Ok, if this is the first time reading about lash extensions I’ll briefly introduce you to their application, if you just want to read about Russian Volume Lashes scroll 🙂
Step 1: You will need a patch test. A patch is required whether you have had lashes before or not. If you are visiting a new lash artist, you will need a patch test 🙂
Step 2: Lash cleanse. Lashes should be thoroughly cleaned prior to any lash application with something we fondly refer to as ‘Lashpoo’. We use a soft cleansing brush to work the lashpoo into the lashes. This is to remove any oils and debris for lovely clean grease free lashes. The lashes are then rinsed with saline solution.
Step 3: An eye pad is applied to each eye covering the lower lashes, leaving your upper lashes resting on top. Tape maybe used to help lift the skin slightly to help with lash isolation. The eyes should still be kept closed.
Step 4: Application. Each lash is then individually isolated with tweezers held in one hand and then a single lash extension is picked up with the other. The single lash extension has the synthetic root has a small bead of adhesive scoped onto the end of the extension. The extension is fitted to the base of the isolated lash. This method should prevent any excess adhesive. This is continued until all lashes have an extension, creating a set of lash extensions.
Our lashes
The lash extensions we use are made from Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) which is a synthetic semi-crystalline engineered thermoplastic. The characteristics that differentiate our silk and mink are their tapering (how fine the lashes are shaped towards the tip), their weight, and their finish. In most cases silk is less tapered, lightweight, with a glossier finish; whilst mink lashes are more tapered, ultra lightweight, and has a matte finish. We do not use real mink or fur in our lashes. (When it comes to real fur or hair lash extension it is difficult to verify whether the hairs are ethically sourced, and truly sterile. Also, as it is a natural hair, they do not retain their shape well over time.)
Lash styling is achieved by using different shapes and lengths and blending curls. The appearance is created to enhance features, and we lash map prior to lash application taking into account natural lash length and eye shapes.
Lash Maintenance
Maintaining your lashes is achieved with a half hour or hour infill appointment. Infills can cause a little bit of confusion but I aim it on the size of the gaps. If you want to maintain a full lash look you need to aim at regular maintenance, which means visiting the salon every 2 weeks for a half hour appointment. 30 minutes allows to separate any twists, remove any loose lashes and once cleansed replace the few lost lashes. An hour infill is for the client who has ‘gaps’ and usually every 2-3 weeks. The same maintenance is performed with any infill but with the appearance of gaps means there has been a significant amount of lash loss. An hour also helps if you want to change your look slightly 🙂
Cleansing your lashes prior to your lash appointment definitely helps us and gives you extra time for lash replacement. I’m going to take a school teacher approach to this and say ‘it’s your own time your wasting’ 😉
How it all began
Prior to the introduction of Russian Volume Lashes offered solutions to clients who used strip lashes, or had pulled out their own lashes. The gap is exaggerated with the addition of lash extensions. To combat this I apply a few lashes at different angles to give the effect of lashes in this zero lash zone. I applied it in a layering effect, which worked really well. This allows the lashes to grow underneath and once strong and long enough they would then have a lash applied. Another technique is to create a bridge. This is achieved by placing two small lashes across the gap and applying lashes over the top.
After that I had a few clients who really loved this more enhanced look and asked if I could thicken the edges of their lashes so it was applied in a one had a half set sort of way. The outer edges having 2 lashes per lash and the inner having one. This became safer when lash extensions became finer than a natural lash.
What are Russian Volume Lashes?
Since then the Russian lash scene has taken the world by storm with their Russian Volume lash technique. Not to be confused with Eyelash Extensions (classic lashes), Russian Volume Lash Extensions achieve volume. The idea is to create more voluminous lashes not ones that give you length. As I tell my clients you can’t have everything, by adding length to this technique you would risk damage to your natural lash.
Russian Volume Lashes are achieved through the combination of 3 parts:
Part 1: The pick up
Part 2: Application of the adhesive
Part 3: Placement onto the natural lash
For a 3D Volume look the extensions are feathered into a fan of 3 and placed around the natural lash. This creates a stronger bond locking the natural lash in place. Instead of stacking lashes on top of one another (a circle on circle on circle), the bond is now formed like a triangle. This creates a larger surface area with the adhesive sitting around and in between all the circles. As a result this technique allowed the development of the 4D, 6D & Mega Volume Lashing.
Therefore the weight and length of the lashes do play a major factor in the success of Russian Volume lashes. The number of lashes can be increased significantly as the new technique distributes the weight across the original lash. The introduction of lashes as small as 7mm in length and thickness of 0.07mm, 0.06mm and 0.05mm is a welcome addition!
Jen x
