For those of you who would like to know if or how the chemical vapours in the air are affecting your adhesive, I want to share a bit of the journey that led me to the information I am about to share with you. Back in the beginning of my wonderful journey into the world of Lash Artistry, I kept bumping into roadblocks that kept me from finding an amazing lash adhesive that would allow me to work at the speed I wanted to without knocking off my newly placed lashes. Those roadblocks began with the inability to purchase quality products from large companies unless I had been trained by them. Seeing I had already spent close to $2500. On my initial training, I wasn’t about to be trained by another company just so I could test their products and see if they met with what I wanted to have applied to myself, and in turn what I wanted to apply to my customers. There were three of us who had been trained about the same time, and we were constantly bouncing ideas and information off each other. We began to look for manufacturers who could produce lashes and adhesives for us. We figured that if we couldn’t find what we were looking for that was already being marketed to Lash Artists, we would either find manufacturers to create it, or have them create it for us the way we wanted it. So, because the adhesive was our biggest nemesis in the beginning, we became connected to a chemist in the States who gave us a little bit of direction, and over the next three or four years, a whole lot of information as the questions came up. The search began and we tested many adhesives. After testing many prototypes and samples, we finally found a manufacturer that worked with us to get what we were looking for.
When we finally came up with an adhesive we could put on our clients confidently, we began the process of registering it with the Canadian Government so we could legally sell it to other Lash Artists. Once we got our Cosmetic Number for our first adhesive, we named it Intervention and began to give away a free sample to anyone who could prove that they were licenced and knew how to work with a Cyanoacrylate adhesive so close to the eyes. We were ecstatic with the initial feedback we were receiving on the very first product in our Lash Line. Imagine my surprise when I started hearing that the adhesive was reacting differently in different parts of the world. While I was learning all about humidity, I was also running independent experiments here in my warehouse with other products we wanted to put in our Lash Line.
While I was doing this, I was also preparing our new space for our lash salon and educational facility. One day I set out some adhesive on some samples of adhesive stickers to see which sticker would be the best option for our purposes, and then used a linoleum floor finish product to make the floors shiny and new. I left the adhesives alone for two days and then when I could cross the floor, to my surprise the adhesive had not cured properly. It appeared to be rubbery and almost stringy with a certain elasticity. This started to explain to me why the clients who were working in hair or nail salons were having such horrible retention problems. The adhesive was being compromised by the chemicals in the air! This was such a gem to discover! We finally had answers for our customers who were experiencing this.
So, the gist of all this information is that IF you are going to be looking at sharing a space with a hairdresser, nail stylist, or other service provider who uses chemicals in their services, it is extremely important that you have proper ventilation in your lash area, and preferably a door to prevent the chemicals from wreaking havoc on your retention. If you are currently looking for a space to lash in, avoid spaces where chemicals are being used daily. There are even source extraction units for salons available that can help you remove the vapors of the chemicals from your work area to control the environment you are working in. This can protect you and your lungs over the long haul as well.