Along the way, I discovered that cleansing properly was a key part of recovering your lashes. It turns out that lingering makeup residue can actually contribute to their brittleness because it dries them out. Removing every last speck of product is super important.

After some hits and misses, I eventually established a set cleansing routine that begins with Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser, $36, which is loaded with antioxidant-rich ingredients like kale, spinach and green tea and does an excellent job of gently removing makeup. For good measure, I follow up with a soft, reusable cotton pad soaked in Bioderma Sensibio H2O, $14.90, which is a micellar water that effectively removes all traces of product without the need to rub or scrub your lashes (also super damaging).

It's been about six months since I got my eyelash extension removed and I'm proud to say that they're in better condition now than they've ever been. I currently reserve the magnetic falsies for special occasions, consistently remove all traces of makeup from my face and eyes and continue to apply the Lashfood serum nightly. The Milk Makeup Kush mascara, which only launched about a month ago, is also my current go-to for its ability to dramatically enhance my current lashes while doubling down on nutrition.

Tl;dr? Get your eyelash extensions professionally removed, invest in a lash grown serum immediately, use magnetic falsies to help assuage the loss of your lusciously long lashes and make sure you're cleansing super well.