How to work with a client that blinks while their eyes are closed

Have you ever had a client blink while their eyes were closed? You would think that with the eyes closed, your client is relaxed and ready to have their lash extensions applied.

But that’s not always the case.

There are many reasons why a client may be unable to fully relax for their lash appointment. And in this article, I’ll be sharing the most common reasons why this happens and what you can do to safely apply your client’s lashes.

One of the most common reasons why a client’s eyes may be jumpy even though they’re closed is because they’ve consumed caffeine before their lash appointment. The most common caffeinated drinks I’ve found clients consume before lash appointments are tea, soda, coffee and energy drinks.

For some people, consuming caffeine in the morning has become a regular part of their morning routine as it makes them feel more alert, more awake and less tired. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant which can cause a surplus of physical energy and uncontrollable jitters in as little as 5 minutes after consumption. That stimulating effect can last in some people for up to 12 hours.

This is why you should encourage your clients not to consume caffeine before their lash appointment. Consuming caffeine in any amount can lead to eyes that twitch or blink uncontrollably, even while the eyes are shut.

As caffeine has become a regular part of many people’s morning routine, you’ll want to explain to your client the effects of consuming it before their lash appointment and how it will affect the quality of their lash application.

The work of a lash artist is similar to a jeweler. We use micro-movements to apply tiny lash extensions to even tinier eyelashes. So it’s imperative that we have a steady hand and the eyes are still throughout the application process.

If not, it could result in accidentally applying a single lash extension to multiple eyelashes which could result in a messy looking lash application or even damage to the natural eyelashes.

The next common reason why a client’s eyes may be jumpy while they’re closed is because the eye pads or tape were applied improperly. When eye pads or tape are applied improperly, they’ll shift above the lower waterline into the client’s eyes which can scratch the cornea of their eyes.

This is extremely irritating for your client and the best way to describe it is to imagine a tiny piece of sand in your eyes that you can’t get out. It hurts and it’s no fun. And once it’s removed, it can take up to 5 days to heal.

To avoid this, I teach members of the Lash Masters Monthly to apply eye pads with client’s eyes closed. If you apply tape or eye pads with the client’s eyes opened and looking up at you, the skin under the eye stretches and expands. Once the eye pads are in place and the eyes are closed, that under eye skin contracts, shifting the eye pad or tape upward into the eyes. To see how to apply eye pads with the client’s eyes closed, you can check it out here.

The next reason why your client’s eyes may be blinking while shut is because their eyes may not be fully closed. From our perspective looking over the top of our client’s eyes, your client’s eyes could be slightly open without you even knowing it.

If the clients are opened in the slightest amount while you’re applying lash extensions, it allows adhesive fumes to get into the client’s eyes, which causes irritation. To avoid this, always check to ensure your client’s eyes are closed by using a small mirror under the client’s eyes.

If it appears the eyes won’t close and the eye pads are in the right position, try using thinner eye pads that are more comfortable for your client. Clients that have smaller eyes will find thinner eye pads to be more comfortable.

Just a quick note, there are times where you as the lash artist may inadvertently open the client’s eyes by using tape on the upper eyelid to lift the eyes. If that happens, know that you don’t have to raise the entire eyelid in order to lift eyelashes off of the eye pad or to see the lashes better. You can simply adjust the tape by placing one end as closed as you can to the lash line and lifting gently to make the eyelashes easier to see. With this, make sure you double check the eyes again using a small mirror to make sure the eyes are fully closed.

The next reason why your client’s eyes may blink while they’re shut is because their eyes are sensitive to light. Some clients that have pale blue eyes have light sensitivity, even when the eyes are closed. When a client is sensitive to light, they know it and may even ask you to turn down the light in your workspace. But for those that don’t, there are a few things you can do.

The first is to place a thicker gel eye pad on top of the eyelids as you’re working to block out as much light as possible. If the eye pads aren’t thick enough, you can use micropore tape on the eyelids which is not as transparent as eye pads. Just make sure you de-tack the tape on the back of the client’s hand before placing so it’s not too sticky.

Whatever you do, do not tape coins to your client’s eyelids. You never know how many hands coins have been passed through and although some will lead you to think they can be sanitized, new, disposable items are most ideal to use around a client’s eyes.

The last reason why your client’s eyes may blink while their eyes are closed is a less common one, however, it’s becoming a little more common these days. And that is due to surgery.

If you work with mature clients, there’s a chance they may have had a facelift. Or they may have had an eyelid lift. In some cases, after having these procedures, a client’s eyes are unable to fully close.

If this happens, you can use a thin strip of tape to gently pull the eyes shut. Using the taping method recommended by Teresa Smith of I Love Lash in the The Lash Bibles will allow you to tape the eyes shut without pulling on the client’s lashes.

I hope these tips help you to work with clients that blink while their eyes are closed. To learn more helpful tips to improve your lash application and to apply lash extensions with less effort, make sure you’re following me on Facebook and Instagram.

And if you know someone that would find this helpful, please share!