The Science Behind the Lift

Have you ever wondered what the solution is doing while you’re letting it sit on your lashes?

We give a general answer to clients, but lets dive deeper into the science behind the lash lift!

We all remember the perms of the 70s and 80s right? Well a lash lift is essentially the same thing, on a smaller scale.

There are 3 solutions that we use at Elevate Esthetics during the service to lift and secure your lashes. The first solution that we will use is the heavy hitter. This is the lifting solution.

Your hair is made of up keratin proteins and depending on your specific structure of proteins, this gives your hair its density, flexibility, and length of your natural lash. The lifting solution contains the thioglycolic acid which aids in breaking down the keratin molecules in your hair shaft. This will, in a sense, loosen your hair shaft and allow the lashes to mold to the silicone rod that we use to hold the curl.

The second solution that we use on your lashes is a setting solution. These solutions normally contain sodium bromate and a conditioning agent. This solution helps to redcoat the hair shaft re-harden it in to the shape of the curl. This is what helps the lashes to stay in that curled state.

The last solution that we use, here at Elevate Esthetics, is a lash conditioner. This solution contains amino acids and peptides which mimic the natural amino acids found in your lash hair. It helps to strengthen, nourish, and relieve stress put on the hair shaft from lash curlers, astringents, eye rubbing, mascara, etc.

The solutions that we use are safe for the eye area and they are only applied to the lashes themselves.

It’s always fun to know what exactly is happening during your service! I hope this helped to navigate the lash lifting world and what happens to your lashes while the service is being performed.

As always, check out our website for more information and FAQs on your lash lifting journey!

Lash Lifting Explained

This summer has been HOT! I hate trying to put mascara on when it’s hot outside and as someone who knows the struggle of trying to remove waterproof mascara, I’m not a fan.

This month we’re talking lash lifts!

“Are they extensions?”

This is the question we get the most often. And the best part is, they’re NOT!

A lash lift uses your own, natural lashes and enhances them. It is a semi-permanent curl of your lashes.

We use a silicone rod that is glued to your eyelid with a water-soluble glue. We then glue your lashes up to the rod. This is what holds the curl in your lashes.

Next, we apply the lifting solution to just the base of the lashes. The setting solution is then placed on the lashes after the lifting solution is removed. After removing the setting solution, we let a conditioning serum sit on your lashes for a few minutes just to help keep the integrity of your lashes.

 At this point, you can do a tint of your lashes or not. When we tint your lashes, we are using a semi-permanent coloring to darken your lash hair. Our clients with blonde/lighter lashes LOVE this service alone as well as coupled with the lash lift.

 I love lifting lashes in the summer time because then you don’t have to fuss with mascara if you don’t want to. Your lashes are already good to go for the pool, lake, beach or wherever your summer travels take you!

Check out these amazing before & after photos of some of our beautiful clients.

*Through the month of July

Waxing Mediums

While there are many types of waxes out there… Here are the main 3 types that I want to touch on and get asked a lot about. Your basic soft wax, your basic hard wax, and sugaring. Now, I say basic because there are many different ingredients that can go into each of these waxes. There can be different bases of the wax, for example, resin, beeswax, and cream are just a few. 

Soft wax is mainly cream/resin-based. It is applied in a thin layer over the skin and removed with a cloth strip.

Hard wax is applied warm and solidifies as it cools. It cools to a flexible medium which is then removed using a “lip” or “tab” created from the wax itself by the esthetician. These are mainly beeswax/resin-based formulas. 

Sugaring is a sugar-based substance that is applied as a paste and removed in a quick motion with your hands. Similar to hard wax, the hair is removed with the substance itself by the trained esthetician. 

These seem to be the main waxes that we hear of. In our studio, we use soft wax as well as hard wax. 

Now, how do we determine which wax to use?

It depends on the hair type, the skin type, and the preference of the waxer. Some are trained solely on hard wax, some on soft, and some for sugaring. Most estheticians are able to utilize both hard and soft wax in their treatment rooms, but they will always have one that they are more comfortable with using. Usually, estheticians are adept at working well with both hard and soft types of wax on most body parts. Those estheticians that are trained in sugaring have taken a specific class to help them hone their skill. Not every esthetician or wax specialist you meet will be trained in sugaring. 

At Elevate Esthetics we are trained on soft and hard waxes. So depending on the type of hair on the body and the skin type (sensitive/reactive or not), we will use a certain wax accordingly. 

As always, if there are questions, we are available on social media, or phone to answer anything you have to ask. Also, check out our website for more answered questions! 

The main question that we get a lot is “Does it hurt?” 

Yes. We are traumatizing that hair follicle by removing the strand of hair from the root. This is going to hurt to some degree. Each person is different and each person’s pain tolerance is different. It’s a different experience for each different individual! We do our best to minimize the pain afterward, but we have some tips and tricks on our website for before and aftercare!

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The Hair Growth Cycles

“Painful” “Sticky” “Not Worth It”

These are a few of the words I hear most often when I talk to clients and friends about waxing. 

The first time you get anything waxed can be a little nerve wracking! I was terrified the first time I had my eyebrows waxed. 

This month, we are going to address a few of our client’s most asked questions regarding waxing, explain the process in a bit more detail, as well as give you some more tips and tricks on how to care for your skin before and after a wax! 

Let’s start with Waxing Class 101:

What exactly is waxing and how does it affect my hair?

Waxing is defined as “the process of removing unwanted hair from a part of the body by applying wax and peeling off the wax and hairs together.”

This can also be known as hair removal (depending on the substance you are using to remove the hair). But we’ll address that later this month!

For now, let’s address what it does to your hair when we remove it.

Your hair grows in cycles. Just like on your head, your body hair grows and sheds in cycles.  When we remove the hair above the surface of the skin, we are making way for the second cycle of hair to grow through.

There are four total stages in the hair growth cycle and hair can be at any stage, at any given time during the life of the follicle. This will vary depending on the growth and type of hair that your body produces. Every BODY is different!

It normally takes about 3-4 sessions to start seeing a decrease in hair growth. This is because we are trying to get the hair growth all on the same cycle. Once this happens, the hair will grow back at the same time and you will be left with a smoother, longer lasting finish. 

I will point out that everyone is different. Everyone’s hair growth and hair texture is different. It may take more sessions for you to see longer lasting results, or it could take less. So don’t get discouraged if you aren’t seeing full results right away! It does take time. Rome wasn’t built in a day! 

It will also take good home care on the client’s part to upkeep the health of their skin post wax, but we’ll get into that later! 

Check out our website for some waxing Q&A!