From the Manual: Classic Eyelash Extension Application - Pt 1 - Lash Products Overview

Posted by Esther Bolkin on February 19, 2019

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In the 30+ years I’ve been creating lash looks for clients, there have been major advancements in lash technology. Throughout each innovation, I’ve found it helpful to come back to the basics, which is why I’m dedicating a 5-part blog series to the classic application of eyelash extensions. These articles will be based on the information I contributed to the Glad Lash Classic Application Training Manual - A must read for every lash professional in the biz! In this first blog post, we’re covering:

• How to create a classic, natural, full-look.
• What types of eyelashes and lash adhesives to use.
• Must-have tools to have on hand.

Enjoy Lash Lovers!

Eyelash Extensions Characteristics

While different customers strive for different lash looks – curl, thickness, and lengths of varying degrees are the overarching lash demands you’ll be looking to meet for your clients. We apply single strand lashes to the client’s natural lashes and then bond them together with long-lasting medical-grade glue that holds the synthetic lashes in place for the natural life cycle of the lashes (approximately 45 days). To keep lashes looking lush, we recommend a fill-in appointment every 2-3 weeks to maintain a full look. Every lash technician who signs up for the Glad Lash Training and Certification receives a kit that includes three trays of the highest quality mink lashes in a variety of curls, thicknesses, and lengths. To remove the guesswork, we provide a curl chart and a thickness chart to use as an illustrative tool and style guide for your customers.

Popular Curls

Currently, the most requested curls are B and C Curl, but D Curl (the curliest!) has become a more popular trend, all of which are included in our training kit. When it comes to thickness, it’s important to note where you’re starting from—your customer’s natural eyelashes vary from .07mm to .15mm in thickness. Single strand lashes range in thickness from .03mm all the way up to .30mm, but the most requested thicknesses are .15mm and .20mm. As for length, single strand lashes range from 6mm to 18mm. Currently, the most requested lash lengths are 9mm through 12mm. Generally, an eyelash extension application has a combination of 3-5 different lengths to create a natural look, and we train our lash pros to learn how to provide them all!

Fiber Types

Synthetic Silk and Synthetic Mink are the two most popular lash material types.

Synthetic Mink

• Manufactured for consistency in curl, thickness, and length
• Durable and natural looking
• Matte or glossy

Synthetic Silk

• Manufactured for consistency in curl, thickness, and length
• Durable and natural looking
• Shiny

Lash Shaft

There are two main types of lash shapes: a round shaft or a flat shaft. The round shaft lashes have been available the longest, but some people prefer the flat shaft since it gives the appearance of a thicker lash without adding the additional weight. For example, a .15mm flat lash can give the appearance in diameter of a .20mm lash.

Our Recommendation for Lash Adhesive

All of Glad Lash's professional single strand eyelash adhesives are medical grade cyanoacrylate based and waterproof. Essentially, they are also formaldehyde, gluten, paraben, and latex free! Cyanoacrylate glues need moisture to harden (cure). For optimal glue performance, keep the room at a comfortable temperature between 72° and 76° and humidity levels between 40% and 60%. Glad Lash offers a hygrometer that can measure both room temperature and humidity. Keep in mind too much humidity can also be bad, as your glue will cure faster than you can apply it. Therefore, a dehumidifier may be necessary. The glues offering the quickest drying and longest bonding time will have stronger fumes and a lower viscosity. The glues with low-to-no fumes (otherwise known as sensitive glues) dry slower and don’t hold as long. For comparison, the glue in our training kit bonds for 4 to 5 weeks, has low-to-medium fumes, has low viscosity, and has a shelf life of 1-month after opening.

Adhesive Tips

• Always keep your glue stored up-right, at room temperature approximately between 72°-76°.
• Keep the tip clean of any adhesive and the cap on tight.
• Shake the adhesive for approximately 15 seconds before use.
• Tap your bottle in an upright position when you’re done using it to help dislodge any adhesive that may remain in the tip.
• Do not expose the glue to direct sunlight or excessive heat or moisture.
• Do not leave your glue or any of your eyelash extension products in the car.
• NEVER WORK WITH YOUR CLIENT’S EYES OPEN.

Must-Have Tools for Eyelash Extensions

If you're wondering "what products do I need to do eyelash extensions?" here is all the information you need to get started. We include the following tools in our training kit and recommend them for all lash technicians to make single-strand application easier and more effective.

1. Premium Jade Stone

This jade stone is an ultra-handy pallet for eyelash extension glue to prevent rapid drying during the application process.

2. Glad Lash Lint Free Eye Gel Patches

These curative patches act as both an eye treatment and a useful cover to protect the lower lashes during the eyelash extension application. The collagen & arbutin eye patch offers a slow-release, patented formula that delivers moisturizing, brightening, and elasticity benefits to the lower eye area.

3. 3M Micropore Medical Grade Tape

Use this latex-free tape to protect and tape down the lower lashes or to tape fluttering eyelids before eyelash extension application.

4. 3M Double Sided Tape

This double-sided tape is ideal for taping lashes to the back of your hand during application and for taping glue palettes such as jade stones and glue cups into a secure location on your workstation.

5. Disposable Mascara Brush & Lash Separator

This mascara brush helps straighten out and select your customer’s natural lash for easy application of eyelash extensions.

6. Micro-Brush

With a bendable neck and non-linting applicator, the Glad Lash Micro-Brush can be used to apply primer or cleansers to the client’s lashes in preparation for eyelash extensions. These micro brushes can also be used with adhesive remover to remove unwanted, damaged, and old eyelash extensions.

7. Eyelash Cleansing Brush

This eyelash cleansing brush by Glad Lash allows for a super gentle and effective way to clean the lashes and eye area.

8. Precision Point Straight Tip Tweezer, 5.5”

Designed for use with your non-dominant hand, these high-quality German stainless-steel tweezers help eliminate finger, wrist, and hand fatigue. The thin, lightweight handle, super precision tip, and anti-magnetic and non-corrosive surface will allow you to isolate the natural lashes.

9. Precision Point Angular Tip Tweezer, 5.5”

Another tweezer pair of German-designed ingenuity to help you place eyelash extensions in a very accurate manner.

10. Glad Lash German Stainless Steel Scissors

With a satin polish finish and 3 3/4” in length, these professional scissors are perfect for cutting medical grade tape and other eyelash trimming needs.

11. Glad Lash Mixing Bowl

Suitable for all eyelash extension liquids, this mixing bowl is made of high-quality, durable glass and is used for the gel glue remover.

12. Professional Glad Lash Travel Case

Keep your products organized and close at hand with this lightweight travel case measuring 11” L x 7” W x 3 1/2” H. It includes top and bottom compartments for all your eyelash extension tools.

13. Client Case & Application Palette

Easy to access and organize, each client case comes with a client application palette so you can easily locate your clients’ custom palettes while protecting the lashes inside. This customer filing and record-keeping system also comes with client consultation forms. I’ve just skimmed the surface of eyelash extension characteristics, trends, tools, and application. We cover them way more in-depth in Glad Lash's classic eyelash extensions training and in the training manual! I’ll be back for Part 2 of this series, where I’ll be covering client best practices. Stay tuned!

Featured Image Credit

Thanks to the amazing @gracefull_lashes for the stunning image of her set of Classic Lashes!