1. Cleanse and prime the natural lashes and tape the eye.
2. Show the colour against the client's own lashes in daylight - deep tones shift noticeably between light sources.
3. Decide whether the set is full merlot or merlot blended with black, and map accordingly.
4. Lift each lash from the strip at the base rather than mid-fibre.
5. Isolate a single natural lash and dip the base into a fresh glue dot.
6. Keep adhesive off the fibre, where it dulls a saturated pigment.
7. Place with the bases aligned along the natural lash.
8. Check the set in both salon light and daylight before finishing.

• Treating merlot as an accent colour - it is deep enough to be a full set, and scattered placements often read as off-black rather than as colour. Commit to a full set or a substantial block.
• Expecting it to read as red - it is a deep burgundy, so it registers as warmth and depth rather than as an obvious colour. Set the expectation.
• Skipping the daylight preview - deep tones lose saturation in low light and clients notice the difference outside.
• Over-gluing - cured adhesive shows against a saturated pigment.
• Gripping mid-fibre - kinks the base and causes lifting.

MERLOT WINE VS. BROWN VS. BLACK

• Reads as - Merlot Wine: Deep warm colour | Brown: Softened neutral | Black: Neutral definition
• Best use - Merlot Wine: Full colour sets, seasonal campaigns | Brown: Natural and hybrid sets | Black: Core sets of every kind
• Visibility - Merlot Wine: Clear in daylight, deepens in low light | Brown: Subtle | Black: Consistent in all light
• Client brief - Merlot Wine: Something different but wearable | Brown: Undetectable enhancement | Black: Standard lash impact
• Season - Merlot Wine: Autumn and festive peaks | Brown: Year-round | Black: Year-round
• Blending - Merlot Wine: Layers with black for depth or brown for warmth | Brown: Layers with black | Black: The base for everything

Materials: Super Mink PBT fibre with burgundy pigment, on a 2mm easy-peel adhesive strip with foil backing. Formaldehyde-free, latex-free, vegan and cruelty-free. Patch test new clients for adhesive sensitivity.

Full merlot set or merlot blended with black?

A full set gives the colour real presence and is the more striking result; blending with black through the lower layer gives depth at the root with colour on top, which is safer for a client trying the colour for the first time. Both work - the blended version is easier to sell to a hesitant client.

Does merlot show on dark natural lashes?

Yes, more reliably than brown does, because the saturation carries where a neutral brown fades into the lash line. In low light it reads as depth rather than as colour, which is worth explaining before the client sees her set outside.

Which diameter should I choose for a merlot set?

0.07 for classic and hybrid work where the colour needs body to register, and 0.05 where you are fanning volume. The tone is identical across both, so a layered set combining them shows no colour step.

How does merlot photograph?

Very well under warm and natural light, where the burgundy depth reads clearly; under cool or fluorescent light it can flatten toward dark brown. For a client booking around a specific photographed event, check the lighting before recommending it.

Can I use merlot as an accent within a black set?

You can, but the effect is subtle - scattered merlot on black reads as depth rather than as visible colour. If the client wants merlot to be seen, a solid block through the outer third or a full top layer works far better than scattering.