I love the look of my own eyelash extensions, and as a make-up artist for over six years, I am always on the hunt for the best lash extension products for myself and my clients.
I want amazing-looking, long-lasting lashes while also maintaining clean and healthy eyes. So I went on a search not only for the best method to clean my extensions but also for the best eyelash extension cleanser.
I tested out several of the leading brands and methods for cleaning lash extensions and compiled a list of the five best eyelash extension cleansers and lash extension shampoo you need to try.
Plus I’ve included tips on how best to clean your eyelash extensions and guide you through what you need to know about micellar cleansing water.
Eyelash extension cleanser buyer’s guide
I selected the most promising products–20 eyelash extension cleansers in all–and tested them out multiple times to get a good pool of results. After comparing the results, I sorted my findings into five categories to make your decision easier.
For each category, I reviewed how well the cleansers performed and, I measured their performance against what needs they suit best. You’re sure to find a product or two in this guide that works for you and keeps your lashes looking gorgeous.
Although I’ve tested them all, I recommend you try more than one yourself as everyone’s skin reacts differently.
No matter which product you choose from this list, each of these cleansers will maintain the health of your lashes as well as help them last longer.
Best Overall: Stacy Lash Extension Shampoo
When it comes to the overall best eyelash extension cleanser, none performed better in my trials than Stacy Lash Extension Shampoo. I found this gentle, foaming cleanser so easy to use, and I came away each time with super-clean lashes that looked and felt wonderful.
Considering it performed the best in my trials, I was pleased that its competitive price didn’t make this foaming lash wash a splurge.
With Stacy Lash Eyelash Extension Shampoo, you can count on a formula that is free from:
- Oils
- Parabens
- Phthalate
- Ethylene oxide
- Betaine
- Sulfates
- Polyquaternium
- Color
- Gluten
This mild formula clears away body oils, residues, dust, and makeup from my eyes and lashes. Safe and easy to use, this gentle cleanser didn’t burn or irritate my eyes.
I used the convenient cleansing brush to easily remove eye makeup, and the brush doesn’t leave behind those pesky fibers that cotton swabs often do. I never experienced any discomfort or eye irritation with its use.
This product works for salons as well as home use, but its performance, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness made it the best choice by far for home use.
Regardless of where you use it, Stacy Lash even offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee or you get your money back. So this product is definitely worth a try.
Best Professional: CICI Lash Eyelash Cleanser
If you want a salon-quality cleanser tested and recommended by professionals, look no further than CICI Lash Eyelash Cleanser.
When you first see this lash shampoo and its accompanying lash brush, its stylish design makes it look like it came right out of a salon. And because qualified lash artists test and certify all CICI Lash products, you can be confident that this cleanser is professional quality.
CICI Lash Eyelash Cleanser nourishes and protects lashes with a super-gentle formula free from:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Oil
- Ethylene oxide
- Betaine
- Polyquaternium
- Color
- Alkyl Sulfate
- Fragrance
Cleaning my lashes with this cleanser, I felt like I had been pampered by a salon with its foaming, deep-cleaning solution. My eyes never encountered irritation with this sensitive formula, and after daily use, my lashes felt cleaned and conditioned.
The brush included with this lash cleanser works so well and is easy to use. After you pump some of the foaming cleanser onto your lids, you gently brush the cleanser through your lashes with the dense brush for that deep clean between lashes.
Although this lash cleanser can be used in either your home or a salon, make this your first choice if you need it for salon use.
Because of its high-quality products and testing as well as its certification by qualified lash technicians, you can’t go wrong using this in a salon.
Best Budget: Melao Lash Shampoo
If you want an effective daily clean, but you don’t want to break the bank, don’t worry. I tested plenty of budget lash cleansers, too.
You won’t have to resort to homemade products from oils you have around the house, such as canola oil, mineral oil, or vegetable oil.
Because these homemade cleansers damage your extensions and can even clog your follicles, give your budget a break and elevate your cleaning routine with Melao Lash Shampoo.
Although I consider it the best budget lash cleanser, this cleanser doesn’t look or feel like a budget brand. Its gentle formula is free from:
- Phthalates
- Ethylene oxide
- Betaine
- Sulfates
- Polyquaternium
- Parabens
- Color
- Oil
- Fragrance
- Alkyl Sulfate
The rich foam seemed to just dissolve the dirt and residue away from my lashes. Although mild, this cleanser was effective at giving my lashes a bath and making them feel and look great.
It came with a brush that didn’t leave annoying fibers behind. I just gently rubbed it to move the cleanser through my lashes, and I experienced no eye irritation.
With its 30-day money-back guarantee, this product makes it a great fit for budget home use. You can keep your lashes looking good and lasting longer for less.
Best Vegan: We Love Eyes Eyelid and Eyelash Foaming Cleanser
Although I picked this cleanser as the best vegan lash cleanser, you can’t go wrong with We Love Eyes if you’re looking for something that combines safe, non-toxic ingredients developed by a U.C. Berkeley optometrist. Love this!
While cruelty-free, this vegan cleanser is also free of:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Formaldehyde
- Phthalates
- Retinol
- Artificial colors
- Dyes
- Gluten
- Fillers
- Fake fragrances
More than just a make-up cleanser, this product also cleans away pollen, bacteria, and other sources of inflammation.
