8 minute read
Services By Joy Crossingham Busting Lash Myths By Otto Mitter
BUSTING LASH LIFT MYTHS THE UNDERWHELMING LIFT
By Otto Mitter
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One of the most common myths that I see all the time in Facebook groups and from speaking to people at events, exhibitions and in training is “The product doesn’t work”.
Technicians experience having a problem and underwhelming results with a lash lift and the first port of call is generally that the product does not work.
The technician will say “I did a lash lift and the results just weren’t there. It must be the batch, because I have not changed anything in the way that I’m applying”.
This topic is something that has always intrigued me, I have been doing research on this phenomenon and collecting screenshots, data and evidence for many years and I literally have hundreds upon hundreds of people saying that the lash lift did not work on their clients which is happening with multiple brands in the industry. I could literally name 10 brands off the top of my head that I see this happening with.
Why would this be the case? This happens with a lot of various products in the beauty industry, nail industry, hair industry. I have seen people struggling to have consistent results on a variety of their clients with nail products, adhesives, skin care and hair products. On the flip side, I have evidence of hundreds of people in forums saying that they have never had an issue with the same product that the technician is having an issue with. Could it really be the case that so many brands have inconsistent production in making such a simple formula?
Permanent wave lotions are not a complex formula to produce. In all honesty when you are making a big batch of product the measurements should be exactly the same every time when producing the batch. If the quantities are not the same when putting together the formula it will of course not perform or emulsify correctly or be stable. These brands invest millions of dollars into their companies and brands, why would they jeopardise their product by not mixing the batch correctly each time? Brands also have to survive, and customer satisfaction is always the top priority. When you buy a bottle of coke or lemonade from certain brands, they are always the same right? When you buy shampoo from a certain brand it is usually the same correct? Why would permanent wave lotions be any different? Well, the reality is it’s highly unlikely that the formulas will change, but the variable is the individual. The human body changes throughout our life time and often more than you think. Our hair texture can change a few times a year due to lifestyle and hormonal changes and due to our diet and supplementary intake.
It is important to note that many companies have a very strict policy and production process when they are making products. Stability testing also takes place after a batch is produced to ensure that it works. Literally 50 to 100 applications need to be performed on clients with the microbial stability reports required to come back with an all-clear result, before that batch is released for sale to the market. The chances of a bad batch are extremely low.
You also have to look at the brand and the history of the brand, have they been in business for a long time? If so, then obviously their products work right? Otherwise they wouldn’t be able to maintain customers and have repeat business. No brand can survive if they do not have repeat business.
If YOUR lift is not working, then you need to look at these factors:
1. Has the client’s hair texture changed at all? Have they changed their diet at all? Are they on any particular nutrients or supplements? Are they going through any hormonal changes? Are they using growth serums? These factors can play a huge role in how the texture changes with eyelashes, it can mean the difference between having to leave a lotion on to process for another minute or two or even reducing the lotion time by a minute or two if their hair texture has become thinner. enough on the lashes? Was it left on long enough for that hair texture? Was the environment warm or cool?
If the lift has been a little underwhelming but there has been some lift, it usually means that they just need to leave the lotion to process for a little longer. Adjust the lotion placement and apply it from the base of the lash to higher up the lash and ensure that the lotion placement is thick and consistent all the way across the lashes. Most brands say it is safe to re-lift the lashes on the same appointment time if required, however you will need to check your brand guidelines if you ever need to make any adjustments for your clients.
Interestingly, COVID has seen an increase in clients using various home-care products and lash growth serums and mascaras. This is something to also consider as it may change the texture of your client’s lashes, when they come back to have a treatment they may be more resistant than usual. Resistant lashes are not always thick lashes either, I have worked on plenty of clients over the years that look like they have thin hair texture, but the lashes are resistant to permanent wave lotions. It really is a case of readjusting the application and nine times out of ten this is going to resolve the issue.
Otto Mitter is a qualified Cosmetic Chemist, Make Up Artist, and multi award winning educator and assessor in the Beauty Industry and multi certified eyelash extensions educator, competition judge, Lash Masters Alumni and Managing Director of Ex-Import Pty Ltd.
EMBRACING THE ‘ISOLATION’ BROW With RefectoCil
If there’s one thing we learnt in 2020, it’s to always remain adaptable in the most unusual of circumstances. The beauty community has learnt to be more resilient as the effects of COVID 19 continue to affect the industry at large. We’ve had to change everything from check-ins systems and cleaning protocols to treatment times and offerings.
We’ve also seen clients’ beauty priorities change to fit with the ‘new normal’. The increasingly normalised ‘Zoom’ digital communication lifestyle as well as the introduction of mandatory masks and has resulted in women reassessing their beauty needs and focusing on facial treatments more than ever. It’s no surprise that lash and brow styling including tinting, lash lifting and lamination are among the most talked about treatments this year and for good reason. These treatments are cost effective for salons and provide the client with long lasting, on-trend lash and brow looks with no downtime and minimal maintenance.
The highly defined ‘hollywood’ brow that was once famous has now been forgotten about as we are now embracing our fuller ‘isolation’ brows. During lockdowns most therapists encouraged their clients not to DIY their brows at home for obvious reasons. As a result, women have starting to embrace the extra brow hair growth and gone for a ‘grown out’ more natural look than before. We’re asking our brow artists for more volume and texture and are gravitating towards treatments that maintain unruly hairs.
Previously therapists would shape and style brows using different forms of hair removal. Now the most effective and profitable way for salons to achieve the current fuller brow look for their clients is with tint and lamination. The RefectoCil Natural Brown no.3 still stands as the number one best selling tint worldwide and is often described as “the perfect brown”. Whilst this universal tone suits most complexions, it can be easily blended with three other RefectoCil shades to customise the colour for each individual. Laminating the brows (straightening the brow hair using a chemical solution) will further enhance the fullness of the brow to create a fluffy, brushed up look and lasts up to 6 weeks. Brow lamination can be achieved safely by following the instructions in the RefectoCil Lash Lift kit (check first for the RefectoCil Brow lamination sticker).
It’s important to remember there’s a fine line between full, natural brows and unruly brows! After a significant uptake in aftercare products last year, we’re seeing that customers are willing to invest more in maintenance products if it helps to prolong the results. Another benefit of using such products is reducing damage to the hair caused by regular perming or colouring. RefectoCil offers three aftercare solutions; Styling Gel to protect and style lashes and brows daily, Care Balm to intensively condition hairs overnight and Lash & Brow Booster to promote hair growth by up to 56% in 10 weeks. Thanks to the colour locking ingredient D-Panthenol, tint longevity is prolonged and hair is conditioned overtime by using Styling Gel & Care Balm regularly.
In conjunction with aftercare, brow artists will tell you that the secret to a long-lasting brow is in the preparation. RefectoCil offers a full range of ancillary products to compliment the 8 tint shades. Key products include RefectoCil Micellar Eye Makeup Remover to rid the eye area of makeup and oils and Skin Protection Cream nourish and protect the eye area from unwanted skin staining. The synergies between preparation products and tint are crucial in ensuring longevity in lash and brow styling and in turn, customer retention. The RefectoCil Basic Starter Kit incorporates 6 core tint shades and all accessories necessary for professional quality tinting including the hands free Browista Palette and Tool Kit with two precise brushes.
