Other than the lash extensions themselves, you could argue that your lash adhesive is the most important product you buy as a lash artist. Ensuring you store your glue properly will give it maximum shelf life. This means good retention with your quality glue, and more sets per bottle, helping your bottom line. A longer shelf life should mean less glue going bad, too, so your business will have less wastage.
The tips we’re about to give here apply to most lash glues, but you should always check the instructions on your brand in case there are different or additional storage instructions.
Where to Keep Unopened Lash Glue
When your lash adhesive is new and unopened, you can store it either in a cool, dry place, so away from windows, radiators and sunlight, or in the fridge. Most people choose a cool, dry place, which is fine and will give you a shelf life of about 6 months. If you opt for the fridge, on the other hand, your shelf life jumps to 12-15 months. This would potentially let you buy in larger quantities or keep a low-fume option on hand for sensitive clients for a longer period.
There are a few extra tips for storing in the fridge. The active ingredient in lash adhesives is activated by moisture, so if the contents come into contact with moisture, the glue will begin to set before it’s anywhere near lash extensions, and you won’t be able to use it. To prevent this, allow time for the glue to warm back to room temperature before you open it to ensure the moisture from the fridge has left the outer bottle. This just means you’ll have to keep a watch on your adhesive supply so you’re not rushing to pull a new one out of the fridge before an appointment. A few lash artists have tried keeping their lash glue in the freezer, and it seems to have a shelf life of years that way. There are no scientific studies to back this up yet, though, so experiment at your own risk.
Where to Store Opened Lash Glue
Once opened, your adhesive can’t go back in the fridge. That moisture from the fridge would find its way into the bottle and ruin it. You need to keep it as dry as possible to get the 4-6 week shelf life that most opened lash glue has. Keeping it in a cool, dry cupboard in its outer box with a moisture absorber like a silica gel packet is the best option to keep it working well for those few weeks. You could also invest in an airtight container if your studio is humid. Letting glue build up on the nozzle can be another factor that hardens your glue prematurely, as the lid can’t form a tight seal, which can let that pesky moisture in. Moisture really is the key when it comes to storing lash adhesive effectively.
Your manufacturer will give an exact time within that 4-6 week window we mentioned above, and we’d recommend throwing it away at that point. It can be annoying to throw away unused adhesive if you haven’t used it all, but you don’t want to risk your lash retention, as that’s your business reputation. We’d recommend writing on the box or putting a sticker on the bottle with the date it expires, so you have a warning to get your next one out of the fridge. Before this time, there will be some hints that your glue has expired and shouldn’t be used. If it makes no noise when you shake the bottle, this shows it has begun to dry and harden. If the glue is stringy or separated even after you’ve shaken it, then this means moisture has got in and ruined it, so it’s time for a new one.
Now you know these tips to improve your adhesive shelf life, it’s time to stock up at LaviLash. Check out our range of quality adhesives here.
