Why are my client's eyelash extensions not bonding as well in hot weather?
The eyelash glue takes 24 hours to fully cure and needs the environment to be correct to do this. It’s a chemical reaction with moisture in the air. If it’s an extremely warm day the glue can cure too quickly causing the adhesive not to perform correctly. The Cyanoacrylate based glue becomes brittle as the chemical reaction hardens it too quickly causing the extensions to bing off the following day. If you live in a hot country I would advise investing in air-con.
The humidity also plays an important part in this. If it’s too humid (over 55%) then the glue cures too quickly often called ‘boom’ and turns the glue white, if it’s too dry (under 45%) the reaction is too slow. Check with a hygrometer and adjust the room's humidity with a humidifier or dehumidifier.
45 - 55 % humidity, and 20 – 22 degrees Celsius
Timing
The glue is dry within 3-4 seconds due to the small amount used in bonding eyelash extensions to natural lashes. This varies slightly from glue to glue. Just remember that the glue isn’t fully hardened until 24 hours, so remember to tell your clients no saunas or hot yoga after their treatment! I always give my clients an A4 sheet of aftercare to follow.
Reschedule
Sometimes in extremely warm weather, it really is best to reschedule your client’s appointment.
Not just the beauty salons!
Having a chat with a hairdresser this week they have spoken about closing the salon for hair colouring and just doing cuts, as the colour is taking too quickly and the processing time is too unpredictable for the correct result.
How to sharpen your own eyelash or brow tweezers at home
Tweezers not plucking out hairs anymore
Dilemma
After a while I find my tweezers lose their grip and it drives me insane! I'll try and pluck an eyebrow hair out and the hair will just slide between the slates. Then you are left with two options: buy new tweezers or sharpen them. Some companies will do this for you, but I prefer doing it myself to get them perfect! Tweezerman offers this service, but only in the USA. Tweezers not plucking out hairs is a big problem.
Solution
At my beauty salon, I prepare all my tweezers ready. I grip tweezers onto a sheet of sandpaper and pull the tweezers overs the sandpaper, if you are doing this correctly the tweezers will leave a mark on the sandpaper. The first couple of strokes won't be uniform and look patchy. Personally, I use 220 grit for sharpening my tweezers. After doing this 20 odd times or however many needed you will notice the mark left on sandpaper is more even. Hope this makes sense! Not the easiest to describe in words. I do this under my LED magnifier light. My mag light is 5 x zoom, so great for seeing the grip between the tweezers. If the tweezers aren't gripping the hairs you will notice visible light between the two slates of the tweezers. The aim is to see no light between the slates or any imperfections. Keep checking under the mag light as you sharpen your tweezers every couple of strokes against the paper. Hopefully, the images below will clear up any confusion about what I am trying to explain!
If the tweezers are really awful I would start with roughest grit sandpaper and slowly work down the numbers. So 80 grit, 150 grit, finishing with 220 grit. You will file the metal perfect, but it can sometimes take a while!
Sandpaper
40-80 grit - roughest
100-150 medium
180-220 - finest
Result
After lots of sanding of the tweezers, the result will be stress-free eyebrow shaping or eyelash extensions appointments! Where the tweezers grip the hair every time and remove it from the root or picking up those perfect volume eyelash extensions fans. Tweezers not plucking out the hairs can cause massive stress.
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Why most people can't have the longest lashes possible
A lot of clients say they want "the longest lashes available please"! However, in reality, they are not very likely to last and don't always look that flattering in my opinion. I am a lover of the enhanced natural lashes look and not the full dramatic thick fake look! Lash extensions are very personal and reflect your own style and personality. However, it's the job of the eyelash technician to help guide their clients to get a look that not only suits them but will last. Placing a very curly D curl on a straight natural lash or an insanely long extension will last only days and not weeks. Ending in disappointment for both you and your client.
Never apply a false eyelash extension more than double the length of your natural eyelash. It simply won't last very long. As there won't be much contact between the extension and natural lash to anchor/ hold it in securely in place. Not only will the fake eyelash extensions not last, but it's also not good for your reputation as a lash technician.
My personal tip as an eyelash extension technician for demonstrating this to clients is to simply take one 13mm fake lash, I normally use thickness 0.20 and take a photo holding it up against their natural lashes. Once the client sees this photo they will understand what you mean. Also, explain that the fake extensions will touch their reading/ sunglasses and become very annoying.
I believe the longest lashes you can buy are 20mm, but I have never seen anyone suitable for these!
If you find your lashes are falling out prematurely it's always worth checking with your doctor. Poor skin and hair growth might be a sign on something else going on. A healthy diet and drinking enough water will improve your lash growth.
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Longest fake lashes possible
Picking the correct curl for dead straight natural eyelashes
For straight natural eyelashes, I would recommend using a curl very similar to the client's natural lash. The J curl is normally the best match for straight lashes and needed when applying eyelash extensions to dead straight lashes as more of the natural lash will be in contact with the false extension.
If you have been using an extension with a strong curl it's very tempting to use more glue. However, in my opinion, this never works. Less is always more when it comes to glue!
