Great lash tweezers are a beauty technician's best friend. All of the tools in a lash artist's toolkit are important, but lash tweezers are one of the most fundamental. From lash isolation to fanning and precision work, having access to clean eyelash tweezers is the sign of a stellar lash artist.
However, all the use you get out of these crucial lash tools means one thing: they need to be kept in perfect condition at all times.
Knowing how to clean lash tweezers through soaking, disinfecting, and proper storage means you can continue applying gorgeous lash extensions knowing each set is safely and hygienically handled.
In this guide, we'll cover everything to do with clean tweezer care for a safer lash practice. After all, the last thing you want is your eyelash extensions giving a client an eye infection or triggering an allergic reaction!
Why are Clean Eyelash Tweezers so Important?
Dirty tweezers risk exposing your client's eyes and eyelashes to an array of unwanted bacteria and free radicals. Eyes are delicate organs that are sensitive to foreign particles, and using dirty tweezers around them can result in irritation at best and infection at worst. No, thank you!
Not only does using clean tweezers show that you take yourself seriously as a prepared professional lash artist, but it also keeps your clients safe from cross contamination and germs that could harm their eyes.
4 Tips for Good Tweezer Hygiene
Even the most talented lash artists can benefit from learning a few clean tweezer tips every now and then, and there's no shame in that! Knowing how to sanitise lash tweezers properly is crucial, and it will make you a better cosmetic pro.
That's why we've gathered four of the best tips to help you be a lash technician who is equal parts hygienic, professional, and fabulous.
Here's how to properly disinfect and clean your tweezers!
1. Clean off excess lash glue
Knowing how to clean eyelash glue off of tweezers is one of the most crucial aspects of great lash tweezer care. As you apply each lash extension, glue is bound to get on your tweezers, and while a little is fine during an appointment, cleaning off excess lash glue after the lash application process is over is essential. What you use on one client should never carry over to the next!
You can clean off the excess lash glue using a tweezer cleaner, sold on many reputable lash sites. The powerful chemical solutions in these products break down the sticky glue particles, keeping your eyelash extension tweezers clean, smooth, and bright.
2. Sterilise lash tweezers in between clients
As a strict rule of thumb, never use the same pair of eyelash extension tweezers on more than one client without sterilising them in between. Knowing how to disinfect lash tweezers and how to sterilise lash tweezers means your tools will always be as clean and safe as possible for every client.
Before a new client sits down, sterilise your lash tweezers with a good old barbicide soak. Barbicide is a popular beauty industry disinfectant solution that can be used to disinfect all types of grooming tools.
If you want to know how to clean lash tweezers without barbicide, that's okay; you do have other options. While clean water is good, you need a little more than that to really disinfect them. Using isopropyl alcohol, medical spirits, hospital-grade disinfectant, or another industry-approved type of disinfection solution should also work for a tweezer soak.
3. Store your lash tweezers in a safe space
When not actively being used, lash tweezers should remain inside a safe, clean tweezer case. This will protect them from damage and keep them free from passing germs and bacteria.
After completing an appointment and doing a thorough tweezers soak, allow your tweezers to air dry in a sterile environment (this shouldn't take long as the disinfectant solution evaporates quickly), pop them into your tweezer case, and keep them there until your next client.
4. Always keep a spare set of lash tweezers handy
If your regular tweezers aren't around or you can only find dirty tweezers, having more than one set is always good. Properly store at least one spare set of lash tweezers so that you can whip them out any time you need them.
The bottom line here is this: Clean your eyelash tweezers regularly, thoroughly, and with the proper disinfection procedures.
All of this crucial information is covered (and more!) in BELO Lash's training programs, which delve into the finer details of lash tweezer tips and care.
Why is it Important to Sanitise Eyelash Tweezers?
Sanitising your eyelash tweezers is imperative for a number of reasons.
Firstly, it keeps your clients safe from contracting infections and being exposed to the germs and bacteria of other people.
Secondly, it preserves the quality and usability of your precious tools! Lash tweezers are not cheap; looking after each pair you own means you'll get a much longer (and more effective) life out of them. And third, it's just good practice.
Great tweezer hygiene shows that you understand your role as a professional lash technician and take it seriously.
How Often Should I Disinfect My Lash Tweezers?
You should disinfect tweezers every time before and after using them on clients. Once before to ensure no residual dirt, glue, or germs are on them, and once again after to make sure you get rid of any buildup that developed during the appointment.
What are the Best Methods for Cleaning Your Tweezers?
One of the best methods for disinfecting and cleaning tweezers is to do a tweezer soak in barbicide or another type of medical-grade disinfectant. Isopropyl alcohol and medical spirits are both great alternatives.
As a lash technician, it is your duty to make sure you use the most effective and thorough disinfection methods possible for consistently clean tweezers that are safe for you and your clients to use. Fortunately, clean eyelash tweezers are not difficult to maintain, especially once you get into the routine of it.
How to Store and Care for Your Tweezers
Always be gentle and hygienic when handling your lash extensions and tweezers. Wash your hands with hot water and soap, and wear gloves when handling your tweezers whenever possible. It's a good idea to keep all surfaces sterile so that placing them down throughout your appointment does not result in contact with any germs or bacteria.
The best way to keep tweezers clean in between appointments is to store them in a sealed, disinfected storage case. This will keep them clean and secure as you go about your daily business.
Clean Your Tweezers: A Lash Artist's Mantra
Clean tweezers (and metal tools in general) are the hallmarks of a professional lash technician. By keeping your tweezers clean, you protect your clients from contracting nasty infections and keep your tools clean and in good condition for longer, more advantageous use. Clean queens unite!