If you dream of having strong, healthy, voluminous lashes, simply follow this eye-opening guide.

Why do eyelashes fall out?

Since a single eyelash’s life span is only three to five months, it’s pretty normal that on average we lose one to four of them a day. But certain actions can weaken them, causing your lashes to fall out prematurely. At the top of the list is a bad beauty routine, such as wearing a waterproof mascara daily, keeping your makeup on at night, using an eyelash curler after you’ve used an eyelash product (it’s better to use it before) or rubbing too hard when removing makeup. Other factors can also weigh in, such as a nutritional deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, B and E, as well as stress. Certain health conditions, including hormonal changes (menopause can thin eyelashes), a thyroid gland malfunction or even alopecia can also play a role in depleting them. And considering that eyelashes—physical shields that protect the eyes from external aggressions—take six weeks to three months to grow back, it’s certainly worth taking good care of them!

Good Habits

“As with skin and hair, it’s also recommended to moisturize lashes to make them stronger and encourage regrowth,” explains Ingrid Clermont, trainer for skin-care brand Vichy. To do that, the expert recommends using specific dermatologically tested products to strengthen and care for them. “You can also apply pure castor oil to the base of the eyelash using a cotton swab,” says Alexandra Simard, founder of the Montreal-based beauty salon Primerose. As for mascara, it’s important to choose a quality product and not use it beyond its expiration date (three to six months after opening), at the risk of dam­aging the fragile eyelash hairs or causing infection. Finally, makeup removal is an important step that should always be done carefully: Use a gentle product formulated for the delicate eye area, soak a cotton pad and press it on the eye­ lids for a couple of seconds before gently wiping off the makeup. In other words, avoid rubbing!

Eyelash Extensions: Yay or nay?

“It all depends on the quality of the extensions and the glue used, which must be hypoallergenic,” says Clermont. The risk with eyelash extensions is that eyelashes can break and fall out prematurely if the service is performed incorrectly or without the proper products—the opposite of the expected result! To avoid this problem, try a Lash Lift, a technique that adds length to the lashes in a natural way without a drop of mascara. “The lashes are curled with a perm, a process that takes 10 to 15 minutes, and has an eye-opening effect,” says Simard. “It is also possible to ask for a lash tint, which helps define the paler hairs.” In this case, be sure the salon uses gentle dyes, and beware of businesses that offer the service at a lower cost, as gentler dyes tend to come at a higher price.