There is no price that can be put on your professional reputation. When doing your homework prior to selecting an adhesive, consider the health and safety of your clients, your own health and safety as a professional, and the ability to maximize your earnings. To do this, ask these five questions:
1) Can I see toxicity, mutagenicity and purity report from an independent, third party, accredited lab?
These reports will give confirmation that you are working with a healthy adhesive that won’t expose either you or your clients to adhesive that is poisonous, can cause mutations, and hasn’t been distilled and puried correctly.
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2) Can I see the ingredient list?
The adhesive should contain an ingredient that is a proven elastomer. If it doesn’t contain this, the cyanoacrylate (the main component of lash extension adhesives) will form a very brittle, dry bond that is prone to cracking and crumbling.
3) Is it 100-percent waterproof?
Adhesive should be 100-percent waterproof immediately after application with no need to wait before a client can wash her face.
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4) Where is the adhesive manufactured?
Geography matters: If the adhesive is being made in China, it has to sit on loading docks and in transport for quite a while. To combat this kind of problem, Chinese manufacturers add a solvent to dilute the adhesive so it doesn’t arrive completely dried up—and this compromises the end formula.
5) Is my adhesive making me money or losing me money?
If you choose an adhesive that costs 50 cents less per client, but crumbles down, causing you to lose the client because she doesn’t have time to come in for touchups every two weeks, your yearly prots are going to suffer. Successful lash artists know how to break down the math.
–by Sophy Merszei, molescular biologist, cosmetic chemist and president of NovaLash, Inc.
