EYELASH EXTENSIONS PRETREATMENT ROUTINE: BARE MINIMUM VS ULTIMATE PROCESS

It’s no secret that a good pretreatment routine can be the difference between 2 and 4 weeks retention. Not only this, but effective pretreatment can also be the difference between regular, happy clients and unhappy, one-off clients.

With an abundance of pretreatment products available, knowing where to begin can often be daunting and in some cases financially unrealistic if you’re just starting out. So, for a little guidance we have put together three different checklists for you. Our ULTIMATE 5-step pretreatment routine vs. the bare essentials!

 

THE BARE ESSENTIALS PRETREATMENT ROUTINE: ONE PRODUCT WONDER

Foaming cleanser can act as an OK, one step pretreatment routine. It is important to note that this is NOT as thorough or reliable as our 3 or 5 step routines, however it will remove makeup, dirt and oils that may have gathered around the eyes. Plus, with it being just one product, it will be the cheapest option available to you. Please note that when rinsing the product away, you will need to do this thoroughly, leaving the eye clear of any residue so that the bonding of the adhesive to the natural lash is not impacted.

How to use

Pump once onto the lashes, and using a lash cleansing brush, gently massage the product into the lash line and the skin around the eye. Once thoroughly massaged in, rinse away with a saline solution. Pat dry with a tissue and then move onto applying your eye patches.

Product Cost: €16.95 

Or buy with our special bundle price, Clean Lashes DUO (Foaming Cleanser + Cleansing Brush) for €14.99

Time Spent: 3 Minutes

 

THE NECESSARY ESSENTIALS: 3-STEP ROUTINE

The idea of a pretreatment routine is to ensure that the eye area is cleansed and ready for treatment. This is so that the natural lashes are prepped for the extensions and skin area is ready for the eyepatches. Our 3-step routine starts with our Protein Remover Pads. These are little circles of magic which you gently wipe around the eyes and lashes. Another cheeky trick is to use two micro brushes to push into the pads for an extra deep clean along the lash line.

In the case you are doing an infill, you will need to be careful around the glue bonds. Do your best to avoid them with the pads themselves, otherwise there is a chance your client could be leaving with some little white fibers stuck in their lashes - and we can’t imagine they would want that. An easy trick to avoid this is to wrap the pad around your fingertip so that you have more control over the pad and carefully wipe the skin and use a dabbing motion on the glue bonds. For those more difficult areas to reach, use our cheeky tip from earlier. Use microfiber brushes to get that little bit closer, this helps to avoid any little white fibers getting caught onto the glue bonds.

Step 2 is our Pretreatment Cleanser. This Cleanser is different from our Foaming Cleanser and needs to be followed by Primer. We’ll explain why shortly. Using two microfiber brushes, put one drop of the product onto the brushes, dab off the excess, and sandwich the lashes. Then, moving from root to tip, move the brushes along the lash, with close attention to the bottom 2 millimeters - the glue zone. 

As we mentioned earlier, this process needs to be followed by Primer. The alcohol based Cleanser removes all the dirt, makeup, sebum and oils, but in this process removes the moisture from the lash. Using primer brings back the moisture lost, which helps with the speed at which your glue cures. Without this moisture, the performance of your glue can be severely impacted, leading to stickies and frustration.

In a similar fashion to how you applied your Cleanser, use two microfiber brushes to sandwich the lashes and swipe from root to tip of the lash. Don’t forget to dab off the excess product. Now those lashes are all ready to be lashed!

Product Cost: €51.89

Time Spent: 10 Minutes

 

THE ULTIMATE: 5-STEP EYELASH EXTENSIONS PRETREATMENT ROUTINE

This is our ULTIMATE routine. This is what we teach to our students on our Accredited courses and is what will prep the lashes and eye area perfectly for the ultimate retention. Using the two steps above in the exact order; Foaming Shampoo, Protein Remover Pads, Cleanser, Primer and then one final step… Booster.

This is our secret ace card which you apply to the lashes just before you begin your treatment process. Due to the alkaline pH of this product, it gently opens up the hair cuticle creating a greater surface area for the glue to grip on to. 

To apply, simply imitate the same process as you did for the Cleanser & Primer steps - it’s that simple! Booster helps to improve speed of work and overall lash retention. Due to this increased speed of work, we would advise only experienced lash technicians to use this product; however, if you are curious to give it a go, we do have sample sizes available before committing to a full sized bottle!

The lashes are now totally ready for the lashing of a lifetime!

Product Cost when sold separately: €95.24 

or buy in our special discounted bundle for €70.99

Time Spent: 15 Minutes