What Is Lash Lift Over-Processing & How To Avoid It

Lash lifts are a popular treatment for clients worldwide, and many salons have added them to their service list in response to overwhelming demand. Lash lift treatments are quick and effective, and they produce exceptional results. However, beauty artists should be careful about processing time.

Leaving processing lotion on lashes for too long can damage them. And the last thing you want is for your clients to leave your salon with damaged lashes instead of healthy and glamorous ones.

If you're a beauty artist wondering, "What is lash lift over-processing and how do I avoid it?" here's Elleebana Store USA's handy guide to processing lash lifts correctly.

What's Over-Processing?

When used correctly, lash lift lotions won't harm your client's natural lashes. But if you leave the processing lotion on for too long, it can have a negative impact on lash health. Over-processing happens when you leave processing lotion on a client's lashes past the recommended processing time.

Processing lotion breaks down the lashes' keratin bonds by raising the hairs' pH. This makes them malleable so beauty artists can mold them into a new shape. But if you raise or lower the lashes' pH excessively, the lash hairs become frail, and frail lashes are vulnerable to damage.

What Does Over-Processing Do to Lashes?

So, over-processing isn't good. But what does it do to the lashes, exactly? It won't damage your clients' lashes beyond repair, will it?

Over-processing won't cause your clients' lashes to fall off, but it will damage the lash hairs and leave lashes looking dry, frizzy, and unruly. For clients that were expecting long, healthy, and beautiful lashes after their treatment, this can be devastating! What's worse is that signs of over-processing don't always show up immediately. It can take up to two weeks before over-processed lashes start to dry out and frizz.

Unfortunately, once a lash’s cuticle suffers damage, it won't ever return to its normal, healthy state. But that's okay, because the lashes we have now won't be with us forever. Our lashes naturally grow in and fall out in 60 to 90-day cycles. That means that, over the course of two months, your client's damaged lashes will fall out and be replaced by new lashes. In the meantime, clients can use lash conditioners to make their damaged lashes look better.

It's good to know that over-processing isn't permanent, but it's still better to avoid it in the first place than to accept it and deal with the consequences. Now that you know what lash lift over-processing is, you probably want to know how to avoid it. Luckily, we have a handy processing guide to help you prevent this situation.

How To Avoid Over-Processing

Every set of lashes is wholly unique, which means each of your clients’ lashes will process at different rates. This makes choosing the correct processing time tricky. But tricky doesn't mean impossible. In general, stronger, thicker, and denser lashes need more processing time, and weaker, thinner, and sparser lashes need less processing time. If you're using Elleebana products, refer to our short, average, and extended processing guidelines to determine how long to leave a processing lotion on your clients’ lashes.

How To Determine Processing Time

You can get a decent idea of a client's lash strength, thickness, and density just by studying them closely. Do they look thick or thin? Dark or light? Sparse or full? A client's heritage and ethnicity can also help you determine processing time—for example, studies have shown that those of Asian descent tend to have brows that are straight, sparse, and thick. These qualities would lend their lashes to an average-length processing time. Of course, every client is unique, and these general findings may not apply to some!

If you can't tell what a client's eyelash type is just by looking, you can test their lashes' strength by seeing how easily they roll back onto a lash rod. Lashes that resist the curl usually have a stronger lash core.

You can also learn more about your clients’ lashes by asking questions. A good question to ask your clients is if they've ever tried curling the hair on their head and, if the answer is yes, how well their hair held the curls. If the hair on their head doesn't hold curls well, chances are, their lashes won't curl easily either. If they mention that their hair holds curls well, then their lashes likely will, too.

Short Processing Times

For lashes that are soft, thin, sparse, or lightly colored, you'll want to use a shorter than normal processing time. Some good options for clients with more delicate lashes include:

• A 3-minute lift time and 2-minute set time (only for the most fragile of lashes)
• A 4-minute lift time and a 3-minute set time
• A 5-minute lift time and a 4-minute set time

The more delicate the lashes, the less time you should leave them to process.

Average Processing Times

For most clients, you'll use an average length processing time. These processing times are for clients that have lashes of average strength, thickness, and density. For most first-time and returning clients, use a 6-minute lift time and a 5-minute set time. For returning clients that feel like their first lift wasn't quite strong enough, you can try a lift time of 7 minutes and a set time of 5 minutes, or you can try using a smaller rod.

Extended Processing Times

For clients with tough and stubborn lashes, you'll need to use an extended processing time. Most of these clients will achieve great results with a 7 to 8-minute lift time and a 5-minute set time. But for clients with especially resilient lashes, you may need to use a 9 to 10-minute lift time and a 5-minute set time. If that still doesn't do the job, you can bump the set time up to 6 minutes.

Elleebana Store USA is the place to shop if you're looking for salon-quality Elleebana products for your business. Our Elleeplex Profusion kits contain everything you need for perfect lash lifts and brow laminations. Shop with us today for products both beauty artists and clients love!