A Step by Step Guide to Lash Lifts
No matter how long you’ve been in the industry, you’re sure to have heard of Lash Lifts, sometimes known as lash botox, lash lamination or, in our case at least, Lash Filler. Any variation of a lash lift is designed to reshape your eyelashes to make them look longer, thicker and more curled. Where Lash Filler has the edge though, is that it has been clinically tested at the prestigious University Institute in Italy and has been proven to increase the curl of the natural lashes between appointments, and to increase the thickness of the natural lashes by up to 24% over the course of 3 treatments. How do you do a lash lift? We’ve put together a step by step guide to InLei® Lash Filler, so that you can get a perfect lash lift every time!
Step 1: Prep
Before you start your Lash Filler treatment, you’ll need to clean the skin and eyelashes thoroughly to ensure that your products are able to affect the hairs, and won’t be blocked by any leftover makeup, skincare residue, sebum etc., that can be present on the lashes.
Take some foam cleanser and brush it into the skin and lashes, then rinse thoroughly with cool water and pat dry.
Step 2: Apply Eyepatches and Shields
Eyepatches need to be applied to protect the lower lashes, just in case you miss the upper lashes with any of your products! If you’re intending to tint the lower lashes, you can move the patches later in the treatment and tint the lashes against the eyepatches.
Picking the right shields can be tricky if you’re not too experienced, but you want to be picking shields that the natural lashes cover at least 2 3rds of so that you get the right lift – too small of a shield and you’ll end up with kinks in the lashes, and too large of a shield and you’ll not see any lift.
For the ultimate guide to picking the best shields for your lash lift treatments, check out this blog post, or for a quick and easy shield solution, check out InLei®’s Forma Shields which are as close to a one-size-fits-all solution as you can get!
Attach the shields to the eyelid using some Fixing Gel, and then you’re ready to lift the lashes onto them.
Step 3: Lifting the Lashes
It’s easiest to do this section by section as the Fixing Gel will dry before you get to it otherwise. Apply a small amount of Fixing Gel to a small section of the shield and use your Fillering Tool to lift the lashes onto the shield, pulling them taught and straight upwards. You can use an InLei® Helper Tool to comb through the lashes and separate them out, and the very tip of the Fillering Tool to really separate any lashes that are being stubborn.
Once you’re done, move onto the next section. For very thick natural lashes, you may find it easier to apply the lashes to the shield in layers to ensure all are properly lifted. If you need to apply more Fixing Gel to do this, ensure you are using a very small amount so that the Lifting products can work effectively on all lashes.
Step 4: Form 1
Form 1 has an alkaline pH, allowing the product to open up the hair cuticles and penetrate into the inner layers of hairs, where it breaks the disulfide bonds, preparing them to be reformed later.
Take a small scoop of Form 1 from the bottle using a mixing stick and drop it into a non-metal container. Use a thin brush to apply a neat, even line of Form 1 to the middle section of the lashes, avoiding the roots and the tips.
The time you’ll leave Form 1 on the lashes for will depend on the thickness of the natural lashes, so may differ from client to client:
Thin Hairs: 6-8 Minutes
Medium Hairs: 8-10 Minutes
Thick Minutes: 10-12 Minutes
Be sure to time each eye accurately and separately to ensure proper lifting, and to avoid overprocessing. Remove the Form 1 with a dry cotton bud or lip applicator wand.
Step 5: Fix 2
At this time, the hair cuticles are still open, which allows Fix 2 to penetrate them and reform the broken disulfide bonds into their new shape. Take a small scoop of Fix 2 with a clean mixing stick, adding it to a clean non-metal container.
Fix 2 has a slightly acidic pH, so also begins to close the hair cuticle. Apply Fix 2 to the middle of the lashes, covering where Form 1 covered.
The timing for Fix 2 will be the time of Form 1 halved, plus 1 minute:
Thin Hairs: 4-5 Minutes
Medium Hairs: 5-6 Minutes
Thick Hairs: 6-7 Minutes
Once again, be sure to time each eye very accurately, and remove the product at the end of the time with a dry cotton bud or lip applicator wand.
Step 6: Tint
Lash tinting is an optional step during a lash lift treatment – your client might be perfectly happy with just the lift. For blonde clients especially the addition of tint can mean more regular upkeep is needed than it would be for those with darker lashes, so be sure to discuss with your client prior to treatment whether tint is something they would like, and if so, what kind of a look they would like to go for.
Mix a pea-sized amount of your chosen tint colour with an equal measure of tint developer, mix thoroughly and apply to the lashes. The longer you leave the tint on the lashes, the more vibrant a shade you’ll achieve. The maximum time to leave the tint on the lashes is the same as you left Form 1 to develop.
Remove the tint as you have with the prior two products, ensuring that no tint is left along the lash line before moving onto the next step.
Step 7: Filler 3
Dispense a couple of drops of Filler 3 into a clean non-metal container and brush it onto the lashes. Filler 3 will remove the lashes from the Fixing Gel, but let it sit on the lashes against the shields for a while to nourish them.
Filler 3 remains on the lashes after the treatment, but you can use a brush to take off any excess.
Step 8: Finishing Up
Dampen a lip applicator with water, and gently run it along the eyelid behind the shield, then gently remove the shields from the eyelids. It’s worth having a microbrush on hand, just in case some lashes are still stuck to the shield.
Use two lip applicators to sandwich the lashes and brush away any surplus Filler 3 and any leftover Fixing Gel, then take two F-Brushes and do the same to help dry and fluff up the lashes before you take some photos for your social media!
A lash lift using InLei® Lash Filler should be repeated every 6 weeks or so to keep the lashes looking nice and lifted. Be sure to let your clients know to avoid sleeping directly on their face, getting their lashes wet and wearing mascara for 24 hours after treatment to maintain the best results, and always try to gently cleanse any makeup from the lashes using a gentle foam cleanser.
