What do we need to consider when choosing an adhesive?

Did you know that in order to get the best eyelash extensions retention, we need to consider some things when it comes to choosing an adhesive? Don’t worry! We made an article just for you explaining that. 

The environment: including the humidity and temperature

The basic rule: The lower the humidity is, the slower your glue dries. If your environment is very dry, your glue dries very SLOW. If your humidity is very high, it will dry FASTER.

Secondly, the temperature is also able to affect your glue. The hotter the temperature is, the thinner your glue viscosity becomes. Your glue tends to melt under high heat. When they are melting, it becomes more liquid and dries faster too. Therefore, the optimal temperature is 18-22 Celsius degrees in a well-ventilated environment. 

Dry environment = slower dry

Humid environment = faster dry

Cooler temperature = slower dry

Hot temperature = faster dry

If you're ever in a situation where you do not have the luxury of having another glue on hand, and it is taking forever to dry, use a nano-mister to help cure the glue. If you do not have that, adjust the quantity of glue you use, but less or more so that the glue can dry faster or slower. 

LLBA Mist Humidifier

Getting “stickies”?

You might be working too fast for your glue! In order to correct this, first check your hydrometer to see if you can adjust your environment (i.e., increase temperature or humidity) If you can’t and don’t have a faster-drying glue, what you can do in the meantime is: use a nano-mister to cure the glue faster. Nano mist during the set so the lashes will dry faster. You can also try to put less glue to help cure the glue faster as well. We suggest you try Speedy in order to avoid getting stickies. Our adhesive is medical grade and has a 0.5-1 second dry time.

 Nano mist

When your lashes are popping off

In this case, you may not be fast enough for your glue! Again, check your hydrometer to see if you can decrease your temperature/humidity. Make sure to isolate first, then dip and stick directly! if it still doesn’t work, then go for a slower-drying glue. You can also try to put more glue so that the lash will take a bit longer to dry. Hold the lash in place for 1-2 seconds to make sure you don’t get any “stickies” when you release the extension. We suggest you try to Hook Up or La Magnétique in order to avoid having lashes popping off. 

Another thing that could give retention issues would be not sticking the base properly. Indeed! You can not just put a lash extension on a natural lash without being careful. Whenever it comes to promade fans, make sure the base is entirely stuck on the natural lash. To see if it is entirely stuck, try to apply some pressure with your tweezer on the lash, and if you see the base coming off, use the banana peel technique to take it off and re-stick it again. If you have taken your volume class, you probably know how wrapping the volume fan around the natural lash is important!

Which glue should I use for color lashes? 

When using colored lashes, lash artists mostly want the lash colors to maintain a consistency of colors. We do not want black glue to show at the roots of the extensions. This is why we suggest you use a clear adhesive such as Perfect Clear. That way, you are able to use your creativity without being scared there might be a color difference because of a black adhesive.

Perfect Clear

Fumage And Your Client

When choosing a glue choose one that is labeled hypoallergenic or one with low fumage. Lower quality or cheap glues can emit a ton of noxious fumes that will get your client’s eyes watery and red. WE DON’T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN as this will make it more difficult to lash but more importantly may turn your client off from eyelash extensions altogether! Do be aware that the adhesiveness (strength) of glue can be diminished when opting for a glue that is low in fumage but the same price as other glues that have high rates of fumage, so DON’T skimp on quality! All of our brand name glues are labeled HYPOALLERGENIC precisely because they are low in fumes and ensure that your client is as comfortable as possible during the lashing process.

Should I use medical-grade glues? 

Yes definitely! Suppliers always indicate if their adhesives are medical grade, so make sure to take the time to make sure you’re buying good products. Medical adhesives are made of high-quality ingredients. Some clients might get swollen eyes, red eyes, itchy eyes, or even runny noses because of a lash adhesive. Using high-quality products reduces the chances of getting allergic or sensitive reactions to the glue, but please note it doesn't eliminate complete risks of getting allergies.

We hope you liked this article and hope it can help you increase your client’s eyelash extension retention!