What Are Stickies and How Do I Avoid Them?

'Stickies' are an industry term for eyelashes that have become stuck together during an extension treatment. Stickies can occur when your client's natural lash has not been completely isolated, and/or you have not allowed the adhesive to dry properly before moving onto another lash. You should also ensure that you have not used too much adhesive, as this can cause stickies also!

Isolation:

At the Eyelash Emporium, we advise an isolation technique that involves the use of curved or straight tweezers (depending on which is most comfortable for you) to hold apart the natural lashes, revealing the perfect mid-cycle lash that you will then attach an extension to. You should hold your isolation for 5 seconds before moving on to allow the adhesive to get tacky and prevent neighbouring lashes getting caught in the bond. We advise moving from one side of the eye to the other when applying the extensions.

Isolating all eyelashes can be difficult as every client's lashes are in different stages of the lash growth cycle. New, short and fair lashes can easily get caught up in the adhesive and attach themselves. It is important to understand the importance of correct isolation to avoid stickies as attaching an extension to more than one eyelash inhibits growth and could lead to infection!

Post Application:

After you've completed each lash treatment, we advise you to give yourself a few minutes to check your work thoroughly, separating any lashes that have been stuck together in the application process. However, be careful to not use excessive force when attempting to separate lashes that have become stuck; this could damage the lashes or injure your client. If you are struggling to separate the lashes, simply remove the adhesive with the Eyelash Emporium Dissolve Gel Adhesive Remover, clean and dry the lash and then re-apply the extension.
Finally, don't panic! It will take time, practise and patience for you to perfect your technique and eliminate any stickies completely.