Cold months are hard on your lashes. Low humidity, long hours in heated rooms, and strong winds strip moisture from the hair and skin around the lash line, and the damage isn’t always obvious until you find an extra few lashes on your pillow or cotton pad. Lashes grow slowly, and if you lose a strand in December, it may take months to replace. With a few routine changes, you can keep them soft, flexible, and intact until spring.
What Winter Does to Your Lashes
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Dry Air, Indoors and Out
Warm air contains much more water vapour than cold air. This warm air is released inside the house and the relative humidity can fall below 30 percent, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends. The keratin lashes are a protein like the hair on your head, and lose flexibility when they dry. Dry, brittle lashes are less flexible and may be more prone to breaking.
Your eyelids can also be affected. The skin around your eyes is particularly thin and delicate, making it more prone to dryness. During winter, you may notice flaking, itching, or mild irritation along the lash line. Frequent rubbing can put additional stress on your lashes and may contribute to premature shedding.
Wind, Cold and Friction
Strong winter winds can cause additional problems. Cold air may make your eyes water, causing mascara and eyeliner to smudge. The more often you wipe away smudged makeup, the more friction you create around your lashes. That rubbing can wear away the outer corners over a full season, and is typically the weakest portion of the lashes because they tend to be the shortest.
Lashes wear out, too, during the winter. Many times a day, scarves of wool pulled up to the face brush against them, as do knit hats and high collars. Larger blankets laid next to your face at night have the same effect. This doesn’t hurt when it happens, but the effect builds over weeks.
Adjust Your Daily Lash Routine
Rethink Your Mascara
It almost goes without saying that waterproof mascara is the obvious choice for snow and sleet. The problem is that its waxes and film-forming polymers adhere strongly to every lash and require the use of oil, time, and often rubbing to remove them. Worn every day, waterproof formulas leave lashes drier and more likely to break.
Here is an alternative that you can try for most of the season:
- On regular days, consider using tubing mascara instead of waterproof mascara. Tubing formulas are designed to come off with warm water and gentle pressure, making them easier to remove without excessive rubbing.
- Reserve fully waterproof mascara for heavy snow, outdoor sports or long snowy commuting days.
- Use a new tube of mascara every three months; an old tube will dry out and fall down the lash line.
- Consider going without mascara for a day or two each week to give your lashes a break from daily makeup application and removal.
Take care of your lash curler as well. In cold weather, the rubber pad will become harder and is more likely to compress or flex. Replace the pad every three months, and curl before applying mascara.
Remove Makeup Gently
How you remove mascara is as crucial as how you apply it. Use an oil-based remover or micellar water, soak a cotton pad, press it against the closed eye for 20-30 seconds, then gently sweep down once. The product should clean it; don’t scrub.
Follow up with a gentle, unscented soap. Foaming cleaners (those containing sodium lauryl sulfate) can make the lid feel tight and dry, so avoid eye contact. Gently pat with a soft towel rather than rubbing.
Add Moisture and Support
The Benefits of Using a Lash Serum
A lash strengthening serum is one of the most useful additions to a fall and winter routine. Conditioning serums typically include peptides, biotin, panthenol, or hyaluronic acid to coat and hydrate the lash shaft. You can apply these to your lashes nightly to help them look fuller and softer.
With consistent use, you may notice:
- Lashes are less likely to break with mascara or a curler, and they feel more flexible.
- Less shedding due to dryness and breakage
- Shorter and denser lashes after approximately 6-8 weeks
- A healthier-looking lash line when the serum is paired with gentle cleansing
Apply a thin line along the base of clean upper lashes once a day, typically at night. If any serum causes any kind of redness or stinging, discontinue use and seek professional advice.
Keep the Lash Line Clean and Hydrated
The oily layer of your tear film comes from tiny oil glands on the edge of your eyelid called meibomian glands. In cold, dry weather, these glands can slow down and make your eyes and lash line drier. Lay a warm compress over closed eyes for 5-10 minutes to loosen the oil.
A bedroom humidifier is a great external aid. Aim for 30-50 percent, leaning toward the higher end, and use a cheap hygrometer to check where you are. Water, protein, iron, and zinc are all part of a healthy diet, and they help promote healthy hair, including lashes.
Protect Your Lashes Outdoors
Don’t forget a pair of sunglasses in your winter kit. The World Health Organization notes that fresh snow reflects up to 80 percent of UV radiation, and wrap-around frames help block wind. Fewer tears mean less mascara smearing and less wiping.
Avoid rubbing your eyes when you come in from the cold. Use a wet tissue to wipe away any tears, pressing lightly under the lower lashes. Keep scarves away from your face, and ensure any fabric that touches your eye area is smooth, like cotton or silk. Using a silk or satin pillowcase will reduce friction throughout the night.
Caring for Lash Extensions in Winter
Extensions need extra care during the winter. The cyanoacrylate lash adhesives harden when exposed to moisture in the air, and most lash artists use 40 to 60 percent humidity. Very dry conditions can affect how some lash extension adhesives cure, potentially weakening the bond between the extensions and natural lashes. This may result in extensions falling out sooner than expected.
If you want to preserve your set for a longer time, you will need to follow a few steps: dry extensions for the first 24 to 48 hours, brush them every day with a clean spoolie, and wash them every day or two with an oil-free, lash-safe cleanser. Oil-based removers are to be avoided on the bond. Schedule lash extension infills every two to three weeks if needed, depending on your natural lash growth and how well your extensions are holding up. If you experience problems with retention, speak to your lash technician, who can recommend suitable aftercare.
Conclusion
The main causes of winter lash damage are dryness and friction, and you can minimize them with simple changes. Use less makeup on ordinary days, remove it without scrubbing, apply lash serum at night, and don’t let indoor air dry you out. When outdoors, protect your eyes from wind and avoid letting hands and dry fabrics touch the lash line. Maintain these habits throughout the season to start spring with the same routine you had in fall.
Thanks for stopping by!
Magda
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