Avoid a Sticky Situation with Proper Adhesive Care
Eyelash adhesive—two small words that make all the difference when it comes to creating a beautiful set of lashes. After all, the bond between natural lash and extension is at the very core of how you deliver your service. Look, length, diameter—all these factors depend on the bond you create—which means you need to take extra special care of your adhesive to ensure you’re ready to work.
The enemy of eyelash extension adhesive is air and humidity. You can control these factors (to a point) and prolong the life of your adhesive using the techniques we’ve outlined below.
SHAKE UP THAT LASH ADHESIVE
Ever seen a jar of natural peanut butter that’s been sitting on the shelf? Over time, the oil separates and you end up with layers that need to be remixed before spreading on your sandwich.
The ingredients in your adhesive interact in the same way, making it absolutely vital to shake the bottle prior to AND in between appointments. There’s some finesse to shaking adhesive, so here are our tips:
- Never shake your adhesive with the bottle cap on. Remove and cover the nozzle with a piece of tin foil, wax paper or makeup sponge—any lint-free material works.
- Your adhesive needs to be shaken vigorously, and we mean vigorous—as in your arm should be a little sore type of vigorous. If you’d rather avoid the workout, consider purchasing an adhesive shaker.
- Shake adhesive for 2 minutes at the beginning of the day and when you open a new bottle. The bottle should also be lightly shaken between clients as well.
IS LASH ADHESIVE BURPING REALLY A THING?
As we mentioned earlier, air greatly affects the freshness of your adhesive. Shaking your adhesive can introduce air into your adhesive bottle and create tiny bubbles. To squash those pesky bubbles and ensure a good drop, turn your adhesive bottle nozzle right side up after shaking and give it a little squeeze. This will remove air bubbles and allow to drop a perfect dot!KEEP IT FRESH
The typical shelf life of an adhesive is four to six weeks once opened. Characteristics of a bad bottle include cloudy, overly viscous adhesive that is stringy when dipping lashes. Keeping tabs on your inventory can be tricky, so consider signing up for an adhesive subscription service that automatically ships you a new bottle at regular intervals. For example, Lash Affair’s subscription service allows you to select and adjust your delivery schedule based on your needs.
Not only do your adhesive bottles need to be regularly shaken and/or switched out, but the adhesive drops themselves can also lose their freshness. Drops shouldn’t be used if they start to develop skin or become stringy when dipping a lash. Be sure when lashing to change out your adhesive drop every 15-20 minutes. This ensures your adhesive is always fresh and ready to create the best bond.
GIVE YOUR ADHESIVES A GOOD HOME
When it’s time to put your adhesive to rest at the end of a long day, make sure the bottle is placed in a cool, dark, and dry environment. We suggest our Lil’ Love Shack storage container made specifically for lash adhesives. The Love Shack forces air out of the container when you press the button on the lid, creating a vacuum-seal that protects your adhesives!Of course, caring for your adhesive is only part of ensuring a great set; having the right adhesive for your environment is also important. We’ve created a quiz to assist in selecting the best adhesive for you based on the type of sets you’re creating, experience level, and the humidity range of your studio.
LASH AFFAIR
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