The Lifespan of London Lash Products - Stocking Up

Stock Up on Black Friday Without Overstocking

Black Friday is fast approaching, and it’s a great chance to stock up on eyelash extension supplies. Exciting, right? It’s easy to fill your basket when your favourites are on offer, but a little planning can help you buy what you’ll actually use.

Every liquid product you use, from lash glue to remover and cleanser, has a shelf life. Once a product is past its recommended use period, it may behave differently from a fresh bottle. A Glue Rescue Kit can help with a blocked nozzle, but if the adhesive itself has thickened or dried out, it’s time for a fresh bottle.

Before you shop, check what you already have, when you opened it and how quickly you normally get through it. Here’s what to look at for each product.

Eyelash Extension Glue

Let’s start with the big one: eyelash extension glue. Before you add ten bottles to your basket (we’ve seen it happen), remember that the unopened shelf life is counted from the date of production. A bottle bought in November may already be past its recommended use date by May.

Unopened: Six months from the date of production. Once opened: Check the guidance for your specific adhesive. The original six-to-eight-week estimate is a planning guide, and the bottle’s expiry date still applies.

If you want a buffer, buy what you expect to use over the next four months and check the dates on the bottles when they arrive. Write the opening date on each bottle so you know which one to use first.

Foam Cleanser

You can use Sensitive Lash Shampoo as part of your pretreatment routine or offer it to clients for at-home aftercare. Why not pair it with a lash cleansing brush so they have both ready to use after their appointment?

When deciding how many bottles to buy, account for what you use in the salon and what you typically sell to clients. Check the expiry date and period-after-opening guidance on the packaging for the specific cleanser you’re buying. Keep spare bottles sealed until you need them.

Pretreatment Products and Removers

Pretreatment products have shelf lives too. Use these figures as a stock-planning guide and check the packaging for the formula and batch you buy:

• Protein Removing Pads — 24 months unopened and six months after opening.
• Pre-Treatment Lash Cleanser — 18 months unopened. After opening, the guidance can differ between scented and unscented formulas, so check the bottle.
• Lash Primer — 18 months unopened and eight months after opening. Check the label for your chosen formula.
• Retention & Speed Booster — 18 months unopened and three months after opening.
• Superbonder Sealant — 24 months unopened. Check the period-after-opening guidance on your bottle before buying a spare.

What about gel and cream removers? As a planning guide, Gel Remover lasts 18 months unopened and eight months after opening, while Cream Remover lasts 12 months unopened and six months after opening. If you only do occasional removals, check how much is left in your current pot before buying another.

What Can You Stock Up On?

For single-use eyepatches, check the expiry on the sealed packs and buy according to how many appointments you normally book. Open a fresh pair for each client.

Lash trays, tweezers and storage solutions are easier to plan around than opened liquids. Prioritise the curls, lengths and diameters you regularly run out of, along with any tools you know you’ll use.

Black Friday is a great time to replenish your lash supplies. Check your stock, put the oldest in-date products at the front and make your list based on what you’ll use before it expires. Happy shopping!