Wash. Prime. Seal.

As lash artists, we strive to not only create beautiful looking lash sets, but also quality lash sets. It is important to remember that quality needs to be considered in the supplies, technique/application, and the overall service. In this post I will be focusing on the quality of the supplies and technique/application.

Before you begin adhering the eyelash extensions themselves, you need to first make sure you are working with ultra-clean natural eyelashes. The first thing you’re going to want to do is wash your client’s natural eyelashes with an eyelash cleanser. Make sure the cleanser is tear-free and is compatible with eyelash extensions. There are many cleansers available on the market, but be mindful that some cleansers do contain oils, which as you may know, oil is not compatible with eyelash extension adhesive and will not allow the extensions to bond properly to the natural eyelash(es) resulting in compromised retention. 

When cleansing the lashes, it is important to thoroughly clean every eyelash with your disposable cleansing brush and rinse all of the cleanser foam or gel from the lashes. If any of the product still remains on the lashes, strong retention may be compromised. 

Retention Definition: Describes how strong the bond is between the natural eyelashes and the eyelash extensions.

After the lashes have been thoroughly washed, the next step is to go in with an eyelash extension primer. Using primer will ensure that the lashes are ultra-clean (that’s what we want!). Primer will strip away any remaining dirt or natural body oils from the eyelashes - both the natural eyelashes and the eyelash extensions. Same as the eyelash extension cleanser, make sure you thoroughly clean every eyelash, however instead of using a disposable cleansing brush, you will use a disposable micro swab. 

Once the eyelashes are fully dried, you can then proceed to adhering the eyelash extensions. Of course, you’re going to want to make sure you’re using a quality adhesive, so at the bottom of this post is a list of some of our favorite products that we recommend to lash artists!

After the eyelash extensions have been applied and are fully dried, you’re going to want to apply an eyelash extension sealant. Sealant is wonderful because it a) Helps cure the eyelash extensions in a shorter amount of time. b) Increases retention by up to an additional 30%. c) Eliminates all of the fumes emitted by the adhesive immediately. Although sealant may not “cure” any allergy to eyelash extension adhesive, it may help lessen any symptoms. 

When applying sealant, you will want to use a disposable micro swab. Apply the sealant to the base of each extension since this is where the adhesive is. Allow the lashes to fully dry before proceeding to the next step, which is removing the disposable eye pads and tape.

Debated Topic: Do You Need To Use Primer & Sealant?

Some lash artists claim that you do not need to use both primer and sealant during a lash service. To challenge this claim, I conducted a test (with client’s permission, of course) where out of 45 clients, 15 clients had both primer and sealant applied, 15 clients only had primer applied, and 15 clients only had sealant applied. I had each client rebook with me after 2 weeks, so I could see the results of this test. This test was conducted in the months of February to April. This information is important because humidity can affect the retention and bond of the extensions to the natural eyelashes.

*Disclaimer; It is important to remember that clients following the aftercare procedure properly varies. For example, not every client will remember to wash their lashes everyday. Some clients may even wash their lashes twice a day, while others may wash their lashes once per day. Some clients may accidentally forget to sleep on their back. Etc. So because of this, I conducted this test with a total of 45 clients, rather than just one client per service adjustment.*

For those who still had at least 75% of the eyelash extensions still applied, below are the results that I found.

Both Primer & Sealant Applied: 12 of 15 clients

Only Primer Applied: 9 of 15 clients

Only Sealant Applied: 7 of 15 clients 

Primer and sealant both have different purposes. Primer is a product that will help deeply clean the eyelashes, while sealant will help cure the eyelash extension adhesive in an effort to better the retention. When using both products, the client will experience the best of both worlds - properly cleaned/prepped eyelashes + a product applied that will help strengthen the bond between the natural eyelashes and the extensions. If primer is not used, then the lashes may still have remnants of natural body oils or dirt, which will make it difficult for the adhesive to properly bond the eyelash extension to the natural eyelash. If sealant is not used, the adhesive is not receiving the extra boost from the sealant which will help ensure a proper and secure bond. This is why the result of applying both primer and sealant to the client’s eyelashes is the highest.

So, wash, prime, seal. This is what I do as well as what I suggest every lash artist do in their services. We want to make sure our clients are receiving a quality service and a part of that is them receiving lashes that are made to last! 

Product Suggestions

Cleanser:

Ruthie Belle Lash Foam Sensitive 

Primer:

Bella Lash Primer 

Adhesive:

Ruthie Belle Dark Energy 

Sealant:

Ruthie Belle Superbonder 

Xoxo,

Ashley Bryan

Founder