why you may be having trouble softening the lashes
a korean lash lift guide to step one: coverage, oxidation, spot-treating and timing
prefer to watch instead?
sometimes it's just easier when you can actually see what we're talking about.
watch me break down everything covered in this mini e-book — with real video examples so you can see exactly what proper softening looks like, where things can go wrong, and what to look for when troubleshooting your own lifts.
contents
no matter how long you leave step one on, the lashes won't lay flat on the pad or is having trouble
you think you have the timing right, what is going on?
is my solution expired? does this product just not work?
i'd like to emphasize one thing:
each detail of the korean lash lift matters
so there are a lot of factors while applying step one that you may be overlooking
let's go over them
#1 not applying enough at the roots
visible roots are unideal,
i'd apply more step one so i can no longer see the roots (like the other parts of the lash line)
think about the traditional method
the steps:
but they say... never apply the solution to the tips
why is that?
perm agent is strong enough to cut through the balm and fully process the roots of the lashes
too strong for the tips
so this means... the tips and roots have different processing thresholds
the roots take longer (and more) to soften
when other people teach k-lifts...
they'll tell you to do the softening process in two rounds:
this is a waste of time.
so what do you do?
so we made our solutions nourishing enough for the tips, but strong enough for the roots
but this still doesn't mean that the tips and the roots should be treated equal...
thick and full coverage at the roots, thin coverage at the tips
the roots should not be visible both in coverage and density
watch as i correct my coverage
to ensure that the roots of those lashes are no longer visible
step one should be completley covering the roots of the lashes
the proper coverage will ensure that the roots are being thoroughly processed
you should not be able to see the roots!
#2 not properly covering step one
no air in between perm paper and solution / lashes
step one can oxidize, so it needs to be properly covered
step one contains reducing agents, such as TGA or cysteamine, that help break down the disulfide bonds within the lashes
if step one is exposed to oxygen in the air, the reducing agents can begin to oxidize
this means some of the active ingredient is essentially "used up" reacting with oxygen instead of working on the disulfide bonds
as step one oxidizes, it can lose potency and become less effective
do not just place
place and squish to ensure no air is in between the perm paper/plastic wrap and the solution
shop my megu perm paper →
#3: spot-treating
spot-treating is typically needed when you didn't apply enough step one solution to a particular area
if you fully cover the roots and do proper timing, it is very unlikely that you'll need to spot treat
but if you do need to spot treat, you apply a little bit more only on the roots of that particular section
cover and leave on for 3-5 minutes
only spot treat roots of the lashes that are not yet laying flat (still ensuring thick coverage at the roots)
my megu perfect timing
(for most clients)
shop the lash lift system →key takeaways
you should not be able to see the roots of the lashes when applying step one
thick enough layer + sufficient coverage
make sure your solution is not oxidizing
properly cover with perm paper or plastic wrap
make sure you're using a fresh sachet
spot treat when needed
only when necessary -- if you properly apply and cover step one, you should rarely have to spot treat!