The Best Surface for Your Adhesive Drop

The surface you work your adhesive on affects a lot: where your working drop sits, the quality of your bond, how fast it cures. The basic rule: change your drop about every 30 to 35 minutes, which you already know. Where to place that drop is what we’ll sort out here.

Plastic adhesive wells

The most economical and reliable option is a plastic well. The drop holds its working properties best here, because it has the least contact with the surrounding air.

Eye-pad backing film

It has two sides, one glossy and one matte. On the glossy side the drop spreads out, because there’s nothing for it to grip, so a large area meets the air, it cures fast, and the working drop loses its properties. Use the matte side instead: its slightly rough texture keeps the drop from spreading, so the working drop forms on top in the center and holds its properties far longer.

A jade stone

Moderately rough, it keeps the drop from spreading and helps it hold its working properties. It also stays at the cooler temperature adhesive likes for longer.

Adhesive stickers

Matte ones work just like the matte side of the eye-pad film, keeping the drop from spreading; skip the glossy kind. One sticker lasts roughly 4 to 5 appointments at 5 to 8 drops per appointment. Beyond being convenient, they look tidy: stick them on your tile or on a jade stone, and with stickers you won’t have to scrape adhesive off the stone at all.

Foil or foil stickers

Like the eye-pad film, foil has a matte and a glossy side. The matte side is the one to use, with all the same benefits as the matte side of the film. Foil stickers only have one working side, so buy the most matte ones you can find.

Paper tape

It has the roughest surface of all, so the drop won’t spread in the slightest. One catch: the adhesive reacts with the paper surface, which degrades its working properties at the bottom, so the usable part of the drop sits only at the very top. Make your drop big enough that you don’t catch the bottom when you dip a lash or a fan. You can stick the tape anywhere.

A glue ring

We really don’t recommend a glue ring, because you’ll be holding it close to your eyes, and to your airways, which sharply increases how much adhesive vapor you breathe in. If you already use a ring, try to retrain yourself onto something else. It won’t be easy at first, but you’ll get there. Take care of yourself.

So what should you pick?

We’d go with wells or plastic stickers: you can put them on your tile or a jade stone, matte stickers let the drop hold its dome shape, which is ideal to work from, and your station looks much tidier. No scraping adhesive off, just swap the sticker. ☺️