Top Tips for Lashing in the Summer
Getting the right humidity
If your humidity is too high, you can get a dehumidifier which will strip the moisture from the air. The only drawback with this is that they can be quite loud, so sometimes isn’t the best option if you are trying to give a professional and luxurious treatment. So, if you are finding your glue is drying a lot quicker than usual, it could be worth swapping to a slower drying glue for the summer months. If you are used to using a glue that takes around 0.5-1 second to dry… try using a slower drying glue that takes around 1-2 seconds to dry, as the humidity will speed this up to what you are used to. Our Pink Lustre adhesive has a 1-2 second drying time, so why not give that a try.
Getting the right temperature
So, we now know how important optimum humidity is, but most adhesives will also have an optimum temperature too, usually around 18-24 degrees. Make sure you check with your manufacturer's guidelines so you know exactly how to store your glue.
If your room is too cold, it will usually mean that your humidity will drop and cause your glue to take even longer to cure. Try warming up your room by turning up the temperature, or using a portable heater if you don’t have central heating. This will help speed up your adhesive’s curing time, resulting in much better retention.
If your room is too hot, this usually means that your humidity will rise and cause your adhesive to cure much quicker than usual. You can open a window to try and get the temperature down, but sometimes this does no favours for your humidity levels! If your room has lots of windows, try keeping them covered from direct sunlight to keep the room cooler. Alternatively you could look at getting an air-conditioning unit for the room… they work an absolute treat if you’re prepared to pay a bit of money for one. Or you could try using a slower curing glue to help combat the faster drying speed.
Storing your adhesive
The way you store your glue will also massively impact its performance. You must store your glue in the way your manufacturer has outlined, usually in a cool, dark place. Just make sure you don’t leave it in a hot room overnight. We recommend getting yourself an airtight glue storage tank, and keep it out of any direct sunlight.
We have often heard of many lash techs that work in a cabin or a conservatory, where the temperature fluctuates a lot, who will bring their glue into their house at night to ensure its stored correctly. So if you find yourself in a similar situation, then this could be a good tip to consider.
Shaking your adhesive
Finally, make sure you give your adhesive a good shake. When a glue sits for a while, all of the components of the glue separate. For the glue to work in the way it is designed to, all of these components need to be combined. So, shaking the glue extremely well is vital. We recommend shaking a brand-new glue for 30-60 seconds initially. Then each time you use it for 20-30 seconds. Now we all know how much of a strain this can have on our poor arms….so we strongly recommend getting yourself a glue shaker. These are a life and time saver, believe us.
Hopefully these top tips will make this summer a much more enjoyable experience for all of you lovely lash techs.
