How to Master Retention in the Summer Months

    Every professional lash artist knows how hard it can be to make your lashes last during the summer. While the summer is a time for fun and sun, we all know from experience that it can wreak havoc on your eyelash extensions. The high temperatures, humidity, and sun exposure that come with the summer can have a negative effect on lash retention.

    Factors affecting retention during summertime
While lash retention practices typically use the same principles all-year round, you’ll have to count for some extra factors when applying lashes during the summer.

1.Temperature
When summer arrives, mother nature starts cranking up the heat. While this may be great for getting your tan on, these rising temperatures aren’t exactly ideal for lash extensions. Higher temperatures can start affecting the adhesive and weaken the bond between the clients natural lashes and their new extensions.

Likewise, constant use of air conditioning can also reduce eyelash retention. Air conditioning dries out the air, which reduces the humidity and may cause your lashing room to no longer be within the ideal conditions for your adhesive. This may cause your adhesive to cure too quickly to adhere correctly to the natural lash. Not only this, air con via fans or in office buildings can dry out the natural lashes in the period between appointments, causing them to become brittle and fall out.

2.Humidity
Summer usually comes with rising humidity levels too, which can prevent the eyelash glue from setting properly, causing stickies or causing a weak bond between the extensions and the natural lash.

Also, if your client has oily skin, humidity can also cause their skin to produce excess oil which will weaken the adhesive’s bond even more. In this case, be sure to use a lash primer before application to create the perfect base for the extensions. Please note: not every client will need lash primer, so evaluate this on a client by client basis.

3.Chlorine & saltwater
With sweltering temperatures coming up pretty soon, you can’t blame your clients for making plans to head to their closest pool or beach – maybe they’ve got their annual holiday coming up! But going for a swim can actually impact lash retention as the chlorine and saltwater can weaken the bond between the clients natural lashes and their extensions.

4.Sweat
Look, we get it. It’s hot, humid, and the sun’s warm glow is too pretty to stay away from all day. All this is going to cause your clients to sweat out a bit more than they usually do. While we’re not anti-sweat here at CharmeLash, sweat and any excess moisture can weaken the glue between the natural lashes and the lash extensions. That’s why it’s super important to stress the importance of washing lash extensions 1-2 times a week to your clients.

    How to maximise lash retention in the summer

Now that we’ve gone through all the ways the summer can affect eyelash retention, here are some top tips on how to maximise retention during the season.

1.Use a stronger adhesive
To make sure the client’s new lashes are absolutely summer-proof, you might need to start using a different type of eyelash glue. We recommend switching over to using a stronger adhesive during your summer appointments. Strong eyelash adhesive is designed to hold up against humidity and moisture, which means your client’s new eyelashes are more likely to stay put even in the hottest and most humid conditions.

2.Apply lashes precisely
While you should be doing this every time you’re applying a new set of lash extensions, correct and precise application is even more important during the summer. Make sure you’re using a high quality adhesive to glue the extensions on and that you’re applying the lashes at the correct angle.

3.Keep lashes dry
Getting a fresh set of eyelashes too wet is a surefire way to get your lashes to fall out early, so avoid using too much primer or adhesive remover to minimise the amount of moisture that touches the lashes. If this is a no-go for your client, use our Superbonder to protect between the natural lash, the extension and the adhesive.

4.Use a sealant
Using a sealant can help prolong the life of a fresh set of eyelash extensions as it helps to protect them from water, sweat, and humidity. This protection then prevents the adhesive from breaking down and the eyelash extensions from falling out.

5.Avoid oil-based products
When it comes to fresh lash extensions, oil is your client’s worst enemy as it can also break down the bond between the adhesive and the extensions. Make sure you don’t use any oil-based products around your clients face and eyes during the application process.

6.Encourage regular infills
Did you know your hair and lashes actually grow faster during warmer months? This means more refills are required to make sure their lashes stay tidy and full. To keep up with your natural lashes growth cycle, we recommend booking your clients in for more frequent appointments during the summer.

Summer lashes that you can rely on
    Mastering eyelash retention during the summer can be quite tricky, whether you’re a beginner to lashes or a seasoned, professional lash artist. We hope this guide we’ve put together has helped you understand how the upcoming summer can affect lash retention as well as all the ways you can maintain and maximise it. With the right products and proper lash application you can make sure your client’s new lashes are absolutely summer-proof.

    It’s also important to make sure your clients have all the right information and aftercare products they’ll need to look after their fresh set of eyelash extensions. These tips will ensure that your clients’ eyelash extensions will weather through even the hottest and most humid months of the year.