5 Lash Mistakes Experts See All The Time + What To Do For Healthy Flutters

Ahead, poke through the most common lash mistakes experts see on the regular. 

To a similar point, you also might want to try sleeping on your back so your pillow doesn't tug on your lid skin while you snooze. If you're a stomach-sleeper through and through, you might want to invest in a silk or satin pillowcase at the very least—these are much gentler on your skin (and lash hairs), as they don't cause as much friction.

Something people often forget is that lashes are actually tiny hairs. Make no mistake: Lashes are made of the same structural components as the hair on your head (namely, keratin1), and you should treat them as such! Just as you might supplement with healthy nutrients to encourage hair growth from the get-go, you can use the same keratin-building blend to enhance your set of doll-like lashes.*

Specifically, research points to collagen and biotin supplements for strengthening the hairs, as ingesting both can help support your natural levels of essential amino acids to help build keratin.* In fact, one small study showed that women with thinning hair had significant regrowth when supplementing with biotin as compared to those given a placebo.* Another double-blind, placebo-controlled study showed that taking both biotin and collagen supplements supported increased hair growth2 in women.*

Another tip worth mentioning: You should routinely clean the pads on your curler and swap out the pads every few months (or snag a new tool altogether) to avoid exposing your lashes to old mascara residue (more in a moment). 

Cleaning them doesn't have to be too much of a hassle, though. Just make sure you lift all your eye makeup off with remover, then (gently!) massage the eyes with cleanser while washing your face. Remember not to drag or tug at the fragile lashes, lest you fall victim to mistake No. 1.

While you may hear of old tricks and tips to extend the shelf life of your trusty tube (example: Add eye drops to your mascara to re-moisten the formula), these hacks are a major no. "If a product is old and crusty and you add something to it, the amount of bacteria you could be creating is frightening," says celebrity esthetician Joanna Vargas about how to make beauty products last longer. If it's dried up, there's a reason, and reviving it can do way more harm than good.

Lashes are delicate, precious little hairs—and just like the strands on your head, they're vulnerable to a few collective errors. The bottom line: Be extra gentle on your flutters, condition them from the inside out, and make sure to properly remove gunk.