It's important to pick a fake lash which resembles the natural straight lash as much as possible, so they last longer. Having said this the modern glues are very good, so still get OK retention. I have laid out the three most popular curls below and hand drawn on a straight lash to show you the retention. The yellow highlight on the drawing is how much natural lash is in contact with the fake extension. It's near impossible to get all of C curl to attach all the way up the natural lash meaning it's only attached at the base.
An alternative to eyelash extensions is having a lash lift. This is great if you are allergic to the glue or simply just find you don't get on with eyelash extensions. A lash lift doesn't add thickness, so most clients still prefer wearing mascara with it. A tint can be done alongside a lash lift to darken the natural lashes. Ideal for holidays where you are in the water a lot.
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Any additional comments or tips please tell free to add them to the bottom of this blog post. I welcome all comments.
Straight eyelashes
How to do Russian volume lashes
The idea of volume lashes is to use four to six 0.07 thickness lashes and get them to hug the natural lash. This leaves them looking even fuller, as each natural lash holds multiple extensions. Please don't use a heavier weight or more than six lashes with these type of eyelash extensions, or it can lead to damage to the natural lash.
Ideally, place the hand made fan on top of the natural lash with the natural lash in the middle. Please don't buy pre-made fans. In my opinion, they are too heavy as they already have glue on them, and you need to add additional glue to stick them to the lash. If you are making your own fans, you can use the same spot of glue to both stick the fan together, and to the natural lash. Once you have mastered the art of creating hand made fans you will truly understand why it's a form of art and why you need to charge more for them.
It's extremely difficult to pick up four to six really fine lashes when you start out! I personally pull/ lift the four to six lashes slightly apart keeping the base together on the sticky strip before releasing them completely from the strip. As demonstrated in the image below. This does take time, don't rush. I use Noir volume tweezers available from Amazon.
Once you have started to master picking them up without dropping them it's time to concentrate on getting the perfect fan.
Here are some tips:
- Gentle grip. If you press tweezers together too tight the fine lashes will fly everywhere!
- Even gaps between the six 0.07 eyelash extensions and keep the gaps the same for all the fans you make. Consistency will make the final look perfect.
- Deep V shape between each false lash
- Hug the natural lash. I place mine on top of the natural lash, but some people do under.
- Symmetric - three 0.07 on each side of the natural lash.
- A tiny amount of glue, if not too much glue is drawn up the fan and closes it!
- Thin base hugging the natural lash.
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Please feel free to comment on this blog post with your own suggestions and recommendations.
Tips for doing volume eyelash extensions
How to sterilise beauty tools at home
Glass bead sterilisers are perfect for eyelash extensions and manicures. They reach temperature in 12 minutes and only take another 3 minutes to sterilise. As you can see from the photos it's only one-third of the tweezers, which is getting sterilised, so personally, my tweezers go into Barbicide first for disinfecting. Please don't get sterilising and disinfecting in a muddle, they are very different things. You need to sterilise tools to destroy bacteria and viruses. Disinfecting isn't enough on its own.
This machine has it's limitations though. I personally use the temperature probe to check before using. The machine is filled with glass beads. The temperature is lower at the top of the machine, so don't overfill and make sure tweezers go all the way to the bottom of the chamber. These tabletop sterilisers are very affordable at around £25 on Amazon. They are a must for hairdressers and beauty salons.
As a client, it's really important to ask how your eyelash technician cleans their tools. Lot's of infections such as pink eye AKA conjunctivitis can very easily be passed from client to client. Sadly beauty salons aren't regulated, so you need to trust your beautician knows and has a cross-infection policy in place.
Other forms of sterilising are autoclaves. These heat up to 120 'c under pressure. These are the best form of sterilising tools for beauty salon and foot clinics. Ideal for foot files as the machines are much larger. However, they are priced at around £2000. These machines are typically used in hospitals and dentists.
After your beauty tools are clean please remember to store them in a dry sealed container. No point in cleaning your tools and then leaving them laying about.
Sterilise beauty tools
What are eyelash extensions made of?
The fake/false eyelash extensions I use in my beauty salon are made of Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) which is a type of synthetic polyester. Its properties include that it is a very stable material and unlikely to shrink. Also, it's strong and very mould-able. They are heated and moulded into a tapered natural looking lash with different thicknesses and curls available to create individual looks to suit the client. It's also a very stable product, low water absorbent and holds colour pigment well.
So even though many eyelash extensions are referred to as "mink" it's the shape of the tapered lash, not the material they are referencing to.
Can you get real mink eyelash extensions?
Yes, you can. I personally don't use them and never have. The mink are kept in small cages and I worry about animal cruelty. Also people are more likely to have allergic reactions to the fur. Even if the company/mink farm promises that the animals are kept well and looked after it's very hard to know for sure, so I personally wouldn't recommend them. They are available at some beauty salons though.
Is the eyelash extension glue safe?
