Lash Cleanser and Lash Primer Unraveled: What's the Difference Between Them?

As lash technicians ourselves, we know how crucial maintaining the cleanliness and health of our clients' eyelashes is. Lash Cleansers and Lash Primers are two vital products that significantly impact the retention of your lash set. But what sets these two products apart? In this blog post, we will delve into the details of lash cleansers and lash primers, exploring their respective purposes and how they contribute to a 5 star retention!

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Lash Cleanser: The Most Essential Product in Your Pre-Treatment Range 

Eyelash extension cleansers are specially formulated to gently clean and remove makeup, dirt, and oil from the natural lashes. Making sure your clients' lashes are clean before the treatment is crucial to avoid the buildup of bacteria, which could lead to potential infections, irritations, or even premature lash extension loss.

The main purpose of a lash cleanser is to strip the natural lashes of any dirt, makeup, dust or oil that might still remain on them after washing the eyes with Lash Shampoo and/or Protein Pads. By using microbrushes, you’re able to really get to the ‘glue zone’ section on the natural lashes, making the area super cleanto allow the glue to perfectly bond to a natural lash.

lash cleanser for eyelash extensions

 

Eyelash extensions cleansers are typically alcohol-based products, so you need to be careful for the product not to leak inside the eyes. Simply dab the micro brushes on a tissue to absorb excess liquid, before applying the product to the natural lashes.


Lash Primer: Prepping the Lashes for Success

Now, let's talk about lash primer! Lash primer is your best friend, especially if you work in a low humidity environment. The primary function of a lash primer is to add moisture back to natural lashes after the use of a lash cleanser. This ensures that the adhesive can bond properly, providing a strong, long-lasting hold.

 

lash primer for eyelash extensions

 

Lash Primer is applied after you’ve used Lash Cleanser, but before using Booster. It's essential to use a lash primer if the humidity in your lash room is low and if your clients' lashes are quite dry and brittle - this will add the moisture and help the adhesive to bond correctly. However, it’s important to remember: as you’re increasing the moisture, lash primer might speed up the drying time of the glue!

Eyelash extensions primers are usually water-based solutions, but we still recommend being careful not to leak the product inside the client’s eyes.


In summary, the main differences between a lash cleanser and a lash primer are:

  1. Purpose: A lash cleanser is used to clean the glue zone area of natural lashes from any dust, oil or dirt, whereas a lash primer is used to add the moisture back to natural lashes to ensure a proper glue bond between the natural lash and extensions.

  2. Ingredients: Lash cleansers are alcohol-based solutions, while lash primers are water-based.


Now that you have a better understanding of the differences between lash cleansers and lash primers, you can confidently incorporate them into your pre-treatment routine, increasing your retention - of lashes and happy customers!