Eyelash Extensions Review

Hey everyone,

I wanted to do a post about eyelash extensions. I have been doing them since November last year.
There's a lot of bad gossip about lash extensions and I wanted to put a stop to that.
I learnt with Marvel Lash. In a one day course. I do not believe one day is enough time to learn eyelash extensions and Marvel Lash are not a good company. However, I did learn the basic technique. There glue is like water, and after doing a few sets on my friends I found this out. They were falling off in a matter of hours! I contacted the person who taught me who said it was my fault! It wasn't.

I then decided to watch Youtube videos and i discovered I wasn't doing anything wrong which is what I thought anyway as I was doing what I was shown to do. I then looked at salongeek (forum for beauty) and saw terrible reviews for marvel lash. I found out that Marvel Lash miss important steps, like using a primer and a sealant! I then looked in to other brands and found that flirties have great reviews for there sealant and primer. I also went looking around for new glue. The next glue i tried was by LCN and I found it better than Marvel Lash however it looked terrible. It was so thick and gloopy and you would see it on the lash which your not meant to. it would take ages to dry and it clumped.

Thank god for my sister. My sisters friend has has eyelash extensions for years and and her specialist uses AH Frances glue. It's amazing. I went with the one for sensitive people as this will suit everyone and saves me by both glues and worrying I won't use them both up in the use by date time frame. It's so sticky, drys quick and doesn't clump. Finding the perfect glue is soooooo important, but just because this one works for me doesn't mean this will for you. Shop around and find different reviews and read up on what people like to use. 

I use Flirties primer and sealant and i was spectacle about using a sealant a lot of people don't and some people think they are a waste of money but i completely disagree. I have noticed that it makes the lashes stay on much longer and stops them from twisting so quickly. When you use long lashes they can twist when they start to grow out. When you stick on a faux lash you want it as close to the root of the lash as possible without touching the skin. When a lash grows out the faux lash moves with it therefore, it is not close to the root anymore this means that now the faux lash is too heavy for the natural lash so they can droop or twist. I have noticed that a sealant gives them that extra strength and holds them upright longer. The primer is a conditioner for the natural lash. It protects the natural lash also which is important as your natural lashes are not used to having the glue on them or the extra weight so you need to look after them.

Now lets talk about prep and technique. I use an oil free eye cleanser to start. Make sure it is oil free  any products with oil on with make the lash extensions come off. I clean the eyes then blot dry. You need to make sure the lashes are dry before placing any faux lashes. I then use eyelash tape and place it over the bottom lashes. Get your client to look up as it's easier for you and more comfortable for them. You want to stick the bottom lashes down as you don't want to put lash extensions on them or get them stuck to the top lashes. I then use gel pads. I place these on top of the tape. This makes it even harder for a bottom lash to slip through but this still can happen. Also the gel pads are for the client. They are relaxing and they are thick so when you rest your tweezers on them the client will hardly feel them and you won't stab them in the face. I then get my client to close there eyes and sometimes you may need to adjust the pads slightly. I then comb the lashes so they all lay straight and apply primer with a disposable mascara wand. I do this every time whether it's infills or a new set ALWAYS! My tweezers are always in barbicide so are clean and sterilized, always wipe before use. Then if this is is for infills i remover any lashes that may have twisted or grown out. I use micro swabs. I dip them in my remover and use one underneath the lash the other above and stoke the faux lash gently until it comes out. DON'T PULL! Then i blot the lashes again and comb again and now they are ready for application. You have to separate the lash and place a faux lash on top of the natural lash. Stroke the faux lash along the natural lash to coat it with glue and drop it on top don't try to hold it in place. Then let it dry before moving on. You can use a air blower to dry quicker if you feel you need to. I then place another lash on the same eye but not next to the one i did. The reason for this is the glue may still be tacky and you don't want to disturb it, it may stick to another lash and that's when you get clumps. You need to makes sure the faux lash is only attached to one natural lash, if its stuck to a few when the faux lash grows out it will come out with all the lashes attached to it and if it's stuck to more than one lash this is when you get gaps and can damage the clients lashes. Don't apply a faux lash to a natural lash that is too short as it's still growing and this can cause it to fall out quicker than it should. After application let them dry for about 10 seconds. Then i check if the client can open their eyes and they aren't stuck to the bottom lashes. If they are use remover as before. I then use sealant and let them dry for a bout 10 seconds again. And that's it.

Then give aftercare:

• Stay away from hot water and steam for 12-24 hours.
• Use oil free make-up removers and products around the eye.
• Don't pull or pick your lashes.
• You can comb them with a disposable mascara want or brow comb gently.
• Don't use mascara.
• Come back for infills 2-3 weeks.
• Don't use lash curlers.
• Don't rub/scrub your eyes.

ALSO BEFORE THE FIRST APPLICATION OR WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR GLUE A PATCH TEST MUST BE CARRIED OUT AT LEAST 24 HOURS BEFORE ON EVERY CLIENT REGARDLESS IF THEY HAVE HAD LASHES ELSEWHERE BEFORE.

I now want to talk about lashes. I let my client pick there own lashes/look.
There are different curls J, B, C, D.
I only use C or J. C Curls are very curled and dramatic. J Curls are a gradual curl and are more natural looking.
I then have different thicknesses. The ones I use range from 0.10(thinnest), 0.15, 0.20, 0.25(thickest).
I usually use a combination unless someone just wants the one thickness all over.
I then use different lengths. I buy mixed tray lashes that start at about 7mm and go up to 14mm. I then buy a tray of just 15mm as i tend to have more clients for the dramatic look. i use different lengths on every client. I only use 15mm on people with long natural lashes as if the client has short lashes they cannot support a very long lash. 
You can also get W and Y lashes these are great for a person with very sparse lashes or who want as many as they can get.
I use faux mink or silk as i am against animal testing and animal cruelty. Silk i find to be a bit thicker and harder, most people prefer faux mink.

When i started eyelash extensions i charged £10 per set, as i was practicing and this covered my costs only. Now i charge £30 as now i feel my lashes are completely up to scratch and standard and i would have them done myself.
Any questions let me know.

Charlotte
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