Lash Education - Adhesive Viscosity
Let’s talk adhesive viscosity.
If you have been lashing for a while then you have probably heard of the term 'viscosity' before. In simple terms, viscosity is the thickness of your adhesive. Adhesives come in all different thicknesses and sometimes it's hard to know whether you should be using a thin or thick adhesive. Don't worry we are here to help. We thought we would share some of our FAQ’s surrounding adhesive thicknesses and provide a few explanations as to what could be affecting the thickness of your adhesive.
The good news is, is that this blog post is not specific to LashBase adhesives so if you don’t use a LashBase adhesive then hopefully you’ll still find this post helpful!
Why are adhesives all different thicknesses?
The simple answer is this: The thinner the adhesive the faster it will cure. The thicker the adhesive the slower it will cure. This is why a new lash artist will use a thicker adhesive and those who have been lashing a while will opt for something thinner.
Why do adhesives become thicker / gloopy?
The answer to this is not so simple, as there can be many factors that can cause an adhesive to become gloopy.
Here are some of the more common reasons:
#1. The adhesive may not have been shaken correctly when first opened, meaning the carbon black ingredient (black pigment) could potentially have been sat at the bottom of the bottle and therefore when coming to the end of the bottle it still looks full, however, it is purely carbon black which is a very thick ingredient.
How to fix: Shake for 3 - 5 minutes each morning before using and for up to a minute before each client.
#2. The temperature in which the adhesive is stored at could have an impact on the thickness. If your temperature is too cold or too hot this could result in a thicker adhesive.
How to fix: Check your adhesives optimum temperature for storage and alter your thermostat or move the adhesive when not in use.
#3. If you apply a Primer & Accelerator to the extension on the strip, you will likely thicken the adhesive. What we mean by this is that each time you dip a lash, some of the product will be left behind meaning your adhesive dot will slowly start to cure and become ‘gloopy’ as a result.
How to fix: Dispense a smaller amount of adhesive and change more frequently.
As we mentioned above these are just SOME of the more common reasons, there are many more. If you use a regulated adhesive from a reputable brand (including ourselves) it is very unlikely that the cause of the adhesive thickening will be the adhesive alone.
Finally, how do you know when to use a thinner or thicker adhesive?
This is down to you to decide and isn't a question we can answer for you, unfortunately! There are many things to consider such as speed, other products used, temperature, and humidity of your lash room.
We hope this post has been insightful and you have found it helpful. Feel free save for later as a reference or share amongst your lash buddies!
As always, if you have any questions feel free to get in touch with us over on Instagram @LashBase_UK and we’ll be happy to help.
Team LashBase x
