How to choose and use right glue for lash extensions

Allergic reactions to eyelash glues are one of the reasons why doctors advise against using eyelash extensions. Therefore in today’s post, we will discuss in more detail the issue of adhesives used by lash stylists. We will also explain why choosing high-quality professional eyelash glues is so important and how to use them correctly. This is of utmost importance because as an lash technician, you are responsible for the health of your clients.

Why cheap eyelash adhesives are not a good choice? Because:

• They may cause allergic eye and skin reactions or future allergies
• They may irritate the eyes in some conditions
• They usually form a weak bond that can lead to bad retention of eyelash extensions

An allergic reaction to any eyelash adhesive is caused by a substance, which is present in glue itself. In most cases it is cyanoacrylate, which is a widely used component in adhesives for application of eyelash extensions to achieve rapid curing and a very strong bond. Consequently clients of lashing beauty salons that are sensitive or allergic to cyanoacrylate may develop adverse reactions. These reactions could occur immediately after contact with the allergen or only after some time. In case your client has red or swollen eyes or feel a pain around the eyelids they should immediately get the lash extensions removed and see a specialist.

To prevent these situations from happening, advise your clients to conduct a patch test at least 24 hours before getting lashes applied.

And what is the solution to this problem?

In case of allergic clients just switch to cyanoacrylate-free adhesives. You can find this type of glue in our Glashland online shop – Mademoiselle Adhesive. It is durable, fast-drying eyelash glue with high flexibility and very low fumes. With this glue, yes, your clients can still wear lashes!

Some of your clients may only be “sensitive” for cyanoacrylate glues. It means that they are stimulated by cyanoacrylate and have symptoms such as runny nose, tear or congestion which most probably disappear within 24 hours. In such a case you may use hypoallergenic adhesives. These glues do not contain most common allergic reaction-causing ingredients. They are low fume and ensure comfortable wear of false eyelashes. In Glashland portfolio of adhesives you will also spot fabulous hypoallergenic adhesives such as Madam or Princess.

But as with every solution there are also some downsides when using these adhesives. The main disadvantage is that the retention time of cyanoacrylate-free or hypoallergenic adhesives is quite shorter compared to full cyanoacrylate glues. “Allergic-free” adhesives offers approx. 5 weeks of retention while traditional glues ensure 7 to 8 weeks. This results in more frequent refill appointments to maintain and refresh the lash extensions.

Next we will discuss the correct usage of eyelash adhesives.

We can distinguish two most frequent mistakes related to adhesive handling while applying lash extensions:

1. Inadequate curing time selected for personal lashing technique
2. Inappropriate  dosing and application of the adhesive

1. The curing (drying) time is the time necessary for eyelash glue to polymerize, i.e. to harden in order to form a strong bonding between eyelash extension and natural lash. For professional products, the glue curing time of the is no more than a couple of seconds and usually even less than 1 second. If you are beginner stylists choose glues with a slightly longer drying time – to feel more confident during lashing application. The higher your skills are, you may choose adhesive products with shorter drying times. And remember the golden rule – practice makes perfect.
2. Mistakes in dosing and applying eyelash adhesives can be corrected most easily. We have summarized a list of “must do” activities when using eyelash glues:
   • Shake the bottle with product well before opening,
   • Before use check room temperature and humidity and correct if necessary (it is recommended to ventilate the workplace surroundings before each application)
   • When dosing take the smallest possible drop of adhesive and immediately clean the neck of the bottle
   • Try to dip the eyelash extension in the center of the drop, avoid drop edges where the glue cures more quickly
   • Do not use the glue if you notice signs of its polymerization, i.e. its hardening, change of appearance. Take fresh glue drop.
   • When storing always check the glue expiration date and instructions for proper storage.