Lash fills: Ultimate guideline from start to finish

Lash fills are a part of routing lash maintenance. All of us in the industry are familiar with the term, but there are still some questions lash artists (especially beginners) might have. How much should we charge for a fill? When is a good time to do one? What’s the safest or fastest way to do it? 

Requests for fills tend to happen a lot. We’re sure you’ve come across a client or two who keeps coming back for fills instead of getting a full set. Why? Because getting a fill is cheaper! How do we educate clients who do this that it’s time for a full set, not a fill?

Our team of lash experts gathered some answers for you, so keep on reading to find out how you can handle these situations.

When do you need eyelash extension fills?

Once your client has a full set of eyelash extensions, they will need to come in periodically for fills. Lash extension fills are simply new lashes placed on natural lashes as the old ones are about to fall off. 

Ideally, your client should come in every two to four weeks, but longer wait times may mean a longer treatment time as more lashes will need to be filled. 

In general, it’s best to perform a refill service when the client has at least 40% of the lash extensions left from the full set. In this case, you will remove the overgrown, twisted, weak bonded lash extensions and replace them with new ones. However, some lash artists find it easier to remove all the remaining lashes and start a new set at the cost of refill. 

In any case, this is what you should be doing any time you start a fill:

1. Tidy up the eyelash extensions that are still on the client’s eyes
2. Remove lashes that are overgrown and ready to fall out due to the natural growth cycle
3. Remove any weak bonding lashes
4. Fix any obvious cavities between lashes & lash extensions

What makes lash extensions fall out?

Factors that can influence how often your client is seen for eyelash fills may include:

Naturally grown out lashes

Photo credit: _artistrylux

Does your client know that, with or without lash extensions, most of us shed 70-80 of our natural lashes every two weeks? Make sure you tell your clients that they need a fill every two weeks to ensure their lash line stays fabulous and full. 

Read more: Lash shedding: the myths or facts

Client’s lash aftercare routine 

The bond between the client’s natural lashes and the eyelash extension weakens over time due to oil or other impurities. Normally after about three to four weeks, the bond starts to become unstable. This weakening of the bond depends on your client’s lash care habits. If they’re not careful, it can happen much faster. Here are some factors that can influence premature lash fall:

• How much makeup is used on the lashes.
• What kinds of products (like oily makeup remover!) the extensions are being exposed to.
• How the client sleeps, i.e. on their back or on their face or side where the pillow is rubbing the eyes.
• How the client washes her face, i.e. does she rub her face/eyes? 
• If the lashes are exposed to heat or water, etc.

See lash nourishing Lash Shampoo

Wrong application   

As lash artists, we of course don’t want to admit it, but clumsy application can cause lash fall. For example, lashes can fall out because:

• The lash extensions are not attached properly.
• You are using glue that dries too fast.  
• You didn’t clean or prime the lashes properly.
• The product you are using is expired or your lash room is not in optimal condition.

Read more: Checklist for long-lasting lash extensions

Step by step: how to remove & fill lash extensions

1. Remove overgrown lash extensions by using tweezers or a remover.
2. Deep clean the lashes using lash shampoo and remove all the oil and skin/makeup debris.  
3. Prime the lashes.
4. Apply new lashes.

Partial lash removal methods before a refill

Lash removal with tweezers

Using tweezers to remove lash extensions is generally not recommended as it can be too forceful and can result in bent or damaged natural lashes. Only use this method when you are removing a few lash extensions or have a very small amount of glue on the bonding area. 

Banana peel

Using two sets of tweezers, grab one natural lash with one tweezer and one extension with the other, then gently separate them vertically into two directions. In this way, the natural lashes won’t get pulled out. 

For volume lashes

The banana peel method is more difficult to use if your client has volume extensions. For volume extensions, use wide foot tweezers like RV-1 and press the adhered part of the lash extension. Gently break down the glue and guide your lash extensions to fall off more easily.

Lash extension remover

Some lash artists don’t like to use lash extension remover for partial removal as it can take longer than by using tweezers. However, using a lash remover is a much safer and less damaging way to do it. Here are two methods that can help to make your partial removal easier: 

• Isolate and hold the neighboring lashes and apply the lash remover. Wait 2-3 minutes and clean off the remover

• Use a cotton pad or tape to isolate and hold the overgrown lashes. In this way, you don’t have to hold the lashes with tweezers and you can work on removing several lashes at the same time.

Method 1: using a cotton pad to seperate the overgrown lashes

 Method 2: using a tape to pull up the overgrown lashes

Why do some lashes stick out so much after a few weeks?

Have you noticed some of your client’s lash extensions sticking out much more than the others? These overgrown lashes can really ruin the overall design! We are here to tell you why this happens and how to prevent it. 

The reason behind this is because you lashed on natural lashes that are in their fast-growth phase. The early adolescence stage of natural lashes (ones often less than 3mm or 0.1inch long) grow much faster than lashes in the late stage of the growth cycle.

To prevent this from happening, either don’t apply lash extensions on these tiny lashes or apply an extension 1-2mm shorter than the neighboring lash extensions. 

How much should I charge for a lash refill?

Every salon has its own price list and policy for a fill. According to our research, most salons charge 50% of the full set price for a fill as long as the client comes within 2-3 weeks, but we have also seen salons charging per each newly added lash extension or for the length of treatment time.

Can I continuously fill the lashes instead of doing a full set?

This is a debatable question but we as a brand that cares about long-term lash health have concluded that a full set removal after two fill services is the healthiest way to do it. 

If you continuously fill the set, it is inevitable that some dirt, oil, or debris from the products can remain between the lashes. Also, even the healthiest natural lash needs some room to breathe from time to time.  

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Read more:

• Your guide to healthy natural lashes
• How to prevent the lash stickie
• How to improve your isolation skills