How often do you have doubts when choosing the processing times for the products used in the InLei® Lash Filler treatment? How many times do you wonder if the exposure time is too long or not long enough?

Today we'll clarify this topic. To understand how the chemical reactions of perming or tinting occur, two main factors must be observed:

• Hair structure
• Hair porosity

HAIR POROSITY: WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT

First, the shiny/dull appearance of the hair depends on its porosity. Porosity is the hair's ability to absorb moisture and can be low, medium, or high.
To understand which category the hair you are treating belongs to, you need to observe the cuticle. This won't be easy if you don't have a microscope handy, so you'll have to rely on its absorption capacity.

Here's what happens depending on the hair type:

• Low porosity (= low absorption capacity) - the cuticle "scales" adhere very well and the hair appears very shiny, like hair in commercials. It is very difficult for chemical products to penetrate these hairs, so exposure times increase for both perming and tinting.

 

 

• Medium porosity - most hairs. When the cuticle scales are slightly raised and thin, or there are few cuticle layers due to ethnicity. These hairs are generally very obedient (easy to treat).

 

 

 

• High porosity (= high absorption capacity) 

 when the cuticle scales are raised (weak) or

porous. This does not allow moisture to stay long, so the hair tries to absorb as much as possible at every opportunity. This hair appears visibly fragile and dull (usually it is hair that has been poorly treated and damaged), but remember that a good portion of curly hair also has high porosity! During the absorption of the perm solution (Lash Form 1) you will notice that this hair literally "eats" the solution (which goes from intense white to milky transparent white).

TO SUMMARIZE:
→ shiny hair = low porosity = leave on longer
→ dull hair = high porosity = leave products on for less time because they are
absorbed very quickly

EYELASH STRUCTURE

Starting from porosity, we can also analyze elasticity, because they depend on each other. The ability to retain moisture, in fact, ensures that keratin remains elastic, especially at the base of the hairs.

Here too, we divide the cases into three categories:

• Soft hair - this type is often very obedient when applied to the rod, but sometimes it can become rebellious: in some cases, the hair is so soft and obedient that it creates "waves" that are very difficult to straighten. In general, these hairs rarely escape from the rod when the first solution (perm) is processing.

• Medium hair - this is obedient hair, it applies to the rod without problems and usually falls within the average porosity. Sometimes, during the processing time of the first solution, some hairs may escape. Be careful, in these cases they must be put back in position with the "spiderweb" method.

• Stiff and coarse hair - this type of hair shows a lot of resistance to "curling on the rod" and we need to use a lot of glue to keep it in place. We often call it "glassy" (as if it were made of glass) because sometimes it also has low porosity and is therefore very shiny. If you don't use enough glue, many will escape during the processing time of Form 1.

REMEMBER - This does not concern the diameter of the hair: very fine hairs can be very stiff and thick hairs can be very soft.

PROCESSING TIMES FOR InLei® LASH FORM 1 EYELASH PERM

Here is a table with the recommended exposure times, as you can see it was created
taking into account both factors we have seen: porosity and hair structure. Don't forget that there are always exceptions!

 

EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE

Very fine and low-porosity hair (Kazakhstan) structure
apparently soft, in reality it is medium-stiff to the touch. Average time: can vary from 10 to 14 minutes. If you had stopped at the visual analysis alone, you would have chosen 6 minutes!

 

 

 

Very fine and low-porosity hair (Kazakhstan) structure
only seemingly soft: often quite rebellious
during application to the rod.

 

 

 

 

The hair of many red-haired girls has poor absorption capacity (photo of an Italian model). Whether the structure is soft or stiff, the processing time increases by one minute compared to the table.

 

 

 

Italian hair: the structure appears soft to the eye and touch, but in reality it is very rebellious during application. Under lamp light, a "glass effect" is noticeable; in fact, its surface is quite shiny (cuticles tightly closed).
You probably would have chosen the times for a medium structure and porosity (9 min), but in reality, it is medium-stiff / stiff hair with low porosity. Average time: 13 minutes.

 

 

Here's an example of "glassy" hair. The first photo was taken
1 minute after application and the second after 11 minutes. Pay attention to the absorption: here it is imperceptible, the hair responds slowly.

 

 

 

 

IMPROVE YOUR TECHNIQUE AND BECOME A LASH FILLER 25.9 PROFESSIONAL

Today, what truly matters is being a "trusted technician," one who makes a difference! To achieve popularity in the eyelash sector, it's essential to work with precision and great skill: clients immediately see the difference between a mediocre treatment and a perfectly executed one, just as they notice the disparity between someone who deeply understands the sector and someone who knows very little.

Not only that, technical and/or chemical shortcomings are a big risk! A treatment like eyelash perming can carry various risks if performed incorrectly. An incorrect processing time, for example, can burn the client's eyelashes, just as incorrect use of certain products could cause severe eye irritation.
Why risk it? If you want to become a successful lash artist, we recommend enrolling in the Lash Filler 25.9 course held at our Light Lashes Academies throughout Italy!

Find out more on the website www.corsiextensionciglia.com