If you are using a glue that has a quick drying time you will need to be aware of YOUR speed of work. If you are a beginner, you will need to consider a glue that works with you and not against you, choosing a fast drying adhesive will result in the glue drying before the extension has been placed, this is where you will notice brush offs and feel frustrated! Keep an eye on your humidity and temperature with a Hygrometer, and ensure these elements work with your chosen adhesive.

DISPENSING

As a general rule, you're going to want to refresh your glue dot every 20 minutes or so during the treatment. Each time, you need to give your glue a good shake to make sure all the ingredients are properly mixed together.

KEEP IT CLEAN!

You shake your glue, dispense it, give it a small wipe and replace the nozzle. What could possibly go wrong? Well, glue nozzles like to ‘burp’ - they spit out any air left in the nozzle and send out some remnants of glue with it, which glues the nozzle to your lid. To avoid this, try the following:

·Remove the lid to shake - I know, this sounds ridiculous! Of course you’re going to cover the end of the nozzle; the only thing worse than glue stuck in a nozzle is glue stuck to literally everything else. Take a small piece of foil or wax paper and cover the nozzle, shake, shake it baby and peel back - any glue that burps out can simply be wiped away before you dispense. 

·Don’t squeeze! Tip the glue up and let gravity do the work - it might feel like it takes a bit longer, but less air will be sucked into the nozzle, which means less air has to exit the nozzle!

·Give her a little tap on the bottom! Before you pop that lid back on after dispensing the glue, give the bottle a little tap on your trolley to encourage any air that did make it into the nozzle to come out. Wipe away and replace your lid.

·Have some back up rescue kits - despite your best efforts, sometimes the nozzle and the lid just want to be together forever. Having some spares in your kit will SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Your glue is important to get right, so pay close attention to what you are using and don’t go for a fast setting glue if your ability does not match! You will result in the opposite outcome, clients coming back with those 5 fluttery lashes! 

These are just some of the points to consider should you be experiencing retention issues, but before you start thinking about what your clients may be doing wrong, take a step back and consider your own actions!

IF YOU CUT CORNERS, YOU JUST KEEP GOING IN CIRCLES!

Glue is the lifeblood of your work, understanding how to use it is paramount to your success! Finding your perfect glue is a bit like when Prince Charming slid the glass slipper onto Cinderella’s little foot after trying it on every woman in the kingdom - it just fits. Sometimes though, your glue will start to misbehave. Is it you, or the glue? How can you tell? How can you fix it?

There are a few things you can do to make your life easier, and to make your client’s retention as amazing as normal - some might seem very obvious, but the obvious is often one of the easiest things to overlook, so stick with me! (No pun intended)