How Your Eyelash Extensions Are Aging You, According to a Lash Tech

If you're looking for a way to open your eyes while shaving a few years off, lash extensions can be a great option for those who don't want to take more extreme measures for youthful, revitalized peepers.

It's great to show up to your lash appointment with an idea of the shape you want, whether that be a round and open doll set or a sultry and lifted cat effect, but lash looks that don't flatter your shape can result in eyes looking tired, droopy, and even old.

After all, there's nothing more disappointing than spending money on a fresh lash set, just to be unhappy with the finished look.

Lash tech Rebekah Piccolo, from Vancouver, Canada, took to TikTok to showcase her own example of how lashes aged her face and a few tricks to avoid it

Speaking to Newsweek, Piccolo shared her top three tips she's picked up over her four-and-a-half years in the beauty industry for selecting the right lash style for your eye shape.

How To Choose the Right Shape for Your Eyes

The viral video has gained more than 1.7 million views since it was first shared by @lashesbyreb_ on February 16.

In it, Piccolo shares a photo of herself with the wrong lash extension for her face shape, saying she looks older at 18 than she does at 23.

"They're completely bringing down my face, not giving me that lifting appearance that lashes could give you," she points out.

Eye Analysis

Piccolo explains how the key to ensuring you're choosing the right set is to measure your eye planes, which "refers to where your outer corner (of your eye) sits in relation to your inner corner."

Piccolo told Newsweek that one of her tips for customers is to ask the lash tech if they can measure your eyes to ensure the set you choose is right for you.

"Once you get your features measured by an artist trained in this field, it can then be customized according to your natural anatomy," explains Piccolo, adding, "Lashes are not a one size fits all."

You can also try doing this yourself, she explains in the TikTok, by taking a selfie looking directly into the camera and using the ruler tool to draw a straight line through the center of the pupil.

The position of your outer and inner corners in relation to the line will reveal if you have an even, ascending, or descending eye plane, most known as downturned eyes.

Lash techs who don't consider the eye plane often add long lengths to the outer corners of downturned eyes, which can result in a drooping effect, instantly aging the eye area.

Instead, the longest length should be applied at the high point of the eye, which Piccolo says "is going to create an optical of your eye being lifted at the highest point of your face, which is going to reverse age you."

Consider Lash Curl

When attending your lash appointment, Piccolo recommends that: "If your goal with lash extensions is to make you look more youthful, you want to mention the word 'lift' when requesting a lash design from your lash tech."

By indicating that you want a lifted effect, your tech can then select the right curl and set for your eye shape.

Piccolo explains: "There's three possible different natural lash curls – straight, curly, and downturned."

Because of how the lash extensions sit on top of the natural lash, some extensions may not be suitable to use on your lash type.

Don't fear trial and error

She said: "Finding your perfect lash style for your eye shape is trial and error, yet by measuring you are eliminating 90% of the risk."

What Do the Comments Say?

One TikTok user shared their own frustrations, commenting: "Ugh I have this problem. My eyes are already downturned and with lashes they look even MORE downturned and droopy."

Another added: "LITERALLY!!! I got a set and I looked at least 30! Without them knowing look like a teenager. Only doing lashes for a full face for events."

A third said: "I have always seen my self older with big lashes, more simple more better."