Lash Extensions Sticking Together? Here’s What You Need to Know (and How to Fix It)

You've probably heard it before—people saying that eyelash extensions damage natural lashes. Well, if applied correctly by a trained Lash Tech, that's simply not true! Clients can get lash extensions again and again without any worries, provided they’re also keeping up with their aftercare routine.

That said, there’s one sneaky culprit that can cause trouble if you’re not careful: stickies. They’re small, but they can lead to big problems if left unchecked. Here’s what you need to know about stickies, and how to make sure they don’t become an issue for you and your clients.

What Exactly Is a Stickie?

In the lash industry, a “stickie” refers to when extensions get stuck together after being applied. While they can be avoided to an extent, due to the closeness of natural lashes, stickies can happen during a treatment - they’re almost inevitable because of how close natural lashes are to each other!

Just because they’re somewhat inevitable doesn’t mean clients have to deal with the discomfort. Once you know what to look out for, stickies are easy to separate, leaving your clients' lashes safe and making sure they walk away happy.

The Different Types of Stickies

Stickies occur when a freshly applied extension gets attached to another lash. Here’s how it can happen:

Stickie Type 1

This is the most common. It happens when two neighbouring extensions stick together, usually because they were pressed too closely while isolating another lash.

Stickie Type 2

The second type involves an extension sticking to a baby lash. This one can be tricky to spot, especially when the baby lash is small or new. That’s why close inspection is crucial.

Stickie Type 3

This one’s rare, but it can happen when two natural lashes stick together, often after removing an extension. If any adhesive or remover residue isn’t properly cleaned off, stickies can form here too.

Why Are Stickies Such a Problem?

Stickies can lead to discomfort in the short term and even long-term damage to your client’s lashes. They’re not always immediately noticeable, but as natural lashes grow, the client may feel a pinching sensation on the eyelids. This can lead to discomfort, or even worse, they might start pulling the lashes out themselves to get relief! And that’s not what we want.

When natural lashes are pulled out, either by growth or client frustration, it can damage the follicle, potentially causing the lashes to grow back thinner or not at all. Plus, leaving stickies untreated can also fuel the misconception that lash extensions damage natural lashes—when, in fact, it’s poorly managed applications like these that cause issues. 

And from a business perspective, unhappy clients are less likely to return. If they think that discomfort and stickies are just part of having lash extensions, eventually they may give up on them altogether, or worse, their natural lashes may become too weak to handle extensions.

Tips for Preventing Stickies

Stickies might be part of the process, but there are ways to reduce how often they occur.

For Stickie Type 1, which happens when neighbouring lashes stick together, try working evenly across both eyes, leaving a few lashes between each one you apply. This not only helps avoid stickies but also prevents shock polymerisation, and it ensures a more even look in case the appointment needs to be cut short.

For Stickie Type 2, where baby lashes are involved, lighting is your best friend. Invest in a good, adjustable light, such as a Glamcor Light, to prevent eye strain and make those tiny baby lashes easier to see. Also, avoid using too much glue at the base of your lashes to make separating them easier.

For Stickie Type 3, the key is ensuring that all adhesive residue is completely cleaned away during removal.

In general, using tape to lift the lashes and work layer by layer is a great method to minimise stickies.

How to Check for Stickies

After you’ve finished your lash set, it’s crucial to check for stickies— even if you’re confident none are there. To do this, use two pairs of isolation tweezers to go through the lashes one by one, checking each layer. If you find a stickie, gently grip one lash with the tweezers in your left hand and the other in your right, then carefully separate them.

While it’s impossible to prevent every single lash from sticking together, you can minimise the number of stickies in your lash sets. More importantly, by taking the time to check and separate stickies, you can ensure your clients experience no discomfort and no damage to their natural lashes.