What is shock oxidization?
Something ALL lash girls want to avoid - dreaded shock oxidization! What would be worse than having your gorgeous lashes stiff, brittle and ruined with a white lash line of glue! Shock oxidization or polymerization - often known as ‘shock curing’ or ‘blooming’ can cause poor retention and an unsightly set of lashes! We’ve got you covered with all you need to do to understand why this happens and what you can do to stop it!
What is shock oxidation?
Shock oxidation occurs when undried lash glue comes into contact with water prematurely - this could be in the form of watery eyes, or spraying your clients lashes before they’re completely dried. This moisture causes a polymerising effect on the lashes. For all the non-scientists, in simple terms, this is the process of the lash adhesive changing from a liquid to a solid too quickly, resulting in the crystallization of the adhesive at the base of the lashes. Not only does this leave a frosty white line on the lashes, it can cause the bond to be weaker than we would like, leaving a less flexible connection between the lash extension and the natural lash.
So, what can we do to stop this?
Here are LXA Academy’s top tips for preventing Shock Curing:
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Ensure your clients' lashes remain dry throughout the session. Some clients' eyes may be more sensitive and prone to watering than others. We recommend gently blotting away any water as soon as it appears, and ensuring your clients under-eye padding is comfortable and not irritating the eye to prevent it causing more watering.
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Use a nano-mister at least 30cm away from the clients face and after 3-5 minutes of the lashes drying. We don’t want to prematurely saturate the lashes so leaving an appropriate distance when misting will avoid your gorgeous work getting damaged.
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Start with the outer corners of lashes. Under bright lights, the clients eyes will be prone to tiring. If that does happen, the corners of the lashes are usually the most prone to watering, so starting with them while your client is still fresh may prevent any blooming occuring
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Keep your glue clean and away from moisture. If you notice a white crystal forming on the tip of your glue - this is a way to see that it has come in contact with moisture. To avoid this be sure to wipe the nozzle and to reseal it and keep it safely stored in an airtight location. If you notice your glue is stringy, it may be best to get a new tube as this will affect the retention of sets done on clients - but feel free to use this glue to practice or create new fans.
As Australia’s Best Beauty Training Academy of 2022, LXA Academy’s Lash Masterclass covers all you need to know about lash application, retention and all styles of lash extensions. Whether you’re looking to restart your life, or refresh your knowledge of lashes, we have the course for you.
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