Prepping the lashes correctly before beginning a lash treatment is essential in order to promise the very best retention of lash extensions, and ensure there is no barrier on the lashes before a lash lift. The way we prep the lashes is similar for both treatments however it does differ slightly, in this blog we will delve into the process of preparing the lashes for both treatments.
Cleansing the natural lashes
In an ideal world, clients will turn up to their lash appointment with squeaky clean natural lashes, even if this is the case it’s important we still do our part of cleansing before beginning the treatment.
For both a lash extension appointment and a lash lift appointment, we will begin by cleansing the lashes thoroughly using a lash cleanser. The purpose of a lash cleanser is to remove any oil, makeup or residue from the natural lashes, we then rinse away using fresh water.
Make sure the lashes are completely dry before moving on to the next step.
Securing the bottom lashes with an eye pad
We then want to ensure the bottom lashes are secure and separated from the top, my favourite way to do this is to apply an under eye pad over the bottom lashes, near the water line. We have two options in the BELO range for eye pads: Dream On Foam Eye Pads or our best-selling hydrogel eye pads (we’ll go into the differences between the two in a minute!)
Picking the right eye pad: differences between Hydrogel & Dream On eye pads
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Cute, pink colour |
Clean white colour, perfect for filming crisp, clear content. |
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Made with a hydrogel compound, super comfortable and cooling for clients. |
Made from high quality foam to cushion the eye area. |
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Easy application, non slip & perfect for beginners |
Super sticky but gentle on the skin, may be trickier for adjustments once placed. |
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Large surface area, thin, luxury feel. |
Smaller surface area to the hydrogel pads, thicker feel on the bottom lashes. |
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Hydrates skin and leaves it feeling refreshed after lash procedures. |
Taping the lashes
Don’t worry if you don’t catch all the lashes with your chosen eye pad, the aim is to cover as many as the bottom lashes as possible whilst keeping a safe distance from the water line. Once the eye pad is secure we can then go in with our lash tape (you want to be sure to use a sensitive eyes-friendly tape) to catch any of the bottom lashes that are still not secure.
Place two small strips of lash tape (approx. 1 inch) diagonally from the outer corners of the lashes to the middle of the lashes to cover the remaining bottom lashes.
Prepping for lash extensions vs lash lift
If you are doing a lash lift appointment, the lashes are now prepared and you can begin the treatment with peace of mind that there is no barrier between the solutions and the natural lashes!
For a lash extension set, it’s important that for some clients we go on to prime the lashes, (please keep in mind we only use a primer if our client has oily lashes/skin!)
To prime the lashes, we use our customer fave - Belo Lash Forever Fix lash primer. Taking a micro brush, apply a small amount of the priming agent to the brush and work through the natural lashes (only a small amount is needed).
Forever Fix Lash Primer, 15ml, £15.49
The purpose of the primer is to remove any remaining residue and oil from the natural lashes. A primer also aids the adhesive bonding process by speeding up the drying time of the glue. The lash primer then strengthens the adhesive bond between the glue and the natural lashes to deliver a set of lash extensions that are as secure.
If you skipped the priming step and your client has oily lashes, you may notice during the treatment, the lash extensions may brush off as you’re combing through. This means that there was still residue on the lashes before you started your application.
The impact of this may mean that your client may need to come back in for an infill appointment sooner than intended, risking them trying a new lash tech if they feel the lashes don’t last. It is vital that in order to promise your clients amazing retention, the natural lashes must be clean.
Importance of correct preparation for lash extensions & lash lifts
Incorrect prep for a lash extensions treatment risks your clients getting an eye infection due to trapped dirt on the lashes making its way into the eye. Not having a clean base for a lash lift risks the lift being underwhelming or no lift at all, as the dirt build up will create a barrier between the lashes and the lifting solutions.
