Lash Lift and Tint: Learn the Do's and Don'ts of a Successful Procedure

Long, dark eyelashes have been a mainstay of beauty for centuries, but they continue to be a challenge to attain. Modern-day women may try every type of mascara on the market to no avail. Mascara can irritate the eyes, rub off or feel too heavy by the end of the day. If you forget to take it off at the end of the night, you risk eyelash loss, and constantly wearing mascara can damage your lashes.

Not to mention, of all beauty products, mascara has one of the shortest shelf lives. It only lasts three months. Compare this to foundation, which can last 12 to 18 months. It doesn’t make sense to pay for makeup every three months when it compromises healthy lashes.

As an esthetician, you want your clients to leave your chair feeling like new women. Their confidence deserves to shine. Sharing the hazards of mascara isn’t good enough; you have to be able to offer a healthy, safe solution that emphasizes their eyelashes' natural beauty. For women who want to throw out the mascara and see an improvement in their lashes, a lash lift and tint can be the best way to do it.

What Is a Lash Lift and Tint?

Most people can agree that upward-growing eyelashes are beautiful, so it's unsurprising they are the look that many women want to achieve. Unfortunately, most people’s eyelashes grow out instead of up.

A lift creates an upward look. You perform the lash lift on the upper lashes by attaching a rod to the lash line using lift rod glue. Apply the glue on one-third of the rod and, in an upwards motion, press the eyelashes across the rod. Only do a third of the rod at a time so that the glue does not dry before you apply all the eyelashes.

Once they are attached to the rod, apply step-one lift cream to the lashes. The processing time on different creams may range from five minutes to a total of 15 minutes. After the cream processes, wipe it off with a makeup removal pad. Do not let the lashes detach yet.

Next, apply the step-two lift cream to the eyelashes. Once the time is up, remove the cream with the makeup removal pad. Now, you can gently use a fresh pad to clean the eyelashes until they detach. Then, use a makeup pad to remove the rod from the skin.

In eyelash tinting, you apply a dye to the lashes themselves. When tinted darker, lashes automatically appear thicker and fuller. As a bonus, the tinting process does not involve clumping mascara. Lash tints are best for those who have fair lashes. The results may not be as noticeable if a client already has dark, thick lashes.

Why Should Clients Invest in a Lift and Tint?

A beautiful set of lashes can change an entire face. They are associated with femininity, and research shows that thicker eyelashes create an illusion of wider eyes. Many clients can appreciate and desire this appearance, but is it really worth the training and effort to be certified to carry out the lift and tint procedure?

The results from the procedures may last from six to eight weeks. Compare the effectiveness of a lash and tint to the use of false lashes. Artificial lashes are the alternative that most women use when they do not want to struggle with mascara. However, synthetic lashes only last about four to five wearings, while human and animal lashes last for about 20 wearings.

Most clients like affordability and convenience. What is more convenient than allowing a cosmetologist to take the reins? Your client can stop worrying about fair, sparse eyelashes and enjoy luxurious lashes that look natural.

What Are the Do's and Don’ts?

As with all procedures, it is important to understand what to do and not do during a lift and tint. When your client sits in your chair, she depends on you to do the best job possible. If you make a mistake, you could cause serious injuries to your client. The eyes and the surrounding skin are extremely sensitive. You have to take extra care to make the process as comfortable and safe as possible. Likewise, the results have to be good enough that your client will come back for more.

Do's of Eyelash Lifts

The first rule of eyelash lifts is to make sure to follow the directions entirely. Once you complete your training, do not try to invent new methods or create shortcuts that may be potentially harmful to your clients.

While following all of the directions, here are a few more tips on what to do during the lift procedure.

Use the Right Shield Size

The shield size that you choose is critical to the type of lift that you perform. A bigger shield creates a softer and more natural curl. A small shield, on the other hand, has a more dramatic curl. If you are unsure about which shield will yield the best results, hold different shields in place to imagine the final look.

Place the Shield Correctly

When placing the shield, think about the size of the eyes. For small eyes, you need to trim the shield. Try to imagine the shape of the curl. The shape depends on where the bump in the shield is located. You should never leave a gap between the shield and the lash line. If you do, then the lift will not look correct. When your shield is too far down, you could end up kinking the lashes.

Time It Right

Timing is a critical element of a lash lift. If you leave the lash lift cream on your client for one minute more than necessary, it can affect the entire lift. Make sure that you examine your client’s lashes before you begin the process. Everyone has different eyelashes and it is your job to make sure that the client has a customized experience. Use a stopwatch or any other timer to make sure that you get the exact timings.

