Hello lashers and welcome back!
Now I've started stocking lash lift products on my website via our favourite lash partner, Ladybug Lashes, I thought it would be a great time to start introducing the occasional lash lift blog! Lash lifts are a fantastic alternative to individual lashes which have gained so much popularity within the last couple of years -and for a good reason! If you're a current lash artist, it's likely that you've already introduced lash lifts to your menu (or at least thinking about it). With so many different pieces of advice and myths out there, I wanted to give some of my advice on troubleshooting topics, along with some great tips to really help lash artists smoothly create beautiful lash lifts, time and time again. Let's start with the different systems...
One of the most important things to understand is that TGA-based systems and cysteamine-based systems should not be treated in exactly the same way.
If a lash lift has come out softer than expected, these are some of the first things worth checking before automatically increasing processing time or changing systems.
Step 1 and Step 2 are equally important
Step 1 softens and reshapes the structure of the lash so it can be repositioned.
Step 2 then reforms and stabilises the lash into its new position.
If Step 1 is applied correctly but Step 2 is uneven, insufficient or poorly placed, the finished result can still be disappointing.
For a consistent lift, both stages need:
- Even coverage
- Controlled placement
- Sufficient saturation
- Correct processing
- Good contact with the section of lash being treated
TGA vs cysteamine: lash coverage is different
This is a really important distinction.
With a traditional TGA-based lash lift system, Step 1 is generally concentrated through the main restructuring area of the lash rather than being taken fully through the tips.
With cysteamine-based systems such as Express Cysteamine, Step 1 can be applied through the full length of the lash, including towards the tips.
That means you should not automatically copy your TGA placement when using a cysteamine system.
The chemistry and application method are different, so always follow the guidance for the system you are actually using.
How close should the lotions be to the lash line?
Both Step 1 and Step 2 need to reach the correct processing area, but neither should be placed so close that product can migrate into the eye.
Working too close to the lash line can increase the risk of irritation and watering.
This is particularly important with clients who naturally have watery or sensitive eyes.
If moisture repeatedly reaches the lashes, it can interfere with the treatment and affect how consistently the product sits and processes.
Client comfort and eye safety should always come first.
How much product should you use?
More product does not mean a stronger lift.
You need enough product to evenly coat and saturate the section of lash being processed without overloading the area.
Too little product can lead to incomplete processing.
Too much product can make placement harder to control and increase the risk of migration.
The aim is even, controlled coverage from lash to lash.
Check Step 1 saturation
When looking at your Step 1 application, ask yourself:
- Are all the lashes in the processing area evenly covered?
- Are there any dry sections?
- Is the product sitting exactly where you intended it to?
- Has any product moved closer to the eye?
- Are the lashes still sitting securely in position?
A quick photograph of Step 1 placement can be extremely useful if you later need to troubleshoot the result.
Step 2 needs the same attention
Step 2 should not be treated as the easy part of the treatment.
Once Step 1 has created the flexibility needed to reshape the lashes, Step 2 is responsible for reforming and stabilising that new position.
Uneven Step 2 coverage can mean some lashes reform differently from others.
When applying Step 2, check that:
- The processed lashes are evenly coated
- You have not missed sections
- The product is sitting over the area that has been reshaped
- The lashes remain in their intended position
- Coverage is consistent across the entire treatment area
If your Step 2 application does not adequately cover the lashes you have processed and repositioned, the final lift can be weaker or less uniform.
Room temperature can affect processing
The temperature of the treatment room is another factor that is easy to overlook.
Lash lift solutions are chemical products, and temperature can influence how quickly they work.
A colder room can slow processing, which may mean the lashes take longer to reach the level of flexibility you would normally expect.
A warmer room can encourage faster processing, meaning the lashes may be ready sooner.
This is one of the reasons it is so important to carry out regular lash checks rather than assuming every client will process identically each time.
If your results suddenly seem different, ask yourself whether anything in the treatment environment has changed.
Has the room become considerably colder? Is the client positioned near an open window, air-conditioning unit or heater? Has the salon temperature changed since your previous treatments?
Small environmental changes can make more difference than you might expect.
Cysteamine and film
When using a cysteamine-based system, covering the lashes with film during processing can be used as part of the treatment method where directed.
Covering the lashes helps create a more controlled environment around the solution and can influence how the product processes.
If you are experiencing slow or underwhelming processing with a cysteamine system, it is worth checking whether your method calls for the lashes to be covered and whether this step has been missed.
However, the same rule does not apply to every lash lift chemistry.
Never cover TGA with film
TGA-based lash lift solutions should not be occluded with film.
Do not assume that a technique used with cysteamine can automatically be transferred across to a TGA system.
With Ladybug Lashes:
- Express Cysteamine is our cysteamine system and can be covered with film as directed.
- Flutter & Frame is our TGA system and should not be covered with film.
Always follow the instructions for the specific system you are using.
Balms can affect processing
Lash lift balms are useful for holding and positioning lashes, but they can also affect how the lifting solution reaches the hair.
If a thick layer of balm sits between the lash and the lifting lotion, it can create an additional barrier. This may slow processing or lead to inconsistent results if some lashes have more balm on them than others.