Great for sensitive skin, your lashes not only get clean, but your eyes get healthier in the process.
Understanding that the skin around the eye is delicate, this optometrist-formulated cleanser includes a probiotic, plant-based preservative system that helps maintain eyelid health.
I easily cleaned my lash extensions thoroughly with this cleanser and brush, gently rubbing the brush against my lashes to work in the cleanser. Not only did my lashes come clean, but also, I found I had better eyelid health–less itching–after its use.
For anyone looking for a great product to use at home to clean your eyelash extensions that also helps relieve eye itchiness and common sources of eye inflammation, you have found your match.
Best Bundle: Lyon Lash Eyelash Extension Shampoo
When you need an eyelash extension cleanser for the road, Lyon Lash Eyelash Extension Shampoo set delivers. It comes with all the tools you need to clean on the go.
Although it looks similar in size to others on this list, Lyon Lash provides more fluid ounces, 60ml/20z, in each bottle than any of the competition.
Compact in size but big on cleansing, this product is free from:
- Oils
- Ethylene oxide
- Betaine
- Sulfates
- Polyquaternium
- Parabens
- Alkyl Sulfate
This gentle, natural cleanser left my lashes feeling clean and conditioned as the foam washed away oils and dirt. I easily used the brush to gently guide the foam through my lashes, resulting in effective cleaning.
This sensitive formula, which is ophthalmologist tested, leaves your lashes looking and feeling clean.
How do you clean eyelash extensions with a cleanser?
Cleaning your face when you have eyelash extensions can seem like a challenge, but once you understand how to do it right, you keep your eyes healthier and help your lash extensions to last longer.
In this section, I go over the basic steps as well as some important tips to keep those lashes looking lovely for a long time.
To give your eyelash extensions a lash bath, follow these basic steps:
- Rinse with water
- Apply cleanser
- Gently rub the cleanser through your lashes
- Rinse with water
- Fan your lashes dry
- Gently brush your lashes
What you clean your lashes with, as well as what tools you use, can mean the difference between losing lashes and keeping them intact longer.
To understand what to use to get the most out of your extensions, no matter if you have classic eyelash extensions or mega volume lashes, follow the tips below on how to clean your lashes.
Use an eyelash extension cleanser
Rather than risk weakening even the best eyelash extensions glue that’s keeping your lashes in place, use the right products to wash your lashes to keep them healthy and help them to last longer.
Lash extensions are an investment, and can be expensive to get, so taking proper care of them is key. How much do lash extensions cost will depending on your metro area.
You need to use a product formulated to be an eyelash extension cleanser or shampoo to properly clean your lashes without the risk of damaging the glue.
Gently rub with the right tools
You can not be in a hurry to clean your eyelash extensions. Many cleaners come with a brush or tool. After you pump cleanser onto your eyelids and lashes, you can use that brush to gently–very gently–work the cleanser through your lashes.
Brush your lashes
After you clean and dry your lash extensions, use a clean mascara brush to gently brush your lashes back into shape. You only need to brush through them a few times to get them back into shape.
Even if you haven’t cleaned your eyelash extensions, you should always brush them in the morning and before bed to tame misshapen lashes and separate them.
Before you apply any mascara to your extensions be sure to check out “Can You Put Masacara on Eyelash Extensions?“
Can you use micellar cleansing water for cleaning eyelash extensions?
In short, the answer is yes. But before you do, first understand what micellar water is and how it affects your lashes before you choose to use micellar water for cleaning your eyelash extensions.
Bioderma invented micellar water in 1991 and completely changed how people cleanse their faces. The micelles, little balls of cleansers floating in water, pick up dirt and oils without damaging the skin.
Many people use micellar water to clean makeup from their faces, and those with sensitive skin have found micellar water to be gentle enough to wash twice daily.
Because micellar water effectively cleans makeup, many people want to use it to cleanse their eyelash extensions. But you must be careful.
You have to be sure you use a water-based formula and not one containing any oil. Oil breaks down the glue used as the adhesive bond for your lash extensions. So using an oil-based formula damages your extensions.
You might also consider that micellar water, while safe for removing makeup, may not be specially formulated to clean lash extensions as well as cleansers made specifically for that purpose. But micellar water can safely clean your lash extensions as long as it is oil-free.
Avoid rubbing your lash extensions too hard or cleansing too often to keep your eyelash extensions looking their best and lasting their longest. For more on extension longevity check out our post on”How Long do Eyelash Extensions Last?“
Key points on eyelash extension cleansers
Now you know some of the standout eyelash extension cleansers. Remember these key points:
- Use a cleanser that has been specifically formulated for extensions
- Avoid rubbing your extensions during cleaning
- Use the right tools, brushes, to cleanse right
- Only use oil-free micellar water on your extensions
With that knowledge, find the one that is just right for you, or maybe my pick, the Stacy Lash Eyelash Extension Shampoo, is right up your alley.
Laura is a beauty expert with 5 years prior experience working in cosmetics and lash salons. When not writing you can find her experimenting with the trending makeup looks, or reading a good book snuggled up with her French Bulldog Max. Laura is currently a contributing writer and Beauty Editor at BeatyStack.