WITH severely puffy eyes and red-raw skin, hairdresser Harley Watson was dreading going to work.
The 24-year-old feared clients would run out of the salon after seeing her face.
And she was not wrong.
“I looked like a plague victim,” says Harley. “One client was horrified and asked me if they could ‘catch’ what I had.
“Another grabbed her coat and fled out of the door saying she’d forgotten she had a work meeting. It was so embarrassing.
“People were leaving the salon before I’d had a chance to say anything.”
Just weeks earlier, single Harley, from Keighley, West Yorks, had experienced a severe allergic reaction after getting an eyelash serum treatment to make her lashes thicker and longer.
The treatment, which is favoured by celebrities including Kim Kardashian, is trending on TikTok and the hashtag #lashserum has more than 1.3billion views.
But the treatment caused Harley’s eyes to swell up and her skin to break out into a painful rash.
Harley says: “I looked like I’d been beaten up. I am still on daily medication to resolve it two years later.
“It’s hard to believe a 40-minute beauty appointment ended up scarring me for life.”
Eyelash serum is a popular alternative to eyelash extensions and the industry is booming.
The market was valued at around £910million in 2022, and is expected to reach around £1.3billion by 2028, according to Industry Research Co.
Before using the treatment, a patch test is always recommended, with clients waiting at least 24 hours to see if any reaction has occurred.
In April 2021, Harley offered to help out a friend who was training to be a beautician and agreed to have the treatment done by her.
She says: “I wanted my eyelashes tinted and permed and she offered to do it.
“She did an extensive patch test on my skin and we waited the recommended 48 hours for a reaction.
“I photographed the test points, which were neat rows of dots, and two days later there were no changes, so we went ahead and did it.”
The friend used a high street lash and eyebrow-boosting serum, costing around £45, as well as a perm treatment, costing about £15.
Harley says: “I loved the result. My eyelashes looked lush.
“My friend was meticulous in following the instructions.”
But within 48 hours, Harley’s treatment had turned into a horror show, with her eyes itching and watering.
She says: “I knew that after some treatments your eyes could itch, but by the end of the day my eyes were swollen and the rash around my eyes was worsening.
“The patch test area had erupted into a red monstrosity as well. I was having a severe allergic reaction to the treatment.
“I woke up the next day and was horrified. I looked like I’d been in a boxing match.
“Huge red circles had developed around my eyes.
“It looked like I’d been punched in both eyes.”
Harley was driven to A&E by a friend’s mum to get help. She says: “I could barely open my eyes and my vision was blurry.
“The reaction was all over my face at this point, I was even getting a rash on my lips. The pain was indescribable.
“I felt like someone had rubbed sandpaper all over my face. It was agony. I couldn’t stop scratching and itching my eyes.
“I was prescribed antihistamines and told to use aqueous cream to try and stop the redness.
“There was nothing else they could do.”
Harley was forced to take two weeks off work and says she barely slept due to the itching and pain.
She adds: “As a hairdresser, your looks are important. When I went back to work, the rash and swelling was still visible.
“I looked like a character from a Halloween movie.
“That’s when clients started finding excuses not to see me. I explained it was an allergic reaction but some didn’t believe me.”
Dr Radmila Lukian, dermatologist and founder of the aesthetic Lucia Clinic, warns that lash serums and treatments come with potential dangers — allergic reactions being a primary concern.
She says: “The active ingredients, such as prostaglandin analogues or other synthetic compounds, can cause irritation, redness and swelling.
“In severe cases, users may experience allergic dermatitis, leading to discomfort and potential long-term skin damage.
“Even if a skin test is conducted prior to using a lash serum, there’s no foolproof guarantee against allergic reactions.
“Skin sensitivity can develop over time or may not manifest during the initial patch test.
“Users should be vigilant and monitor their skin for any signs of irritation, discontinuing use if adverse reactions occur.”
Two years down the line, Harley is still not over the ordeal and continues to take medication.
She says: “Since the treatment, my skin has been a nightmare.
“Just when I thought the reaction was starting to improve, I had another flare-up at work.
“I was working with some new hair dye but within a few hours my eyes had erupted into the huge red panda rings again.
“I saw my GP and we discussed the chemicals in the eyelash treatments and the new products I’d used at work.
“The new treatments had the same formulas as the eyelash treatment, which it turns out had destroyed my immune system.
“My GP confirmed I’d developed an allergic intolerance to the chemicals, and exposure to them, even if wearing gloves and goggles, meant my eyes would flare up.
“I had a reaction to prostaglandin analogues and other synthetic compounds.
“It was devastating. No matter what I did or what protective equipment I wore, I couldn’t prevent the rash coming back again.
“I couldn’t wear make-up. I was terrifying customers and my self-esteem plummeted.
“Two months later, I was forced to quit my job. I was gutted.
“I’d spent years training to be a hairdresser, and now my self-confidence had hit an all-time low. I simply couldn’t cope.
“I didn’t want to go out with my fella of two years. I didn’t feel sexy or appealing.
“I didn’t leave the house over Christmas 2021 because I had a flare up. I was miserable. It was the start of the end for me and my former boyfriend.”
Harley, who changed careers to become a sales rep, still has lumps and bumps on her eyelids and her skin is extremely sensitive.
She says: “It was eight months before the rash and the swelling went away.
“My upper eyelid is incredibly sensitive and sore even today.
“I have to do five-day patch tests before trying anything new and can only use organic products now.”
But with interest in lash serum growing on social media, Harley wants to warn others of the dangers.
She says: “The whole TikTok trend is scary.
“I often see people not even doing patch tests. In the past two years, I have been to A&E four times, my GP countless times — and my life’s been changed for ever.
“I didn’t take legal action against the product brand, although we followed instructions and did the patch test.
“Your eyes are precious and I am begging people to be careful.
“It’s a beauty nightmare I haven’t escaped from yet.”
