So is there a difference apart from the price? 

Yes there is and it is all about the science of how they are manufactured. 

We are going to tell you why low quality lash / cheap trays can do the following & we will back it up with science. 

• Lose their curl rapidly

• Effect your retention and fall off quicker

• Become brittle and ‘crunchy’ to touch

• Are often harder to work with

As we all know lash extensions are not made from silk or mink etc and it is just an advertising gimmick. For more on this you can read our blog, "What is the difference between Mink & Silk Lashes?!"

Instead they are made from PBT which is a type of plastic. 

The reason PBT is used for extensions is because is is resilient to heat (to a degree), wear and tear and won’t loose its form easily, which is perfect for lash extensions. 

PBT is also used in things like the the plastic which goes around extension cords, phone chargers etc. 

 

The Science behind it:

Korea is traditionally world renown for it’s supreme quality PBT which so far no other country has bee able to duplicate with as much success as Korea. 

As we know China has cheaper labour than most other countries in the world, which is one of the major reasons so much manufacturing in all industries occurs in China. 

Low cost labour does count for some of the difference in price, but is by far not the whole reason. 

Cheap, low quality lash trays are typically made in China using Chinese made PBT.

Raw PBT can be rather expensive. 

To save money in the manufacturing process of PBT, additional additives and cheap low quality ingredients will be added to the raw PBT to bulk it out and more being made for less costs. 

The quality of the PBT can be observed through a microscope; the further the tiny particles / micropores are apart from each other is an indication that other materials including gas and air and placed into the PBT to bulk it out.

This is a picture from a microscopic view of the difference between higher quality PBT (left picture) and lower quality (right picture) PBT. 

Having these additional ingredients in the PBT can lead to a few things;

• High quality with a large PBT content lashes resist heat better. So as a technician if our clients blow dry their hair, live in a high humidity level environment, cook a lot (opening an oven door for example) etc then having lower quality lashes on, will lead to the lashes loosing their curl rapidly after being exposed to heat. The higher the levels of PBT the more resistant to heat they are. 

• Different ingredients and chemicals added to bulk up low quality PBT can react with the chemicals in lash adhesive resulting in lower retention rates. If you have low retention with your clients, this can be one major reason why. 

• PBT in a high quality state is nice and flexible. Low quality becomes brittle and ‘crunchy’ to touch rapidly. 

• Low quality PBT has more air particles in it (at a microscopic level) and the bond between the lash and the glue is lessened and weakened. Again another reason for low retention rates with clients.

In case you were wondering …

All Locks Lash lashes are manufactured in accordance with ISO Standards (International Organisation for Standardisation in manufacturing established in 1947), are made from the highest quality Korean PBT available on the market, and are tested and quality controlled at each stage of manufacturing.  You can purchase on the pic below.

It took us years to get it right, much research, testing, trial & error.

 

 

Lastly, can you tell the quality level of lash trays by price alone?

Unfortunately not. 

    

     

Cheap, low quality trays can still be sold at a high price and high quality trays can still be sold at a low price. 

Really the only way to test lash trays and their quality of PBT is through a microscope or trying and testing them personally yourself! 

That is why we recommend buying through lash companies who have done all the hard work and testing for you...wink wink.

If you are trying to save a dollar as a lash technician - and we all do - we recommend saving on your disposable products like cotton tips, tape, gloves, even switch out primer for Witch Hazel - but when it comes to glue and lashes it is best to buy them from reputable companies who have done all the research and testing for you!

      

Hopefully this helps and as always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact our team with anything that you need! 

    

Love from your Locks Lash fam xo