One of the most important tools in eyelash extensions is the lash adhesive. What do we know about it?
- It is usually black but can be clear
- It can be for beginners, advanced technicians and for professionals
- Sometimes they call it safe 😂 and sometimes medical grade 🚑
The main ingredient of the adhesive is cyanoacrylate, then there is a pigment - carbon black (both of these ingredients may cause an allergic reaction) and also some amount of stabilizers, so your glue won’t get stuck to the bottle. Clear glue is clear because it doesn’t have pigment and it is mostly used to create nice and clean looks for colored lashes.
How fast your glue dries depends on the amount of cyanoacrylate in the glue; the higher the percentage - the faster it dries, also the retention time depends on the amount of cyanoacrylate, that’s why professional glues usually have retention of 5-8 weeks, but also almost instant drying time. Cyanoacrylate is temperature and humidity dependable, so all the properties of the glue, such as bonding time, retention and preferable room conditions usually stated on the bottle.
Now regarding the “Safe” glue, it still has cyanoacrylate (just a smaller amount) and most of the time it is black, so it may cause allergies too. Because of the low amount of cyanoacrylate in the glue, it is drying slower and of course, the retention of such glue is very short. May it still cause an allergic reaction? Yes. Is it safe? Not so much.
How to choose the right adhesive?
First of all - know your working conditions- temperature and humidity. Glues will dry faster in humid/warm spaces and slower in colder rooms with dry air. Here is an example:
Glue label says - bonding time 1-2sec, humidity 50-60%, temperature 20-22C.
If the room temperature is 25C and humidity 80%, the glue is going to dry much faster than 1-2 seconds. And on the contrary, if it is very dry, say 25% and room temperature is 19-20C, the glue will take longer time to cure. So in order to find the right glue, you should know the exact conditions that you work in. And it is better to always have 2-3 different adhesive in your Lash Arsenal.
