Plot Twist: I Became Allergic to My Own Industry

Hi, I’m Ellie, a lash artist from Leicestershire with over 8 years experience in the beauty industry. I have a real passion for helping clients feel confident through the treatments I provide. Like many lash techs, lashes weren’t just my job — they were a huge part of my routine and identity. Getting to chat all day with clients that feel like friends, whilst doing something I loved, felt like such a blessing.

The Early Signs I Almost Missed

Throughout my career, I have always been aware of the risks of allergic reactions, but I never expected to experience one quite so badly myself. Around the start of 2025, I began noticing small dry patches under my eyebrows and on my cheeks that didn’t quite feel right. I suffer with eczema and these sorts of things happen to me all the time, so this didn’t feel out of the ordinary. Little did I know, this was going to spiral into something much more serious.

I initially thought I was allergic to the acetate in my glasses frames — the flare-ups were in the same areas where my glasses sat, so it seemed logical. Research told me it could be a possibility, so I switched to metal frames a few months later. The dry areas cleared up slightly but didn’t go away completely, so I simply stopped wearing my glasses. During the summer months my skin cleared up entirely. Looking back now, my window was almost always open due to the warmer temperatures, so my room was being well ventilated. Around November, my symptoms got progressively worse.

When Things Got Serious

Throughout November, the redness on my cheeks grew larger and angrier. I also noticed a small red area on my neck that wasn’t there before. I still blamed my eczema — something like this isn’t unusual for me when the weather changes. I popped to the pharmacy and bought some itch relief balm to soothe my sore, dry skin. I continued to apply creams to my face and neck all through November and December but nothing was helping.

By my last working day before Christmas, my skin felt unbearable. The dryness and redness had spread considerably — my neck was covered and my whole face was affected. I was in tears about the way my skin looked every morning and night. I was at my wit’s end.

The Penny Drops

I took to Instagram hoping someone might have advice. I thought my body was telling me I’d overworked myself that last week before Christmas. I wish I’d posted sooner. I had so many wonderful girls in my DMs saying it looked like an allergy to lash glue. I was like — 

WHAT?! After nearly a year of this, it hadn’t even crossed my mind. I thought, “okay, that could be the case — I have two weeks off now, let’s see what happens.” And guess what: after 7 days, my skin was completely back to normal. I couldn’t believe it.

Looking back to January, I think I was still in denial. I returned to work on the Monday as usual, and lo and behold — that evening my skin flared up again. Confirmation: it was definitely the lash glue.

Getting a Diagnosis

A week later I booked in with my GP to seek professional help. Today (mid April) I’m still waiting on my referral for allergy testing. I knew this wait was going to be a long one, so I took myself to a private doctor. After hearing my story and looking at a few photos, he pretty much diagnosed it there and then. “You would have to stop using these at work” was written in my doctor’s notes. My heart was broken.

After I got over the initial shock, I felt like I’d already prepared myself for this outcome. My clients had been following along closely, so I hoped it wasn’t as much of a surprise for them. Cancelling all future extension appointments was the last thing I wanted to do, but I knew for my own health — and sanity — it was the right thing to do.

Finding the Silver Lining

I’m a massive believer that everything happens for a reason. Reflecting on my lash extension work over the last 12–18 months, I felt like I was losing my spark. My clients probably wouldn’t agree, but something just wasn’t hitting the same as it used to. I would probably still be doing extensions now, eventually making myself unhappy.

I converted around 70–80% of my extension clients to lash lifts, and the others still see me for brows. The support I’ve received from my clients over the last few months has been overwhelming — converting to other treatments, checking in on how I’m doing, asking what I have planned for the future. I’ve taken a financial hit as return appointments have gone from 2–3 weeks to 6–8 weeks, but that just means more time to bring in new clients and explore new treatments.

This whole journey inspired me to add facials to my menu. I now have a real passion for skincare and helping people overcome the problems they experience with their skin. I’m looking forward to seeing where this new chapter takes me.

What I’ve Learned — For Clients and Lash Techs Alike

If there’s one thing I’ve taken from this experience, it’s how important it is to listen to your body early. What might seem like minor irritation can develop into something much more serious over time. Key warning signs to look out for include:

•  Itching or redness around the eyes

•  Swelling after appointments

•  Irritation that gets progressively worse with each visit

These symptoms shouldn’t be ignored. Looking back, I wish I’d taken my earlier symptoms more seriously — pushing through only made things worse.

For lash artists: protecting yourself is just as important as protecting your clients. Wear proper PPE, ensure good ventilation, and limit your exposure to fumes where possible. For clients: always be honest with your lash tech about any reactions you experience. Your lash artist is there to help, not judge. It’s always better to stop early than risk developing a more severe allergy.

Your health always comes first.

— Ellie

Connect with Ellie:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lashelleuk/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lashelleuk