Changing Your Lash Prep in Time for Summer | Why You Should Change Your Eyelash Extension Pretreatment Routine & How
Summer is all about soaking up the sun, lounging peacefully by the poolside, and even jetting off on vacation! Yet, the Summer season can be a love-hate time for Lash Techs. Although it is, usually, the busiest time for business as people are seeking a lush lash set for summer, the changes in weather can play havoc with your lash retention. While your clients are basking in the warm rays, they shouldn’t have to worry about their lashes shedding. There’s no need to panic though, as there’s loads you can do to combat the rising temperatures and humidity - and changing your lash pretreatment routine is one of them!
Why is a Great Pretreatment Routine Important?
Pretreatment for lash extensions is the process of removing all the oils, dirt, sebum, makeup, and any other retention-reducing nasties from the lashes. You may think that lash prep is only necessary if your client enters the lash studio with visible makeup around their eyes, but this is not the case! Even if your client’s lashes appear to be clean, they will still need to be prepped as makeup isn’t the only factor that will affect retention. If anything, the guilty party will be the oils that are present on the lashes - whether they’re natural oils or as a result of skincare, they will massively affect the lash glue bonding with the natural lashes. 
If there is any oily residue on the lashes, your client's lash retention will be the one to suffer as the lash glue will actually bond with the dirt on the lashes, rather than the natural lashes themselves. You probably won’t be able to notice this during the treatment, even when you’re brushing them will your lash spoolie. However, there isn’t a guarantee that your client won’t become aware of this as soon as they enter a hot shower, or wash their lashes (as they have been advised to), as the lash extensions will simply slide straight off. Especially during a vacation, this is the last thing your client wants to experience after spending their hard-earned money to look glam whilst enjoying the sun. Not only will their lash retention be non-existent, but your client retention will also be affected!
London Lash Top Tip: In preparation for their appointment, it’s always good to provide your clients with an appointment prep list which could include suggestions such as “Please avoid using any eye creams, oils, or lash serums on the day of your appointment” and “Please do not wear makeup around the eyes”. This will help you to ensure that you have an easier time performing your pretreatment, and you’ll know that once the routine is complete, the lashes will be squeaky clean!
But if they don’t follow the advice you’ve given them, or maybe they’ve forgotten, if your pretreatment routine is thorough enough then this shouldn’t matter much anyway. As the expert, it’s your responsibility to make sure your client’s eyelashes are clean before you move on with the treatment.
Why Should You Change Your Lash Prep in Summer?
As a Lash Tech, you probably know that summer is a different ball game. Don't get us wrong, there are multiple ways in which you can prep your lash studio for summer, but pretreatment is a huge factor in retention, especially in summer. In comparison to winter, the climate becomes much hotter and more humid, which unfortunately does have an impact on your skin. In summer, your clients are more likely to be using sunscreen to protect their skin, and they may even switch up their skincare routine to either keep their oily skin at bay (as they will be sweating more often) or to get a glowy and natural summer look. If they are switching up their routine, then so should you!
As you can imagine, if your clients are using more oily products than usual, or are sweating more, this will affect their lash retention - meaning if you don’t keep up with their changes in routine by altering your own, the eyelash extensions will pay the price! If you are new to the lash industry or on a budget, using a Lash Shampoo to pretreat your client’s lashes is the perfect way to start. Simple and easy to use, a Foaming Lash Shampoo is a staple in any pretreatment routine. If you already use a Lash Shampoo, then why not level up your pretreatment routine?
Using a Lash Cleanser will provide a deeper clean and strip the lashes of any remaining oils and dirt, and a Primer will nourish and rehydrate the lashes, providing the perfect base for the lash glue to bond with. However, if you want the ultimate retention for your client’s lashes then a 5-step pretreatment routine is top tier! Your retention will be unmatched when you change to a solid 5-step routine that includes Protein Remover Pads and Booster. The Protein Remover Pads will help you to thoroughly deep clean the lashes, particularly the lash line, and will help your eye patches stay in place. Using a lash Booster will essentially open up the hair cuticles, without damaging them, giving the eyelash glue a wider surface area to bond with. If you want to learn more about our incredible 5-Step routine, you can read about it here!
Lash Aftercare
As we’ve highlighted previously, oils can get in between the glue bond and the natural lashes, causing the lash extensions to slide off. This is the reason we advise against using oil-based products, prior to and after the lash treatment. Even if your clients use oily products, which we can guarantee that some do, they need to understand that aftercare is very important for their lash retention. Cleaning their lashes twice a day is essential if they don’t want any build-up of dirt and oils, and want to avoid premature lash shedding. It’s a great option to have Lash Shampoo and lash brushes available to retail to your clients, as this way you'll know that they have what they need to take care of their lashes. If you would like to know more about aftercare advice you can give to your clients during summer, then take a look at our Guide to Eyelash Extensions Aftercare: Summer Edition. 
If you’ve already got your pretreatment routine down to a T, then congrats! That’s definitely something to be proud of as some Lash Techs skip pretreatment entirely. If you’re still finding that summer is wreaking havoc on your retention, click here to check out our must-have lash accessories for summer. Happy lashing!
