Say Goodbye To Eyelash Extension Stickies: Expert Advice For Lash Technicians
As a professional Lash Artist, ensuring a flawless application is paramount. One of the most common challenges you may face is dealing with "stickies" – when individual lash extensions or natural lashes adhere to each other, causing discomfort and a less-than-perfect look. It’s extremely important that you know how to avoid stickies and also how to deal with them if they do occur! We’re here to guide you through understanding and avoiding this pesky issue.
Understanding Stickies: What Causes Them?
Before diving into solutions, it's crucial to understand what causes stickies. Stickies occur when multiple lashes stick together during the lash extension process. There are a few different types of stickies you may encounter, and you need to be able to differentiate them to know what to do. The first type is when two natural lashes stick together, the second is when two lash extensions stick together, and the third is when a natural baby lash gets stuck to a lash extension.
Stickies can happen for several reasons:
Excessive Glue Use: Using too much adhesive can cause lashes to clump together.
Incorrect Isolation: Not isolating the natural lashes properly can lead to extensions bonding with adjacent lashes.
Rushing Application: Rushing through the application process often results in inadequate separation of the lashes.
Environmental Factors: Humidity and temperature can also affect how the adhesive behaves, altering its drying time and consistency.
Why Are Stickies Problematic?
Stickies are more than just an aesthetic issue. They can lead to extreme discomfort and irritation, as when lashes are stuck together, they can pull on each other as they grow out. If you’ve ever experienced this, you’ll know it’s not something you want your clients to endure! Not only do stickies cause discomfort, but they can also lead to damage to the natural lashes right from the root. Imagine a lash ready to shed tugging on a neighbouring lash which still has several stages before the end of its natural growth cycle - it can be a painful affair! Your clients are also much more likely to try and pick off a lash that is irritating them, which can damage the follicle.
How to Avoid Stickies: Expert Techniques
Now you know why we hate stickies, let's explore some expert techniques to prevent stickies and ensure a seamless lash extension experience:
Perfect Your Isolation Technique
Isolation is key in preventing stickies. Use high-quality tweezers and take your time to isolate each natural lash before applying the extension. Work in layers. Tape back the lashes so you can isolate with precision and separate out the lashes you are working on without the interference of neighbouring lashes. This ensures that each extension adheres to a single natural lash, reducing the chances of stickies.
Work in a Controlled Environment
Environmental factors play a significant role in lash extension application. Maintaining a controlled environment with optimal humidity and temperature can prevent premature drying or slow curing of the adhesive, reducing the risk of stickies. Using a digital hygrometer is a great way to help you monitor the conditions, making sure you stay within the requirements for your lash extension glue to work optimally.
Control Your Lash Glue Usage
It's a common misconception that more glue means better adherence. In reality, a small bead of adhesive is sufficient. Over-application of glue not only leads to stickies but also increases drying time, which can be counterproductive. If you’re looking for boosted adherence, why not try our Retention Booster? This product opens up the natural hair cuticle ever so slightly, creating a larger surface area for the glue to adhere to. Remember, Booster is a product suggested for experienced Lash Artists who are used to working with faster drying times.
Invest in Quality Products
Using high-grade lash extension products from trusted suppliers can make a significant difference. Quality lashes and adhesives are designed to work seamlessly, reducing the likelihood of stickies. It’s also worth purchasing some products that can help specifically with avoiding stickies. Our Eyelid Tape is a helpful tool that can be used in a variety of ways to ensure perfect isolation, reducing the chances of any lashes sticking together. Our lash mirror also comes in very handy, as it helps you see the lash from underneath, making it easier to spot any pesky stickies before your clients open their eyes.
How to Deal With Stickies
Despite your best efforts, you may occasionally encounter stickies during lash extension applications. Knowing how to address this issue promptly and efficiently is crucial for maintaining the integrity of your client's natural lashes and the quality of your work. Here’s what you can do if stickies do occur:
The key to managing stickies is thorough checking. Regularly check your work as you apply each extension. If you notice two lashes sticking together, gently separate them using your tweezers.
When separating stickies, you need two pairs of tweezers - your isolation tweezers as well as your application pair. Use a fine-tipped tweezer for precision. With your isolation tweezers, hold one lash/extension and with your other tweezers, gently peel them apart using the Banana Peel Method. Be careful not to apply too much force to avoid damaging the natural lashes or causing discomfort to your client.
After successfully separating the stickies, assess the condition of the natural lashes and the extension. If there's any damage or misalignment, it might be necessary to remove the extension and reapply it. Always prioritise the health of the natural lashes during this process. Always remember to do a thorough check at the end of every treatment. Use your tweezers to go through lash by lash to double-check that nothing is stuck together.
Learning from Mistakes
Each instance of stickies is an opportunity to learn and improve your technique. Reflect on what might have caused the stickies – whether it was application speed, glue amount, or environmental factors – and adjust your method accordingly in future applications.
Stickies can be a challenge, but with the right techniques and practices, they are absolutely avoidable. By perfecting your isolation technique, controlling glue usage, working in a controlled environment, and investing in the right lash products, you can ensure a stick-free, beautiful lash extension application every time. Remember, the key to flawless lashes lies in the details. Stay informed, stay skilled, and stay ahead in the lash extension game.
