Who doesn’t love a set of luscious lashes? For centuries, thick, long eyelashes have been a quintessential sign of beauty.

Lashes are also practical and have a couple of really important functions. They filter debris from entering into our eyes, and they help tell us to blink so we shield sunlight from damaging our corneas.

That’s why it can be distressing when eyelashes begin to thin and fall out. If you notice that your set of eyelashes are not as thick as they once were, here are some tips on:

How to help prevent your eyelashes from thinning

Don’t panic

Remember that all the hair on our bodies goes through a growing and shedding cycle. If you want to get technical, these are the cycles your hair goes through:

• Anagen: the active growth phase that lasts 4-6 weeks
• Catagen: transition phase when the lash stops growing and the follicle begins to shrink; lasting 2-3 weeks
• Telogen: the resting phase during which the new lash is beginning to grow and the old is preparing to fall out, lasting 2-3 months

Since most lashes are at different phases of the cycle, you will find yourself naturally losing lashes. A couple every day is normal so don’t panic!

Be gentle with eyelashes

When it comes to wear and tear on your lashes, be gentle on them. Lashes are not made to withstand constant rubbing and yanking. If you have the habit of rubbing your lash line, try to break it!

Toss out old product

Do you have liners and mascara wallowing away at the bottom of your makeup bag that you use in a pinch? Just toss them out so you’re not tempted—mascara should be replaced every 4-6 months.

Avoid harsh chemicals

Removing your eye makeup each night should be a part of your routine, but use products that are gentle on the lashes.

Curl lashes with caution

Eyelash curlers can really crank up the volume on your lashes, but proceed with caution! Some people have learned the trick to heat up their lash curler but this can damage your lashes, and so can clamping them too harshly. We’ve seen some heartbreaking cases when old curlers have literally chopped a whole set of lashes in half!

Boost your diet

Like any hair on our body, lashes are affected by the food we eat. A diet lacking in nutrients can cause your lashes to thin or even fall out. On the flip side, eating a healthy diet that’s rich in protein and vitamins helps eyelashes grow. Lash-boosting foods include fish, eggs, beans and yogurt.

Give your lashes a break

Of course we love us some lash extensions and lash treatments, but if you are constantly getting treatments done without any break time in between, your lashes might become thin and weak. So try give your lashes a little break if you can so they have a chance to naturally repair and grow back.

Unfortunately, certain things like aging and illness can have a weakening effect on your lashes, which is just a part of life. So it’s important to keep yourself in good health, use quality products and let your lashes breathe from time to time. That way, your lashes and lash extensions will stay long and luscious for a long time to come.