hands" and lists warning signs such as "red or swollen eyelids" and "itchy, stinging, or irritated eyes" (Healthline).

A small study presented in September 2026 adds weight to lash hygiene. Researchers in Ukraine surveyed 345 young women and examined 25 of them under a microscope; 24 of those 25 had Demodex mites on their lashes. The researchers note they had no comparison group of women without extensions, so it doesn't prove extensions cause mites, but their advice was regular eyelid hygiene with a gentle, preservative-free cleanser (News-Medical). Clean lashes are the habit to teach.

Which products should clients avoid around extensions?

The California board's leaflet tells consumers not to use "moisture-rich products" around the lashes, because "shampoos, conditioners, or oil-based products will eventually loosen the adhesive bond" (California BBC). In practice:

• Oil-based makeup removers, cleansing balms and cleansing oils near the eyes.
• Rich eye creams applied right up to the lash line.
• Waterproof mascara, which needs oil to remove. Most artists suggest no mascara at all on extensions.
• Lash curlers, which can bend or snap extensions and pull natural lashes.

Ask clients to check labels for oils in eye-area products, and to bring anything they're unsure about to their next fill.

What should clients never do?

• Pick, pull or rub. The California leaflet warns that pulling, picking or touching the lashes "could damage your natural lashes, not to mention spread bacteria to your eye area."
• Remove extensions themselves. If she wants them off, she books a removal.
• Use the leftover lash glue at home or any non-lash adhesive. The same leaflet tells consumers to leave if a technician tries to use nail glue on their lashes.

When should clients book a fill?

Extensions shed with the natural lash cycle. The California board describes lash extensions as maintained "with touch-ups about every three to four weeks" (California BBC). Many artists book fills every two to three weeks so there are enough extensions left to fill rather than redo. Put your own fill window and your fill rule (for example, "at least 40% remaining") on the card, so it matches your policy.

When should a client see a doctor?

Tell clients plainly: if something feels wrong, don't wait for the next fill.

The California board lists "allergic reaction, irritation, burning, redness, and soreness" among the unfavorable results lash extensions can have. Healthline advises seeing a professional for blurry vision, lashes falling out, or lashes growing in the wrong direction (Healthline). The FDA notes that eyelids are delicate and says to stop using a product if irritation occurs (FDA, Eye Cosmetic Safety).

On the card, keep it simple: "If your eyes or eyelids become red, swollen, itchy, painful, or your vision changes, contact me and see a doctor. Don't try to remove the lashes yourself." Then make sure clients can reach you by text.

Printable lash aftercare card

Edit the [brackets], print it on a card or half-sheet, and send the same text after every appointment. This is general information, not medical advice; follow your adhesive manufacturer's instructions.

Your lash aftercare, [Business name]

First [24 to 48] hours: keep lashes dry. No steam, saunas, hot yoga or heavy workouts. No mascara or eyeliner. Try to sleep on your back.

Every day after that: wash your lashes with an oil-free lash cleanser and a soft brush. Rinse with lukewarm water, pat dry, and brush through with a clean spoolie.

Avoid: oil-based removers, cleansing balms and rich eye creams near the lash line. Waterproof mascara. Lash curlers.

Never: pick, pull or rub your lashes, or try to remove them yourself. I'll remove them safely for you.

Fills: book every [2 to 3] weeks. Fills need at least [40]% of your extensions remaining.

Fix window: lost more than expected in the first [72] hours? Text me at [(555) 555-5555] and I'll check them.

See a doctor if your eyes or eyelids become red, swollen, itchy or painful, or your vision changes, and let me know.

General information, not medical advice.

How to make clients actually follow aftercare

1. Say it, then hand it over. Two minutes of verbal aftercare at the mirror, then the card.
2. Text it the same day. Many artists send the card's text with a thank-you message, and again before the first fill.
3. Sell or include a cleanser and brush. Clients who leave with the tools wash their lashes; clients who don't, don't.
4. Put it where they look. An "Aftercare" highlight on Instagram and a short aftercare section on your booking page.
5. Ask at every fill. "How's cleansing going?" catches problems early.

Aftercare, your consent form and your booking policy work as one set. If you want all three in one place clients can find before they book, WIPE turns your Instagram into a booking site with your services, prices and photos that you can preview free, and its FAQ section is a natural home for a short aftercare note (what a WIPE lash site includes). The card above still belongs in every client's hand.