It's the same ingredients as they use in medical grade hospital glue to stick wounds together - Read more on eyelash glue on this blog post - eyelash extensions glue. People can have allergic reactions to this glue, so you should always have a test patch if you are going to have eyelash extensions professionally applied if you are not offered one, demand one. Beauty insurance companies often don't cover you for carrying out the treatment if you haven't performed a test patch prior to applying fake lashes.
Over the last few years I have noticed more and more people are becoming conscious of what things are made of and asking more questions. This is great we should question things more and demand higher standards.
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If you have anything to add on this subject or questions please feel free to comment below. I love getting feed back.
How do I prevent back pain while doing eyelash extensions?
Having a bad back while applying eyelash extensions is awful. Not only is it bad for your health, but it can also heavily affect the client's treatment, the last thing you want is to keep stopping and stretching. And I would say most of the people I know who apply eyelash extensions as a living suffer from a bad back on occasion.
About 5 years ago I purchased this saddle chair off ebay for around £30 and it improved things no end for me while applying lashes or any other beauty treatment. When I asked on eyelash forums there were basically two types recommend, the saddle type chair, and the Ergonomic Kneeling Chairs. With the ergonomic kneeling chair, people often said it improved their back, but if used for long periods of time it actually caused their knees to hurt. So therefore I picked the saddle seat for when I apply eyelash extensions. The saddle chair has been amazing and I have noticed that I rarely notice my back getting sore mid treatment now.
Another thing I do is I wear a support belt around my waist, which keeps me sitting upright. It's really easy to slouch after a while and this belt reminds me to keep my posture while applying eyelash extensions.
Other tips:
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- To prevent RSI I make sure my lower arms are horizontal with the beauty couch.
- See an osteopath or have massages regularly.
- Standing and using a support mat.
- Yoga and keeping your back muscles strong is also a must. Carrying extra weight puts a lot of strain on our bodies.
- Stretching in between appointments. I personally work back to back with clients, but I make sure I see each client out to the door to give my back a quick stretch! I book 60-minute appointments with 50 mins hands on of eyelash application.
Please feel free to comment on this blog with your own suggestions on prevents back pain while doing lashes.
Back pain while doing eyelash extensions
Which lighting to use during eyelash extension application?
There are loads of different brands of lighting available for applying eyelash extensions. Most of them are just variations of LED lighting. The most well-known one is the Glamour light, it's a massive investment though at over £300! It's got a great reputation and people speak very highly of it. If money was no object I would definitely get one! I have listed a few different options on this blog to suit everyone's budget.
Personally, I use a ring light with a magnifier in the middle very similar to the one I have linked to below. I use my reading glasses and look through this 5 x magnifier, so I am able to isolate the natural lash completely without any worry of missing any faint baby lashes hiding behind the natural lash before applying an eyelash extension.
If you struggle to apply eyelash extensions through a magnifier you can purchase an LED video light, which is what the Glamour light is. Personally, I would recommend persevering with a magnifier, but if you really can't get on with one then LED video lights are great! Mains powered ones are the best. LED video lights have a dial on them for increasing and decreasing the brightness. It's best to go with daylight balanced ones, so there is less strain on your eyesight.
You can get magnifier glasses which clip onto the front of your normal glasses or just magnifier glasses if you don't wear prescription glasses yet. These can be used alongside an LED video light.
Dental surgeons and medical trained people tend to use loupes. If you get loupes from medical companies they are normally around £500 and made for your eyesight. Their loupes have an LED light attached to the middle of the glasses and a battery pack, which clips onto your trouser belt.
Eyelash extension lighting
- LED or fluorescent?
- What magnification to use?
- Do you want a wall mounted or stand? Or even glasses?
- Dimmable light?
Please feel free to comment on this blog with your own advice!
Sore wrist while applying eyelash extensions
Wrist pain is a very common problem with any career where there is a repetitive moment. So it's no surprise that beauticians who are applying eyelashes for a long length of time suffer from wrist pain. I personally try to never work more than 3 hours without a break, especially if it's all the same treatment. Sitting still in the same position puts a lot of strain on your body. Here are a few of my tips to avoid pain as well as pins and needles while applying eyelash extensions. Please do comment on this blog with your own advice.
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- Always use a seat which makes you sit upright. Sit with your elbows in line with the beauty couch. Take your time to get this correct.
2 Wear a stomach band to encourage you to sit up completely straight.
3. Use an exercise ball to increase the muscle strength in your wrist. Which is also great for anyone who has carpal tunnel syndrome. I honestly can't recommend these exercise balls enough they really do strengthen your muscles. Great for arthritis, rehab etc. It's great to use in front of the telly and 10 minutes in each hand is all you need.
4. Footstool - helps with posture.
5. Stretch in between and at the end of your appointments.
6. Exercise. Keeping your back muscles and your core strong helps your posture, therefore preventing pain.
7. Angled tweezers - helps with the position of your hand to client's eyelash extensions.
It's really important as an eyelash technician to take care of your body, so you can continue to work. If you have any tips on caring for your posture, wrist, health please do comment on this blog post.
Pain in wrist from applying eyelash extensions
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