Remove Contact Lenses

Some clients do not know that they are supposed to take off their contact lenses before they have their eyelashes tinted. It is up to you to warn them of the risks and to ask them to take out their contacts before you can start the session. Make a point to ask all your clients if they are wearing contacts before you begin the procedure.

Removing contact lenses is a safety precaution. For example, if you were to get the solution in a client's eyes, you will not be able to flush them immediately if they are covered with lenses. If the solution enters the contact lens, it can become trapped and damage the eye beneath it. Contact removal allows you access to the eyes and can help prevent further eye damage.

Clean the Lashes Thoroughly

One of the most common issues for cosmetologists performing this procedure is that they complete a lift successfully on one eye but the other eye’s lashes continue to droop. If you did one side right, how can you do the other wrong? Normally, this occurs because the lashes on one side were not completely cleaned.

There should be no makeup left on the lashes before you begin. Do not just quickly brush off the mascara and decide that a bit left is fine. Even a little bit of mascara can stop the lift from performing. Make sure to clean the eyelash of all makeup completely. When you begin the lift, if you see any mascara come off on your brush, then you need to start the process over again.

Even if your client claims that she is not wearing makeup, you should still clean the eyelashes as a rule. If the lashes are clean, the lift is more likely to work.

Don’ts of Eyelash Lifts

Without the appropriate training, a lot can go wrong with an eyelash lift. Never rush your clients and never perform a procedure with any amount of uncertainty. When performed by a professional, lifts have very minimal risks. Most clients have no adverse effects. To avoid any problems, make sure you understand what not to do.

Don’t Apply Too Much Adhesive

Many of the cosmetologists who make mistakes do not take into consideration the amount of adhesive, using as much as they feel like they need to hold the lashes down before continuing the process. Unfortunately, this can cause a failed lift, as too much adhesive interrupts the function of the solution. Try to use only a small amount of adhesive. If you apply too much, you can use a Y comb to take off any excess.

Don’t Expose the Product to Open Air

All cosmetic products have specific instructions for how you are supposed to store them. When it comes to lash cream, you do not want to expose it to open air for very long or it can ruin the potency. Many products require storage in a dry, cool area. You can warm your solution up to room temperature when it’s time to begin the lash lift.

Don’t Leave Solution On for Too Long

Some people mistakenly believe that if they leave the solution on for longer then it will have more dramatic results. The truth is that if you leave the solution on for too long, then you could damage your client’s eyelashes.

A client could lose her eyelashes, her eyelashes could turn white or she could develop chronic inflammation of the eye. Sometimes, the lashes can grow back within a couple of months. Unfortunately, the eyelashes do not grow back entirely for some people, so they are left with bald spots due to serious damage.

Don’t Ignore a Client’s Discomfort

Never overlook a client’s discomfort. Do not assume that she is being dramatic. Even if the reaction is small, do not assume that it will stay that way. If your client has an allergy, it could take multiple exposures for her to develop a more serious reaction. The first session could be fine. The second session may have a mild reaction, but the third may end with the client in the hospital, unable to breathe.

If a client tells you that the solution burns or if you notice abnormal redness and irritation, you need to remove the solution as soon as possible. When you have a client who had an allergic reaction, you cannot perform another lift on her.

Don’t Forget the Patch Test

Remembering to perform the patch test can avoid a serious allergic reaction. Test the solution on a different patch of the client's skin, such as on the arm, to see if there is any reaction. If the client has an allergic reaction, she cannot use the solution. The eyes are even more sensitive than the arm. Allergies can cause them to swell up, a rash to form and for eyelashes to fall out.

Who Can Your Clients Trust?

When it comes to lash lift and tint, how can you convince clients to come to your business? As a cosmetologist, you need to show your clients that you offer a safe and healthy environment. Having the right training can help ease any client's worries. People are more likely to trust you when they know that you have education in a procedure and you know what you are doing.

Once you have performed your first few lash lifts, you should show the results on social media. Let people know how serious you take lash lifting, allow them insight into your passion and then show them what you are capable of. If other clients see your work and know that you perform all of your procedures by following the top safety recommendations, they are more likely to seek out your services.

At Lash Stuff, we provide lash lift and tint kits. We also have training courses so that you can learn how to deliver the best session possible. We want to make every lash stylist better, so check us out today.