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Lash Shedding Season: What it is & How to Prep Your Clients
February 18, 2021 by The Lash Professional.
You've probably noticed that just as your other types of hair fall out, you're always losing lashes, too. Whether it's just a few or it's several lashes on any given day depends on many different factors (including how often you rub your eyes!), but on average, people lose between three and five lashes each day.
You may think that sounds bad, but did you know there are times of the year when you can actually kiss even more lashes goodbye, and that there's nothing you can do about it? Yep, every spring and fall, you lose more lashes than normal during the lash shedding seasons.
What is a Lash Shedding Season?
What exactly is a lash shedding season? During a seasonal lash shed, there's a noticeable uptick in the number of lashes that fall out. But why does it happen? Well, we're animals, right? And just as other animals shed unnecessary fur as the weather begins to warm up, humans shed lashes with the arrival of spring. This completely natural cycle then repeats itself later in the year, as summer makes way for cooler fall weather, and your eyes are ready once again for new lashes.
How Long Does Lash Shedding Season Last?
How long does lash shedding season last? A lash shed takes up a not-insignificant time of the year, around six weeks (or about one to two lash cycles). If you add both shedding seasons (spring and autumn) together, that actually means lash shedding occupies around 12 weeks of the year –– that's almost three months! This is a good chunk of the year in which you're losing more eyelashes than you do during other seasons.
How Lash Shedding Season Affects Your Clients
Since eyelash extensions are applied to natural lashes, your clients are bound to notice they're shedding even more eyelash extensions than they normally would any other time of year. People who are unaware of the reasons for this might freak out or even get angry and blame you when this happens. You may find that clients who recently had appointments return to your salon or studio soon afterward during a shed, complaining that their extensions are falling out. What should you do?
You can put your clients' minds at ease by explaining what lash shedding season is, and by emphasizing that excess shedding is completely natural at certain times of the year. Tell them that whenever seasonal lash sheds roll around, this means it's also lash extension shedding season –– there's no avoiding it!
What They Need To Know About Lash Shedding
What do you and your clients need to be aware of if they're getting eyelash extensions during lash shedding season?
Well, firstly, they may find that their eyelash extension appointments take longer to achieve their desired look since fewer natural eyelashes means more work for you, lash babe. In such circumstances, it's easy to see how it could be more difficult to help volume up someone's lashes, right? Secondly, once your clients have had eyelash extensions applied, they're going to have to do more to maintain their look during a shed.
You can advise your clients that one of the best ways of mitigating the effects of lash shedding season, and keeping their lashes looking full and beautiful all year round, is by scheduling more frequent fill appointments.
Normally, you might tell your clients to space out filling appointments to every three weeks, to account for natural shedding (we probably lose about 21 natural lashes a week most of the time, anyway). Seasonal lash extension shedding will take a greater toll on their look.
More Frequent Fills Can Help
It may sound self-serving to your clients, but you would do well to explain to them that they really will likely need more frequent fills to deal with lash extension shedding. This means coming in every other week. If they're truly committed to maintaining what you've achieved for them with eyelash extensions, your clients won't mind visiting you for fills every two weeks instead of every three.
As for those who need a bit more convincing, simply explain to them that it would be a real shame for all that time and money they've spent on eyelash extensions to go to waste!
Encourage Good Lash Extension Maintenance Habits
To avoid having to convince clients of the necessity for more frequent lash fills just during certain times of the year, you may want to help them another way. You can, from the get-go, instead get your clients into the routine of scheduling lash fills every two weeks.
The general reasoning for this fill frequency can be how it can take a lot of commitment to maintain a look with eyelash extensions. You can also mention how it's incredibly helpful for dealing with increased lash extension shedding during shedding season. Problem solved!
Handle Lash Shedding Season With The Lash Professional
The Lash Professional has everything lash artists need to stay fully stocked for lash shedding season. And, if you want to improve your craft, perhaps to better handle lash extension applications or fills during sheds, The Lash Professional hasonline and live lash extension courses you can attend on your own schedule. Whenever you needsupplies,tools, ortraining for eyelash extensions, visit The Lash Professional!
