Eyelash extension is one of the greatest makeup innovations but it’s not a very inviting experience for those with sensitive eyes. The culprit is the adhesive. In this article, I present to you a list of the best eyelash extension glue for sensitive eyes.
Did you know that there was a time when Parisians would sew hair into their eyelids? Luckily, we’re way past those days, but if your eyes are very sensitive and you end up using a strong adhesive, it can be painful still.
Whether you’re using falsies or lash extensions, both still need to be attached to your natural lashes with glue.
Aside from being long-lasting and waterproof, an ideal adhesive should have very little to no formaldehyde. This chemical compound plus 2 more is what you should be aware of when choosing the right product to use. If you wish to learn more about these chemicals, you can go directly to the section that follows my product recommendations. This will help you in narrowing down the right glue for your sensitive eyes.
Best Eyelash Extension Glue For Sensitive Eyes
DUO Brush-On Lash Adhesive
DUO Brush-On Lash AdhesiveDUO Brush-on Lash Adhesive is my favorite when it comes to strip lash glue. While it’s not really for eyelash extensions, it’s worth mentioning here because it works well for falsies, keeping them in place all night or all day long. It dries up after 30 seconds, giving you ample time to adjust the falsies into place.
It’s waterproof and undetectable so your falsies will look as natural as it gets. Although the clear Duo works well, I prefer using the dark color especially when I have a dark eyeliner (like the Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen in Deeper) applied underneath.
Designed for sensitive eyes, it’s both formaldehyde-free and latex-free. The hypoallergenic adhesive is also formulated with vitamin A, C & E, making it gentle even for those who wear contacts. Application is a breeze and mess-free with its brush applicator – a welcome change from its previous version.
Cardani LATEX FREE Secure Hold Glue
Cardani LATEX FREE Secure Hold GlueCardani LATEX FREE Secure Hold Glue is more than its name. When it comes to being free of substances harmful to those with sensitive eyes, this adhesive boasts quite a long list:
formaldehyde-free
sulfate-free
gluten-free
latex-free
vegan
cruelty-free
Aside from eliminating these compounds from its formula, it’s also long-lasting. Take note, though, that it’s only water-resistant and NOT entirely waterproof so it’s not advisable if you’re going to be wading in the pool. It has a strong adhesive that dries up in 30 seconds, but it’s also very easy to remove.
BEPHOLAN Professional Eyelash Glue
BEPHOLAN Professional Eyelash GlueBEPHOLAN Professional Eyelash Glue is another false eyelash adhesive for sensitive eyes. It’s professional-grade so it dries up quickly in seconds once you attach your falsies. If you’ve been doing this for quite some time already, this is the best choice for you since it dries up fast.
It’s long-lasting and compared to the product before this, it’s waterproof and sweatproof. You won’t have to worry about your lashes even if you end up soaking in the rain. It’s gluten-free, sulfate-free, and latex-free so it’s safe even for those with sensitive eyes.
And if you’re still on the fence about this, the manufacturer is offering a lifetime money-back guarantee as well.
LONRIS Sensitive Low Fume Extension Glue
LONRIS Sensitive Low Fume Extension GlueLONRIS Sensitive Low Fume Extension Glue is a great choice if you’re going to use eyelash extension and you have sensitive eyes. It’s one of the best eyelash extension glue without formaldehyde, plus, it’s latex-free as well.
Its adhesive can last up to 5-6 weeks. Its quick-drying formula means that you need to have a professional lash technician handle this. It would be best if you bring this adhesive with you if you’re going to a lash salon and have a professional use this when attaching your extensions.
While it has cyanoacrylate on its formula to make the adhesive strong and lasts for a long time, it’s kept at a very minimal amount and does give off very low fume to prevent irritation. However, if you’re allergic to cyanoacrylate, it’s best to stay away from this.
Sophie&Lorie Eyelash Glue
Sophie&Lorie Eyelash GlueSophie&Lorie Eyelash Glue is a great choice if you’re looking for an inexpensive adhesive for your extension. Its medical-grade formulation makes it safe to use even for those with sensitive eyes. It’s formaldehyde-free, sulfate-free, BPA-free and latex-free, which is why most lash salon professionals find this compatible with most of their clients.
