As lash artists, our first priority should always be the safety of our clients and their natural lashes. Here are our 5 favourite practices to ensure safe lash extension application!

1. Practice proper isolation EVERY time

Isolation is one of the most important steps in the lash extension procedure. Poor isolation is the #1 cause of lash damage. Poor isolation can cause loads of discomfort and pain to your client. In extreme cases, poor isolation can cause permanent lash damage and alopecia. You should ensure you are always isolating each lash to the best of your ability. Remember, everyone gets stickies here and there and that is totally okay as long as you unstick everything before sending your client home. We recommend doing a thorough sift through your work at the end of each appointment to ensure perfect isolation. We typically suggest starting at the corner of one eye and re-isolating every natural lash to ensure that each natural lash can move freely with the extension and is not too close to the skin, stuck to another natural lash or hurting the client.

2. NEVER use longer than a 9mm length on the inner corner

We all know that the inner corner lashes are often the shortest, thinnest and most delicate lashes on the lash line. It is important to always keep those lashes safe and free of damage. Always aim to lash them with a 9mm of shorter. Anything over 9mm is almost ALWAYS too heavy and long for an inner corner lash to handle safely. Lashing the inner corner lashes with shorter lengths also helps styling look better.

3. Avoid using lengths over 15mm in your sets

Any length over 15mm is almost ALWAYS too heavy for any natural lash. We know that longer lengths equal heavier weights. Super long extensions can cause a lot of stress on the natural lash and weigh the natural lashes down over time. This can cause permanent damage to the hair follicles. It is also hard to get super dense, thick sets using long lengths because the longer length you use, the smaller you have to make your fans.

4. Do not use too much glue

Using too much glue can make the lash extensions feel very heavy and uncomfortable. It is also very easy to get stickies and poor isolation often comes hand in hand with using too much glue. You do not need to use excessive amounts of glue to get good retention.

5. Calculate and measure the proper weights that each client can handle

Every natural lash is different and what works on one client may not be ideal for the next client. Make sure you measure and calculate the appropriate lengths and weights for each client and each section of the natural lash line. Check out our previous blog post on understanding lash weights and conversions here. If you know the weights and lengths of extensions are safe for your client, you will have a much easier time making sure there is no damage done.

Safest Lash Extension Practices