First off, I'll start by saying that red eyes are not normal and they are not a good look for your business.

If your client has red eyes after their appointment it could be for a number of reasons.

1) Something you are doing, or not doing during the appointment.

2) Something your client is doing during their appointment.

3) An allergic reaction. 

Something You Are Doing

- Too many products being used during application. Primer, bonding serum, adhesive, lash sealant. The more products being used, the higher the risk of reaction. In my opinion, all you need is to wash the lashes before every appointment. The fewer steps, the better!

- Cheap products being used. If you are using a $10 bottle of adhesive, the reason it's priced so low is because the ingredients are cheap which likely means stronger fumes. You are working around the eyes. Adhesive is not the place to cheap out.

-Improper eye pad and tape placement. If the tape and eye pad is placed too high, it's likely propping the eye open slightly allowing fumes to get in. It could also be rubbing the eye which would result in red eyes or even a bruise on the eye. 

Side note: I have a youtube video on how to place the eye pads and tape that works on all eye shapes. Click the youtube icon at the bottom of the page for that video and more!

- You are not fanning the client during or after the appointment. At the end of every appointment I fan the client using a little hand held fan. I then take the under eye pads off as well as the tape and fan for a little longer to dissipate any fumes around the eye. Make sure to tell your client to keep their eyes closed while removing the eye pads until they're instructed to open. As soon as those eye pads come off, they will want to pop their eyes open!

- You are not nano misting at the end of each appointment. This is not 100% necessary but it is soothing around the eyes, helps cure the adhesive and will also dissipate any fumes. Think of it as a little extra luxury for your client and a little bit of insurance for yourself.

- You are having the client open their eyes too quickly after you finish the set. This is self explanatory. You should never let them open their eyes right away.

Something They're Doing

- Talking too much during their appointment which makes their eyes flutter and slightly open.

- Their eyes are slightly open during the appointment. The client might not even know it's happening. This can happen a lot with protruding eyes. Always use your mirror throughout the appointment to ensure the eyes are closed and no whites are showing.

Allergic Reaction 

- An allergic reaction will likely (but not always) be accompanied by swollen eye lids, itchy eyes and secretion from the eyes. It can be mild or severe. If this is the case they are not a good candidate for lashes and they must be removed immediately.

I think it is also worth saying that lash artists are not doctors. We should NEVER be recommending anything other than to have the lashes removed right away and to consult a physician. I see artists making at home remedy recommendations in facebook groups or recommending Benadryl, tea bags on the eyes, etc. Although it may feel innocent, we are not doctors and if the situation escalated due to one of your recommendations, you could have far bigger issues on your hands.  

In Conclusion

Red eyes are not normal. We all want before and after photos for our instagram but editing red eyes is not cute and very noticeable. We have all seen it. The eyes look like they have no veins and turn a light pink when trying to whiten the red. If I was looking for a new lash artist and saw red eyes in all the photos, I would keep scrolling. If all of your client's are experiencing red eyes, you need to re-evaluate what you are doing. If it's only certain clients, you need to figure out if it's something they are doing or if it's an allergy.

Remember, the mirror is your best friend during appointments!

For more lash tips and tricks (such as the eye pad video I mentioned earlier), visit my YouTube channel by clicking the icon at the bottom of the page.