What is in Eyelash Extension Glue

Cyanoacrylate in Eyelash Extension Glue – Drying time

The main ingredient in Eyelash extension glue is cyanoacrylate, pronounced SIGH-UH-NO-CRY-LATE, but what does it mean? We can break it down into two words cyanide and acrylate. Cyanide is a carbon atom that has been (triple) bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanide sounds a bit scary, and it is, on its own, it is very hazardous. Still, it’s necessary as a thickening agent, but rest assured, it is only used for manufacturing purposes and not in the adhesive bottle.

Acrylate is a derivative of acrylic acid, an organic acid that quickly self-polymerises (hardens or thickens) when exposed to air. Acrylic acid primarily produces acrylic esters and resins in coatings and adhesives. So what does this all mean? It means acrylate is combined with cyanide to create what we call cyanoacrylate.

Cyanoacrylates are in all quick-drying eyelash extension glues. It dries almost instantly, it cures when it comes into contact with water, so the higher the humidity of the room your extensions are applied in, the faster the adhesive will dry. The room’s humidity must be at the correct level for the glue used; if the glue cures too quickly, the extension will stick to the natural lash, but it won’t stay on for very long; it’s already starting curing so that it won’t have a strong bond. However, these glues are available at different curing times. A newly trained technician will use a slower glue for 2 – 3 seconds, but an experienced technician will use a 0.5 to 1 – second glue.

Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) in Eyelash Extension Glue – Strength

Eyelash extensions should last several weeks, somewhere between 4 to 8 weeks on average, so the glue needs to be strong to keep the extension adhered to the natural lash; this is where methyl methacrylate comes into play. It’s a monomer made of methyl (a single carbon atom), and acrylate, the organic acid found in cyanoacrylate, causes the glue to harden. When polymerised and used with cyanoacrylate, this compound is a reinforcer that strengthens the glue’s bond.

Hydroquinone in Eyelash Extension Glue – Stabiliser

Hydroquinone is present in the glue as a stabiliser; without it, the glue wouldn’t last; all of the bottle’s ingredients would harden very quickly.

Carbon in Eyelash Extension Glue

Lash extension glue comes in black or clear. Black is the most popular as it’s better for blending and adds extra intensity to black lash extensions. Black lash glue is the most popular, but some people can be allergic to the glue’s carbon, and therefore the clear glue would be the best option. Clear glue is also used for coloured eyelash extensions.

It’s essential to have good quality cyanoacrylate-based glue. This enables the eyelash extensions to last as long as possible, keeping the natural lashes in the best health possible. As a company, we only use the best lash glue available on the market, which is why we have such a good reputation for lash extension retention. For more information on eyelash extensions, check out our FAQ page.