This is a professional-grade adhesive so you need to have a lash technician work on this for you. That’s because it dries up within 1 to 2 seconds only. It’s super long-lasting because it keeps your eyelash extension in place for up to 7-8 weeks. This product is also weather-resistant so you don’t need to worry wearing it any season.
Choosing A Safe Lash Extension Glue
When it comes to choosing the right adhesive extension for sensitive eyes, you need to be aware of these 3 chemicals: formaldehyde, cyanoacrylate, and latex.
It’s best to choose a product that’s completely free of these but at the time of this writing, this is still not possible. At least one of these chemicals is needed for the adhesive to function. However, there are those which only contain a small amount of just one or the other, and this is our best choice for the time being.
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a chemical widely used in almost everything we come into contact with every day. Fortunately, they don’t linger in the air for too long as they easily break down in a matter of hours. It’s commonly used as a preservative for food, paints, and cosmetics.
The key here is to choose a cosmetic product with a very small amount of this chemical compound. I don’t go checking ingredients on every eyeshadow, foundation, or lipstick, but when it comes to eyelash glues, I become my own “chemist”. That is if checking ingredient labels and comparing the amount of content is considered a chemist at all.
Cyanoacrylate
Cyanoacrylate is another chemical compound that you should be concerned with. It’s actually what makes super glues effective. However, you don’t need the strong bonding power of superglues for your eyelashes. Every type of adhesive need this compound in able for it to stick, but only a very minimal amount is needed for those designed for lashes.
A person who is sensitive to adhesives is most likely sensitive to this chemical. If you’re one of these people, it’s better to choose those which are cyanoacrylate-free like the True Glue Lash Adhesive. This is the only one I found on the market that doesn’t use cyanoacrylate, but it only works for falsies.
Latex
Latex may not be as toxic but some people have allergic reactions to it. Using products with latex more often can repeatedly expose you to a protein found in natural latex that can develop into an allergy, according to Medline Plus.
If you want to be sure, go with hypoallergenic glue that’s free of latex. Fortunately, this is not a necessary component so there’s a lot of products who don’t use this at all.
If you look at every glue label, whether it be for general household use or your eyelash extensions, they always indicate that they can result in skin and eye irritation. You don’t need to be allergic to formaldehyde or other chemicals to experience irritation. However, even if you’re sensitive to these chemicals that doesn’t mean you should stay away from using eyelash extensions or strip lashes.
While you can use patch testing on foundations, this kind of test does not apply to eyelash extension glues. This is because they are not meant to touch your skin. They should just be fixed to your natural lashes. Come to think of it, they’re called ‘extension’ and not ‘replacement’ for a reason.
Other Factors to Consider in Picking A Lash Adhesive
While these additional factors are not necessary when choosing lash glue for sensitive eyes, they’re still important to take into consideration. You wouldn’t want to be using an adhesive that doesn’t hold for even a few hours.
Long-lasting. Are you going to use strip lashes? Then an adhesive that holds for at least 8 hours is what you should look for. An all-day or all-nighter is best. If the adhesive is for your lash extension, choose those that will last you for more than 5 weeks.
Drying time. This, I believe, is what makes a professional-grade adhesive different from those for individual use only. An adhesive that dries in seconds is for experts only and is what lash salons prefer to use. If you’re doing your lashes on your own, choose the one which has a long drying time. This will allow you to adjust or correct the lash as needed.
Waterproof. These days, what may be clear skies can suddenly turn into a drizzle. Like the weather, our emotions are just as unpredictable. You need to make sure that your lashes hold even if you end up crying tears of joy (or shed tears while watching a romantic drama with your boyfriend).
Wrapping It Up
If you had some burning or stingy eye experiences wearing falsies or lash extensions, it’s not your fault — it’s the glue. This time around, you’re more than ready to flutter those falsies again or wake up with seemingly natural long lashes.
You can now easily choose the best eyelash extension glue for sensitive eyes. But if you want to approach this slowly but surely, go with falsies first with DUO Brush-On Lash Adhesive. That way, you can easily feel your way if you’re truly allergic to it rather than having more costly extensions.