Lash Prep is Important for LOADS of Reasons, but Did You Know That Lash Prep Also Solves One of the MOST Annoying Issues You Face as a Lash Tech?
We’ve said it before and we’ll undoubtedly say it again: Lash Prep is SUCH an important part of each and every eyelash extensions appointment, whether it’s a first time client or a long-time regular, a full set or a lash fill, or whether you have plenty of time, or are pressed for time. If you’re looking for a little insight into WHY it’s important, we’ve gone into more detail in quite a few blog posts—a good place to start is to find out Why to Bother with Lash Prep.
The long and short of it though, is that Lash Prep makes your lash extensions last longer, enhances your clients’ experience with you, and also instills in them the idea that cleaning their eyes and lashes is important for maintaining both their look, and their health.
There is another issue which good Lash Prep also helps to solve, and it’s so often overlooked that we thought it was about time we laid out the facts, once and for all!
What’s the Issue?
The issue is one that we’re sure you’ve experienced; Under Eye Pads lifting while you’re applying extensions. Sure, this can happen because they’re are a little on the old side and the gel has dried slightly, but by and large it’s going to be because there is makeup, skincare residue, or even just sebum on the skin under the eyes, none of which will allow your under eye pads to stay in place for very long.
Yes, you can add tape to help them stay in place, but even tape won’t stay in place for very long and soon enough, you’ll be right back to the drawing board.
Why is it an Issue?
Under eye pads lifting while you work is an issue for a few different reasons. Firstly, it’s super annoying, and if there’s one thing you don’t need while you’re applying eyelash extensions, it’s being annoyed by something. Being irritated by something while you work means that your attention is on something other than precise application and giving your client the best possible experience. Constantly having to re-stick an under eye pad (or attempt to, anyway) will eat into your appointment time, leaving you frustrated, the lashes less full, and your client less happy.
On the topic of lashes not being full, what we typically see is under eye pads lifting in the inner corners, which means that the lashes there end up being covered by the under eye pad, and are devoid of extensions by the end of the treatment. While half set lashes are very much on-trend at the moment, leaving the inner corners uncovered looks pretty unprofessional, and can even make your client look strange if a half set wasn’t what you were going for.
Lastly, under eye pads lifting and/or moving during a lash set is a massive culprit of clients having red eyes after lash extensions. This is true for two reasons, firstly, the movement of the patches and you having to rearrange them as a result is going to result in your client’s eyes being opened slightly but repeatedly, which allows glue fumes to enter the eyes and cause chemical burns which leads to that uncomfortable redness you might see sometimes if you’re not aware of how to avoid it.
Secondly, assuming the under eye patches aren’t lifting in a way that you can notice, there is a danger that they can get closer and closer to the waterline before ultimately entering the eyes and rubbing, which bruises the eyeball. This is just as uncomfortable for your clients as it looks, and it spoils their experience as well as really ruining the ‘after’ photos you were going to take to show off on your socials!
How Does Lash Prep Help?
Lash prep helps simply by removing any makeup, skincare products and sebum that cause the eye pads to lift. Of course, if you’re only using Lash Cleanser and Lash Primer—which are only used on the lashes and not on the skin—then you’ll see no difference to the behavior of your under eye pads.
The key is to thoroughly cleanse the skin around the eyes to ensure that you’re giving yourself a completely fresh canvas to work on—never assume that because a client comes without makeup that their skin is free from anything that will impact your work. Any moisturizers or serums present can impact not only your eye pads staying in place, but also the eyelash extensions from staying on the lashes if you don’t take the time to thoroughly cleanse them before you start working.
Ideally, you’ll use Lash Shampoo as the first step of a longer lash prep routine, though there is a case for using it as a single step if you’re pressed for time, or if you’re a beginner who’s looking to keep lash supplies to a minimum while you’re just starting out.
Lash Shampoo cleanses the lashes and the skin around the eyes, but you’ll see even better results following it up with Protein Remover and Cleansing Pads (Protein Pads for short) because they’ll get rid of any residue that might have been left behind by the Lash Shampoo as well. Allow the skin to dry, and then you can apply your under eye pads and/or tape without the fear of them lifting while you’re working your lash magic.
We’ll always be good advocates for having a thorough lash prep routine, but we’ll settle for knowing that you have even one product that’s designed to cleanse the lashes and the skin so that you can work safely, accurately, and give your clients the gift of lashes that are as safe and comfortable as they are gorgeous!
