LibraryHow it is made
Materials
What a set is made of, and what the names on the box mean.
Extensions, adhesives and the products around them carry marketing names that hide simple facts. Nearly all extension fibre is synthetic; adhesives differ in speed and fumes; and what you use at home decides how long the set lasts.
7 topics below. Open any of them.
Nearly all professional extension fibre is synthetic PBT, including most of what is sold as mink, silk or cashmere; the names describe the finish and the taper. Real mink is animal hair and cannot hold a curl through water. What matters is the diameter, the taper and how well the curl holds.
What to look for
- Synthetic fibre with a fine taper
- The diameter your natural lash can carry
What to avoid
- Paying more for a name
- Animal-hair fibre, which loses its curl
Ask your artist
“Which fibre and diameter will you use?”
Matte fibres look most like natural hair; satin and glossy ones read darker and more defined. Black is the standard; brown softens the line for fair colouring; a mix gives depth with a softer edge.
What to look for
- Matte for a natural set
- Satin or glossy for a darker, defined line
- Brown for fair skin and light lashes
What to avoid
- Very glossy black on a natural set
Ask your artist
“Which finish suits the look I want?”
- Signature
- 0.5–1 s cure · 45–60 % humidity · 6–8 weeks
- Classic
- 1–2 s cure · 40–65 % · 5–7 weeks
- Sensitive
- 3–5 s cure · 40–60 % · 3–5 weeks
- Clear
- 1–2 s cure · 40–65 % · 5–7 weeks
Lash adhesive is a cyanoacrylate that cures with moisture in the air, so the humidity and temperature of the room decide how it bonds. Fast adhesives suit volume work and practised hands; slower ones leave time to seat each classic lash; sensitive formulas give off fewer fumes and hold for less time.
What to look for
- An adhesive chosen for your eyes and the set
- A room kept at a steady humidity
What to avoid
- Adhesive on the skin
- Strong fumes without a patch test if you react easily
Ask your artist
“Which adhesive will you use on me, and why?”
Before application, lashes are cleansed and primed to remove oils so the adhesive bonds. At home, a daily oil-free foam cleanse keeps oil and makeup off the base of the extensions.
What to look for
- An oil-free lash foam, used daily
- A soft brush to clean along the base
What to avoid
- Cleansing balms and oils near the lashes
Ask your artist
“Which cleanser do you recommend?”
Professional removers dissolve the adhesive so the extension slides off without pulling. Cream removers stay where they are placed, which makes them the gentlest choice near the eye; gels work faster.
What to look for
- Professional removal with a cream remover
What to avoid
- Home removal with anything not made for lash adhesive
- Pulling extensions off
Ask your artist
“Which remover do you use?”
A lift uses two lotions: the first loosens the bonds inside the lash so it takes the shape of the shield, the second fixes the new shape. A conditioning step, often keratin, smooths the lash afterwards. Tint is a dye. The timing is set by your lash thickness: too short and the lift drops, too long and the lash is weakened.
What to look for
- Timing matched to your lashes
- A conditioning step afterwards
What to avoid
- Lifts repeated closer than six weeks apart
Ask your artist
“How will you time the lotion for my lashes?”
Aftercare is simple and daily: cleanse, brush, and keep oils away from the lash line.
What to look for
- Oil-free lash foam
- A clean spoolie brush
- Oil-free makeup remover
- A silk pillowcase or contoured mask if you sleep on your side
What to avoid
- Oil-based cleansers and removers
- Waterproof mascara
- Lash curlers
Ask your artist
“Can you show me how to cleanse my set?”
Next step
Put it together.
Answer four questions and get the set that suits you, with the reasons.