Try to avoid using more balm than is necessary to hold the lashes securely in position.
If you change to a different balm, you may also notice that the lashes respond differently, as formulations and consistencies vary between products.
Thickening powder can also change processing
Thickening powder is sometimes mixed with cysteamine lifting solutions, particularly when using Korean lash lift techniques, to create a thicker consistency that is easier to control on the lashes.
However, more powder does not necessarily mean better control.
Adding too much thickening powder can make the mixture excessively thick and may affect how well the lifting solution coats and reaches the lashes. This can slow processing and potentially contribute to a weaker or inconsistent result.
The purpose of the powder is to adjust the consistency of the product, not to turn the lotion into a very thick paste.
When using thickening powder:
- Use only the amount required to achieve a workable consistency
- Make sure the lashes are evenly coated
- Avoid creating a mixture so thick that it sits heavily on top of the lashes
- Continue carrying out regular lash checks throughout processing
- Remember that processing may differ from using the cysteamine lotion on its own
Technique changes can change processing
Processing should never be looked at in isolation from the technique being used.
A cysteamine lotion used directly on clean lashes may behave differently from the same lotion used:
- Over a layer of lash lift balm
- With thickening powder added
- Under film
- In a colder or warmer treatment room
- On particularly resistant or porous natural lashes
This is why two treatments using the same product and the same number of minutes can still produce different results.
Watery eyes during a traditional lash lift
During a traditional lash lift, watering may be linked to product placement, shield placement, under-eye pads or tape, client sensitivity or the client struggling to keep the eyes fully relaxed.
If tears repeatedly reach the lashes, the added moisture can affect how consistently the solutions sit and process.
When troubleshooting, check whether:
- Product has been placed too close to the lash line
- The shield is sitting too close to the eye
- Tape or under-eye pads are touching the waterline
- The client is squeezing or struggling to relax the eyes
- Moisture is repeatedly reaching the lashes
Watery eyes during the Korean downward processing stage
During the Korean downward processing stage, Step 1 is processed with the lashes directed down onto the flat silicone shield or pad.
Because the lashes are being processed away from the waterline, persistent watering is not always caused by the lifting lotion itself.
Other things worth checking include:
- Whether the flat shield or pad is pressing too close to the eye
- Whether under-eye pads or tape are touching the waterline
- Whether the client is squeezing or struggling to keep the eyes gently closed
- Whether the client's eye or eyelid shape is causing pressure from the shield
- Whether tears are travelling onto the lashes during processing
If moisture repeatedly reaches the lashes during Step 1, it can interfere with how consistently the solution sits and processes, even when the original lotion placement was correct.
Persistent watering during the downward processing stage should therefore be looked at as part of the overall setup, rather than automatically assuming the solution has been applied too close to the waterline.
Client factors can affect the result too
Sometimes the technique is correct and the products are being used properly, but the natural lashes simply behave differently from one appointment to the next.
Hormonal changes can affect the condition, texture and behaviour of the hair, which may make processing feel less predictable in some clients.
It is also worth asking what products the client has used before their appointment.
Products such as:
- Waterproof mascara
- Lash serums
- Oily eye makeup removers
- Cleansing balms
- Heavy eye creams
- Conditioning products around the eye area
can leave residue on the lashes if they are not removed thoroughly before treatment.
Waterproof mascara in particular can be difficult to remove completely and may leave behind a coating that affects even product contact.
Lash serums can also alter the condition, length and growth pattern of the natural lashes, so it is useful to know if a client is using one regularly.
Before beginning the treatment, make sure the lashes are thoroughly cleansed, completely free from makeup and residue, and properly dried.
Don’t rely on time alone
Recommended timings are important, but they should always be used together with physical lash checks.
Different natural lashes can respond differently, even when they look similar before treatment.
During Step 1, check how the lashes are responding and whether they have reached the correct level of flexibility before progressing to Step 2.
With Express Cysteamine, lashes should be checked regularly to make sure they are becoming sufficiently mouldable before moving on.
The timing gives you the framework, while the lash check helps you assess how that particular client's hair is responding.
What about the Korean lash lift method?
Korean-style lash lift techniques can involve different pad placement and solution placement compared with a traditional shield method.
Some artists choose to mix powder with their lifting solution to alter the consistency, while others use cysteamine systems without powder.
Both the method and the consistency of the product can influence how the lotions sit on the lashes and how they process.
If you have completed our Korean Lash Lift Masterclass, it is worth revisiting the application and processing videos whenever you need a technique refresh.
If your lash lift result is underwhelming
Before increasing timings or changing systems, check:
- Whether you are using TGA or cysteamine
- Whether you are following the correct placement for that system
- Step 1 placement and saturation
- Step 2 placement and saturation
- Distance from the lash line
- Amount of product used
- Room temperature
- Whether cysteamine has been covered as directed
- Whether TGA has accidentally been occluded
- Balm usage
- Amount of thickening powder used
- Lash checks during processing
- Whether the client experienced significant watering
- Shield, pad and tape placement
- Whether moisture reached the lashes
- Whether the lashes were completely clean and dry beforehand
- Whether waterproof mascara, lash serum or oily products had been used
- Hormonal changes
- The condition, porosity and resistance of the natural lashes