“Will my lashes hit my glasses?” is one of the first questions I hear from new clients who wear frames every day. It's a fair worry: nobody wants to feel lashes sweeping the lens every time they blink, or to see a smudgy streak right in their line of sight. The good news is that most glasses wearers can absolutely enjoy lash extensions. The secret is in how the set is designed. Here's everything I walk my glasses-wearing clients through at my Spokane Valley studio, from choosing the right curl and length to keeping your lenses clean and your lashes lasting.
Yes. Glasses are not a reason to skip lash extensions, and plenty of my regular clients wear them all day long. What changes is the planning. When you wear contacts, nothing sits in front of your lashes. When you wear glasses, a lens sits a short distance in front of your eye, and that distance is the space your lashes have to work with.
If a set is designed without thinking about your frames, the tips of the extensions can brush the lens. That's annoying, it leaves oily marks on your glasses, and over time the constant friction can bend extensions and loosen them early. Design the set around your glasses, though, and you get all the benefits of lash extensions without the lens tapping. That's what a thoughtful lash artist is for.
Every face and every pair of glasses is a little different. A few things decide how much room your lashes have:
That's why I always ask glasses wearers to bring the frames you wear most often to your appointment. Before I start, I'll have you put them on so I can see where the lens sits relative to your lash line. It takes a minute, and it makes the whole set better.
If you switch between everyday glasses, reading glasses and sunglasses, bring them all. Sunglasses in particular often sit closer to the face and curve more than your regular frames, so they're usually the pair that sets the limit on length.
Curl is the single most important choice for glasses wearers. A straighter curl points the extension forward, right toward the lens. A curlier curl lifts the extension up and away, which buys you clearance without giving up length.
C curl is a natural, gentle lift and is lovely for many people. For glasses wearers whose frames sit close to the face, though, a C curl at longer lengths can sometimes reach the lens. It works best with shorter lengths or frames that sit well away from the eye.
CC curl is my go-to starting point for most of my glasses-wearing clients. It has noticeably more lift than a C curl, opens up the eye beautifully, and still looks soft and natural rather than doll-like.
D curl is the most dramatic lift of the three. It's a great fit for clients who want a bold, wide-awake look, for straight or downward-pointing natural lashes, and for frames that sit very close to the face. If you love a dramatic set and wear glasses daily, D curl is often how we make it work.
If you'd like to go deeper on curls and lengths in general, my guide on how to choose the right lash curl and length explains how I match them to different eye shapes.
There isn't one magic number, because it depends on your frames and your eyes. In my experience, many glasses wearers are comfortable somewhere in the moderate range, often around 9–12mm at the longest point, especially paired with a CC or D curl. Clients whose frames sit farther from the face can often go longer.
The bigger point is that length and curl work together. A longer extension with more curl can actually sit farther from the lens than a shorter extension with less curl. When I map your set, I'm looking at where the tip of each extension ends up, not just the number on the tray.
I'll also keep the longest lengths where you have the most room. For many people, the outer corners are tightest against the lens, so a cat-eye map may need a little adjusting, while an open-eye or doll-eye map that peaks in the center often has more space to play with.
| Your situation | What I usually suggest |
|---|---|
| Frames sit close to your face | CC or D curl, moderate length, longest lengths away from the tightest spots |
| Frames sit farther from your face | More freedom on curl and length; C curl can work well |
| Straight or downward-pointing natural lashes | CC or D curl for lift away from the lens |
| Wraparound sunglasses or sport frames | Plan the outer corners around your sunglasses, not just your everyday pair |
| You want a dramatic look | Add fullness with hybrid or volume rather than extra length |
Every style can work with glasses; it's the curl and length that make or break comfort. That said, here's how each option tends to play with frames:
Not sure which fits you? My comparison of classic vs. volume vs. hybrid lash extensions breaks down the differences, and UV LED lash extensions explained covers how the newer UV option works.
Here's something many glasses wearers have never thought about: your lenses change how your eyes look to everyone else, and that affects how your lashes read too.
This varies with how strong your prescription is, so I like to look at your lashes through your glasses at the end of the appointment, the way everyone else will see them.
Your eyes will be closed for the whole application, so you won't wear your glasses while I work. Here's how a typical visit goes for my glasses-wearing clients:
You can put your glasses on right away and drive home in them; the frames don't affect the bond. If you're new to extensions, my post on how to prepare for your first lash appointment covers the rest of the prep, and if you also wear contacts some days, can you wear contacts with lash extensions? explains the lens timing.
All the usual lash extension aftercare applies, and my full lash extension aftercare guide covers it. These extra habits make a real difference when you wear frames every day:
Pulling frames off one-handed or sliding them up over your face can drag across your lashes. Hold both temple arms and lift straight off and away from your face.
Many of us adjust our glasses without thinking. Push them up by the bridge with a fingertip instead of rubbing near the lash line.
If you notice faint streaks on your lenses, it may be your lashes touching, or it may be natural skin oil. Either way, clean your lenses often and keep oily skincare and makeup away from your lash line, since oil is one of the biggest enemies of extension retention. Keep lens sprays and wipes on the lenses only, not on your lashes.
Your natural lashes grow and change direction over their cycle, and a few may start to point toward your lenses between appointments. If something starts tapping your glasses, mention it at your next fill and I'll adjust. Keeping to a regular fill schedule helps; here's my take on how often you should get lash fills.
It sounds obvious, but falling asleep reading with your glasses on presses the frames into your lashes for hours. Set them on the nightstand before you drift off.
A well-designed set shouldn't make you think about your glasses at all. Let me know if you notice any of these:
None of these are a big deal to fix. Often it's as simple as swapping a few extensions for a curlier curl or slightly shorter length at your next fill. If you're losing lashes faster than expected for other reasons, my post on why your lash extensions aren't lasting walks through the most common causes.
If you've been searching for eyelash extensions near you and wondering whether your glasses would get in the way, I'd love to show you how well the two can work together. Clients come to my Spokane Valley studio from Liberty Lake, Veradale, Millwood and all over the greater Spokane area, and many of them wear glasses every single day.
When you book, mention that you wear glasses and bring your frames along. We'll design a set that opens up your eyes, looks beautiful behind your lenses, and stays out of your way, so all you notice is how good your lashes look.
Classic full sets are $135, hybrid and volume $150, and UV LED $175. Bring your frames and I'll design a set that clears your lenses and opens up your eyes.
Book Your Appointment →