All About Eyelash Extension Glue

A major part of the eyelash extension application process is using the right type of glue. Let's learn more about it: What kind of glue is it? Can it be used at home? Can it be replaced with something else?

What Kind Of Eyelash Extension Glue Do Salons Use?

First thing's first - the eyelash extension glue a technician uses at the salon is not the same glue you would use at home for false lashes. While your falsies are meant to come off after a few hours, a technician uses permanent eyelash adhesive to apply extensions.

The glue is called permanent (which really, is the strongest type of glue), but the lashes won't be stuck on your eyes forever – just 4 weeks, when your natural lashes should come to the end of their growth cycle and fall off. However, you can rest assured that your individual eyelashes glue won’t allow your extensions to come off halfway through. In fact, they will hold even longer than that, depending on the glue type; it’s just that natural lashes fall after 4 weeks, and an infill is required, at that point. But they will look gorgeous until the client goes back in to get them done.

The other thing to know is that professional lash glues like this have different setting times and different strengths, which we’ll talk more about in a minute. This preferred setting time depends on the skill and level of experience of the technician. A beginner will take longer to apply each lash, so they will be better served by a glue with a longer setting time. A more experienced professional will benefit by a fast-acting glue, because they work faster.

Can It Be Used At Home?

The thing to remember about professional eyelash adhesive it's that it is not recommended for anyone to use it at home. Eyelash extensions should only be applied at a reputable salon, by a trained and skilled technician. One should not attempt to glue eyelashes on themselves at home, or on someone else, using glue for eyelash extensions. It's a procedure that requires a high degree of skill, and if you do not apply them properly, you risk damaging your natural lashes in the process, or even hurting your vision.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the long-lasting eyelash adhesive professionals use cannot be replaced with something else. So, for example, if a client were to notice extensions falling out naturally, they should not attempt to glue them back on with regular lash glue, or with eyelashes extension glue.

What Is A Good Professional Eyelash Extension Adhesive?

Now that you know what you shouldn't use, you may be wondering what strong individual lash adhesive professionals use. Stacy Lash Adhesive is a good option for salons, because it's high-quality, it can be used for all types of professional lash sets, and it comes in several types, strengths, and setting times, depending on your needs:

Extra Strong – the extra strong glue is the one that sets the fastest, in just 1 second, and lasts the longest.
Extra Strong Evolution – an even better version of the previous one, with a 1-2 second setting time, and with even stronger hold.
Volume – the glue intended for Volume lash sets is a bit thicker and it sets in 3 to 4 seconds, to allow enough time for ideal application and adjustment of these more voluminous extension sets.
Sensitive Eyelash Extension Glue – sensitive eyes need a milder glue, so this sensitive individual eyelash adhesive sets in 5 to 6 seconds, but doesn't irritate the eyes as much as other formulas, as the active ingredient is not as strong in sensitive lash adhesive and glue.

All the glues currently available in the Stacy Lash line are black, though some brands offer clear lash adhesive used mostly for color lashes.

What Should You Avoid?

While eyelash extensions can be the low-maintenance option compared to creating a full makeup look every day or applying regular falsies, there are still some maintenance steps you need to respect, mostly to make sure you are keeping the glue intact:

Oil-based products are to be avoided at all cost: the oil can break down the glue for lash extensions, and cause them to fall out sooner. That means that taking makeup off with oil-based cleansers is a no-no, as are eye products that contain oils, such as mascara or eyeliner. Pay extra attention to the ingredients list on the products used.
Do not rub your eyes or pull at your eyes, because that can not only bend your extensions and ruin their shape, but it can also loosen the glue. You want to take your makeup off using gentle motions and tapping paired with light pressing, as opposed to rubbing and scrubbing.
Avoid curling your extensions, as traditional mechanical eyelash curlers can damage the lashes and pull them out, thus loosening the glue.
Do not use waterproof eye makeup products, because they are extremely difficult to take off, especially mascara. When products with intense staying power are used, they will require a stronger makeup remover, or one that is oiled based. In addition, it may require more pressure or even some rubbing to take the product off, which can damage both the glue and the lashes themselves.

What Should You Do Instead?

If you want to keep your long-lasting eyelash adhesive perfect until the end and maintain the extensions in pristine condition, there are a few things that can be done to protect them:

Only use washable products that are as gentle as possible to apply and remove. That includes eyeliner and mascara. The best eyeliner to use is washable liquid eyeliner (pencil can be a bit rough to apply and gel is too difficult to remove) and your mascara should have a light, thin formula that won’t weigh down your lashes.
The ideal makeup remover when you have extensions applied with individual eyelashes glue is something like the Stacy Lash lash shampoo. It's a gentle formulation that can be used both at the salon and at home, and removes any trace of eye makeup, including mascara. It’s vegan, and it doesn’t contain undesirable ingredients like parabens, sulfates, ethylene oxide, phthalates, or other similar substances. Just put it on a cotton pad and gently press on the lid to remove the product.

As you can see, using the right glue with eyelash extensions is very important, so always make sure the right professional glue is used and that you maintain it properly at home.