9 Common Mistakes Beginner Lash Technicians Often Make
Whether or not we'd like to admit it, we're all highly likely to be making these mistakes as beginners, and if we don't correct that, those mistakes may very well become habits which will have a lasting impact on our lash career in the future!
1. Using Too Much Or Too Little Eyelash Glue
If you have been wondering why your client's lash extensions are not lasting as long as they should be, it is probably because of the amount of eyelash glue you’re using during the treatment. So firstly, do not swipe the eyelash extension in the lash glue, as this will just create a film of adhesive on the lash extension and will dry before it gets a good grip on the lash. Try and scoop the lash glue but not too much. You just want the tiniest ball of lash glue on the lash extension, not a big blob.
Top Tip - If you get too much eyelash glue on your eyelash extension, scoop slower, if you scoop the lash out too fast, you will notice there is too much lash glue.
2. Taking Too Much Time To Isolate The “Perfect Eyelash”
Have you ever noticed that you've spent quite a bit of time just trying to isolate one eyelash? Well, this is actually very common. A lot of new Lash Techs look for an ideal natural eyelash to apply the eyelash extension to - always keep in mind that every eyelash needs a lash extension applying to it, so it really doesn't matter which individual eyelash you choose to do first.
Top Tip: If you do the difficult baby lashes first and get them out of the way, you won’t be too tired towards the end of the treatment and you will only have the easy natural eyelashes left to do!
3. Incorrect Styling
It is so important that you know how to correctly style your client's eyelash extensions. You have to determine which length, thickness and curl will be appropriate for your client. Remember to consider things such as the growth direction of the natural lashes, your client's facial bone structure, eye shape and distance between their eyes. For example, most clients want the “Cat Eye” look, but only a very small handful of people actually have the correct eye shape to pull off this look. This is something you really need to take into consideration. Most looks require mixing at least 2 different curls, this way they will blend better and look more natural. Too thick lash extensions or too big lash fans are not good for long term wear, they can seriously damage the natural eyelashes if it can not handle the weight - keep these for special occasions ONLY.
4. Not Following The Correct Pre-treatment Routine
It is very important to follow the correct pre-treatment before you begin your eyelash extensions application. You need to ensure that your client has absolutely no makeup, dust or dirt on their natural eyelashes. You can use lash shampoo and protein remover pads to clean the lashes, and for best results always follow up with Cleanser and Primer. Also, remember a correct pre-treatment isn’t just for new sets of lash extensions. Make sure you have a thorough pre-treatment when doing infills also. You can use microfibre brushes to get the roots squeaky clean.
Top Tip: Ask your clients to come to their appointment without makeup, or to at least avoid waterproof mascara on their treatment day.
5. Distance From The Eyelids
Getting the correct distance from your client's eyelid when applying a lash extension is very tricky and requires a lot of experience and practice to get it perfect. They are either too close to the lid or too far off. However, both are bad. If you get the lash extension too close to the eyelid it will be very uncomfortable, or even painful for your client. The lash extension and the eyelash glue will irritate their skin. Sticking the lash extension too far from the lid is not as bad as getting it too close, however, it will eventually grow out much quicker than the other lashes and will be too heavy for the root of the natural lash. It will also look very messy and could cause the eyelash extensions to twist. The ideal distance is between 0.5-1mm from the eyelid. However, this depends on your experience. But remember it is better to keep it further away than too close.
6. Stickies
Stickies are the single most important thing to watch out for when applying lash extensions. The reason it is so important to check your work for stickies is that they are extremely damaging to the natural lashes. The first step to prevent stickies is to correctly isolate the individual lashes. Checking your work for stickies is as important a part of your lash procedure as applying under eye patches - it’s all about safety! Always ensure you save 10 minutes at the end of a treatment in order to do this thoroughly and correctly. The first way you can check for stickies is to check each individual lash from root to tip with your lash tweezers, not forgetting to check every natural lash to ensure that any baby lashes are not stuck anywhere. Secondly, you will need to check the eyelash layers because lashes don’t grow in just one row - you are almost guaranteed to find at least one stickie between the layers!
7. Not Using A Lash Extension Map
Even the most experienced Lash Techs always use a lash map - it doesn’t add much time to the treatment but has a major effect on the overall look. Symmetry is the absolute key when doing lashes and without a map, it will be extremely difficult to remember which lash extension you used where. When you start working with the eyelash layers, you will know that you need to put a longer lash extension on the bottom layers and a shorter lash extension on the top layers, so that when your client opens their eyes, they will have perfect lashes and lash mapping is essential to achieve this.
Top Tip: Start the mapping when your client has their eyes open, using an eyeliner or brow pencil to mark off the middle of the eye (where their iris is) on the eyelid. When client's eyes are shut, it makes it very tricky to determine where the middle of their eye is.
8. Bad Lash Direction.
This is one of the most common mistakes for beginner Lash Techs. There are 2 types of directions: The base direction, we usually like to follow what is called a “sunrise” as this helps you remember which direction the lash extensions should always go. Just think of the beams coming off of the sun. You want the inner and outer corner lash extensions to fan outwards, not straight ahead. The second type of direction is the tip direction - even if you fan the eyelash extensions out perfectly but are not keeping an eye on the TIPS of the extensions, the overall look will appear very messy. The more curly the lash extensions are, the more important it is (and more difficult to keep an eye on).
Top Tip: Use a lash mirror to check the directions of the tips throughout the treatment.
9. Not Placing The Under Eye Patches Correctly.
Trying to achieve the perfect placement for the under eye patches can feel daunting and scary, but it is the base of a good set of lashes.
If the under eye patches are placed incorrectly it will be extremely uncomfortable for your client. It will also lift up the inner corner eyelashes, resulting in the wrong distance and an overall messy look when your client opens their eyes. The eyepatches should never ever be touching the waterline. This will also be very uncomfortable for your client and could lead to a chemical burn, or something even more serious, It could lead to bruising on the eyes... ouch!
Top Tip: If you find that your eyepatches lift in the inner corners for some clients due to their eye shape, or if they have trouble closing their eyes completely, try using Foam Tape in place of eyepatches. You can still draw your lash map on them, you can cut them to the ideal shape for your client's eyes, and you actually save money by using it, which is a great thing when you're just starting out!
We hope that you have found our list of the 9 most common mistakes beginner Lash Technicians make, and the tips and tricks you can use to improve the quality of your lash extensions work!
