If you'd told me back in 2014 that I'd spend the next decade learning about lash adhesives, ingredients, sensitivities, allergies, toxicology, manufacturing and cosmetic-grade standards, I would have laughed. I wasn't interested in science. I wasn't interested in adhesives and I certainly wasn't planning on becoming known for talking about lash glue ingredients. I just wanted to lash.
At the time, I was only a couple of years into my career as a lash artist and I absolutely loved what I did. But something wasn't right. I started developing irritation while working. Then came sensitivities and eventually a full-blown lash glue allergy. At the time, I didn't understand why it was happening. Like most lash artists, I assumed it was simply part of the job. After all, everyone talked about irritation, sensitivities, sore eyes, headaches, coughing, breathing issues and eventually allergies as though they were completely normal. Looking back now, I find that quite shocking because they shouldn't be normal.
There had to be a better way
As my symptoms got worse, I became determined to find a solution. Not because I wanted to become an adhesive expert. Not because I wanted to challenge the lash industry. Simply because I wanted to keep doing the job I loved.
That simple goal sent me down a path that has now lasted over 12 years.
The more I researched, the more I realised that not all lash adhesives are created equal. The more experts I spoke to, the more questions I asked. The more I learned, the more I realised that many of the products being used throughout the lash industry were never designed to the standards that I personally believed should exist for products used so close to the eyes.
Every year since then, I've continued learning. I speak with industry experts, chemists and toxicologists. I study manufacturing processes, analyse safety documentation and constantly question what we're told as an industry. Every year I become even more convinced that we can do better.
Why cosmetic grade matters
One of the biggest misconceptions in the lash industry is that all lash adhesives are basically the same. They're not. Just because two bottles look similar on the outside doesn't mean what's inside is the same quality.
At Eyelash Excellence, our philosophy has always been simple: if a product is being used on humans, it should be manufactured using the highest quality ingredients possible. That's why our lash adhesive range is manufactured using cosmetic-grade ingredients and produced here in the UK under strict quality control procedures.
Every ingredient is selected with quality, consistency and safety in mind. Every batch is tested. Every formulation is independently assessed. Every product is manufactured in controlled conditions. That isn't marketing. That's simply how we believe products should be made.
Why doesn't everyone use cosmetic grade?
This is where things get a little uncomfortable because whenever I talk about this subject, people immediately assume I'm bashing manufacturers in the Far East. I'm not. The reality is that the Far East is capable of producing some incredible products. They can produce cosmetic-grade products, they can produce high-end products and they can produce products to exceptionally high standards. The problem isn't capability. The problem is cost.
To produce a true cosmetic-grade lash adhesive, manufacturers need to use higher grade raw materials, tighter quality control procedures, stricter manufacturing standards and significantly more testing. All of that costs money. As soon as you start increasing standards, the price of the finished product naturally increases as well.
The problem is that many lash brands don't actually want to pay cosmetic-grade prices when they don't have to. Why would they spend more on ingredients and manufacturing when they can buy a much cheaper industrial-grade alternative and still sell it for £20–£30 a bottle? That's the reality of what has happened within our industry for years.
What many lash artists don't realise is that some of the cheapest adhesives can cost as little as a dollar or two per bottle to manufacture. The profit margins can be huge. That's why I always tell people to stop looking at the bottle and start looking at what's inside it. When you're working around somebody's eyes, ingredient quality should matter far more than clever marketing or fancy packaging.
Cheap isn't always cheap
One thing I've learned over the years is that sometimes the cheapest product becomes the most expensive. If a lash adhesive causes increased sensitivities, poor retention, more irritation, more client complaints or greater technician exposure, then how much money have you really saved?
As lash artists, we often focus on the cost of the bottle. What we should be focusing on is the quality of what's inside it.
Want cosmetic grade, shop now at www.eyelashexcellence.com