Today's blog post will be very narrowly focused on a specific topic. That's because even something as basic as handling and manipulating with false lashes may not be done correctly by every lash artist. Read on and make sure you're not making beginner mistakes.
Correct method for picking lashes up from the strip
Yes, indeed, even something as seemingly banal as picking up eyelashes can be done inefficiently.
Once you start applying false lashes to the natural ones, focus on grabbing the lash at about 2/3 of its length when separating and lifting it from the adhesive strip.
If you grasp it too low, down at the base, you won't dip it into the glue correctly and it will be difficult to apply to the natural lash. Of course, you can separate the eyelash from the others and then reattach it, but it's an unnecessary extra step that will take time.
Never tweeze an eyelash even by its tip. If you hold it all the way at the tip, it will soak in a drop of glue without a problem, but handling it - and heaven forbid the application itself - will feel like the first steps of a clumsy foal. And the results will look like it.
Yes, it's a small detail that won't ruin your final set of lashes, but it constantly disrupts the smooth workflow and steals second after second and eventually entire minutes of each extension. Better invest those saved minutes in an extended break.
Are all strips the same?
Lash artists are primarily concerned with whether they're comfortable with false lashes per se, but they don't give much thought to the box they come to the salon in. Yet every company has different ones, and as a result, every lash artist will also like a slightly different packaging.
The standard pack or box usually contains 16 thickly packed rows of eyelashes, but you may find a lower or higher number. I mention this mainly so that you don't come across an eyelash pack that is suspiciously convenient and then find out that there are only, say, 14 rows of eyelash strips in it.
Right after the number of strips, you should be interested in the material they are made of and what colour they are. For me, it's best if the strip is white or transparent, because then you can see the lashes being removed more easily. We always do it this way with our lashes.
If you find it easier or harder to pick up lashes from one company's strip than from another, it may be due to variations such as the width and length of the strip, whether it can be cut and transferred to the work surface without problems, and how it sticks to the surface.
Again - different people prefer different things. So try to think about it more the next time you're doing eyelash extensions, and see if you're picking up the lashes correctly and if the box and the strip they're attached to are suitable for you.
Some more tricks to make your work easier
Did you run out of smaller lash lengths while working? Do not push 10 mm lashes into the corners of the client's eyes. They might fit, but the way it would look...
Sometimes a desperate moment calls for a desperate solution. Of course, the lash artist should always be aware of whether she has enough material for the next session. But sometimes it's simply forgotten that there's no fresh eyelash palette in stock and trouble is imminent.
You can save a client's empty eyecorner by grabbing a larger length and measuring out the extra millimetres with a ruler. Trim the lashes from the foot, but don't cut them, a higher calibre is needed here to make the 'cut' perfectly straight, so use a scalpel to trim, or perhaps a retractable hobby knife.
And after all, even with ready-made fans of different lengths, this method can save you. Just shorten the fan at the foot to the desired length, e.g. from 7 mm, a simple cut will make the 5 mm you need. How simple!
Of course, rather than such an emergency measure, I advise you to be careful to have enough material. Related to this are tidiness in the workplace and good organisation of work, which are the "tricks" I discussed in my article 10 tricks to be efficient in eyelash extensions.
More interesting reading from my blog:
- 3 eyelash extension kits - what do you need to get started and how to choose the right one?
- What do you need to know to get the best lash trends for the turn of the millennium?
- 14 tips for perfect photos of your work
- UV Lash System - has the eyelash extension revolution arrived?
If you have your own tricks up your sleeve, feel free to share them with me on Instagram. I'll be so excited!
