Are you looking for a complete protocol to perform Korean lamination with the products you already have? If you use the InLei® Lash Filler 25.9 line, you've come to the right place.
Korean lash lamination (also known as Korean lash lift) is a technique that differs from classic lamination in the way lashes are worked and positioned. The good news is that you don't need to buy a new product line: we have tested the compatibility of InLei® products with this technique for over a year, achieving excellent results on all hair types.
Before starting, we recommend reading our article on the differences between cysteamine and ammonium thioglycolate in Korean lamination, where we explain why both active ingredients can be used successfully.
Below is the complete 10-step working protocol.
1. PREPARE THE LASHES
Thoroughly clean the lashes with InLei® Saline Pre-treatment and block the lower lashes with a suitable silicone patch like InLei® Black Pad. It is essential to use a silicone pad (and not disposable ones) to protect the skin, thus preventing the solutions used from coming into contact with the skin.
2. APPLY THE LASH PERM
Two methods are available for this step of Korean lamination:
METHOD 1
- Apply InLei® Lash Form 1 gently pressing the lashes onto the patch, making sure to cover the surface evenly and leaving 1mm distance from the eyelid.
- For stronger and curlier hair, you can add 10-20% of InLei® S-Powder.
Note: When the lashes are resting on the patch, the processing time increases compared to when they are stretched on the curler. On the curler, the hair is subjected to a pulling force that makes it more prone to absorption. On the pad, however, it is in its natural position and absorbs more slowly. The processing time in this case can be up to 10-20 minutes.
METHOD 2
- Apply InLei® Lash Form 1 mixed with 10-20% of InLei® S-Powder and pull the lashes back onto an intermediate curler or a silicone patch like InLei® Black Pad.
3. REMOVE THE PRODUCT FROM THE TIPS
Within a maximum of 5 minutes from the start of application (depending on the hair structure), remove the product from the tips with the help of a brush. Then go over the entire tip area with an InLei® Softies moistened with InLei® Saline Pre-Treatment. See the in-depth explanation on tips at the end of the article.
4. CHECK THE HAIR READINESS
With the help of a microbrush, check the condition of the hair: if it is pliable, then the product can be removed with a dry brush.
Note: Unlike the classic technique where we usually set a timer, to monitor the processing time in Korean lamination, a stopwatch is started and the condition of the hair is checked from time to time. It is important to stop the process at the correct moment to obtain an optimal result: the lashes must be obedient but not completely lacking structure.
5. PREPARE THE POWDER + SECOND STEP MIX
Mix 30% of InLei® S-Powder thickening powder with 70% of InLei® Lash Fix 2 fixing solution. The mixture should be soft and lump-free, not powdery.
6. POSITION THE ROD
- Position the rod on the eyelid, maintaining 1mm distance from the root.
- Stretch the lashes directly onto the rod using the prepared mixture. At this point, the lashes should be very obedient and will stretch easily. The most suitable tools are the InLei® Helper comb, the InLei® Tiziano brush and some microfibre-tipped brushes like InLei® Softies. It is important to use them with extreme delicacy as the hair is very fragile at this stage.
- Position InLei® Lash Stopper and leave on for half the time of the first solution.
Note: When positioning the lashes on the rod, remember to ensure there is enough product, otherwise the lashes will remain glued thanks to the gelling action of the powder, but the curvature fixing function will not be activated. If necessary, add more InLei® Lash Fix 2 (with or without powder).
⮕ From this point onwards, proceed as in the classic Lash Filler 25.9 protocol
7. PREPARE THE TINT
Mix the desired color with InLei® Developer Cream 1.5% 5 vol. in a 1:1 ratio until a creamy consistency is obtained. Apply from root to tip with a brush like InLei® Vincent. Leave on for 6 to 12 minutes depending on the hair structure and remove with the help of a brush.
8. APPLY NOURISHMENT
Apply InLei® Lash Filler 3 with quick movements using a flat brush like InLei® Picasso and wait a few minutes for it to penetrate until fully absorbed.
9. PERFORM FINAL CLEANING
Fill the InLei® Barolo bowl with water and dispense a pea-sized amount of InLei® Mousse Magica professional shampoo into a small bowl like InLei® Solo. Wet the InLei® Fernando brush and use it to pick up a small amount of mousse. Meticulously clean any residue until the rod is removed. Rinse the area.
Note: To achieve the correct mousse consistency, it is recommended to shake the bottle and invert it during dispensing.
10. APPLY THE CLOSING PRODUCT
Spread the molecular reconstruction InLei® Lash Molecular 4 over all lashes using an InLei® F-brush microbrush and comb until fully absorbed. No rinsing required.
And there you have it! A guaranteed amazing result. Don't forget a before-and-after photo to post on Instagram to show everyone the magic! Tag @inlei_canada to show us the beauty you create.
Korean Lamination with InLei®: How to manage tips and roots
For many, this will be a sensitive point, but here too, as with the classic technique, it is essential to pay attention to the ends of the lashes to avoid compromising the work.
Roots
Even in Korean lash lamination, you must NEVER come into contact with the skin. Whether using a cysteamine-based or ammonium thioglycolate-based product, these are strongly alkaline solutions. Always leave at least 1mm distance as these components are potentially irritating to the skin: touching it or working too close to the skin would exponentially increase the risk of irritation or allergic reactions. This is an absolutely indispensable precaution to protect the client's lashes and eye health.
Tips
Have you ever heard of the "tip rule"? We also use it in the classic technique, and it consists of avoiding applying the product directly to the tips of the lashes. In the Lash Filler 25.9 treatment, we usually extend the product already present during the last 3-4 minutes of processing time, so that it reaches the tips safely and in a controlled manner.
When working with the Korean technique, we have to apply the product to the entire length of the hair from the very beginning (as the lashes are laid out on the patch, it's almost impossible to exclude them from the start), so we proceed as follows: after 1-4 minutes of processing time, we remove the product from the tips with InLei® Saline Pre-treatment. This intervention does not interrupt the process; it simply slows it down. Being a particularly delicate area, this is a necessary step to avoid burning.
Now you have all the necessary knowledge for a perfectly executed job, it's your time. Experimentation is the key to improvement!
Is Korean lamination faster than classic lamination?
Every novelty requires an experimentation phase: it is necessary to test, observe, and repeat until enough experience is gained to manage it completely and consciously. Until you have acquired full dexterity, internalized the steps of the technique, and thoroughly understood how it works, it is entirely normal for a Korean lamination to take longer than a classic treatment. Once every step is assimilated, however, the situation can reverse: you could perform a Korean lash lamination in significantly less time than a traditional Lash Filler.
Where does the difference lie? The only truly distinctive step between the two techniques is the phase of laying the lashes on the rod. If you are an experienced professional with quick and precise dexterity in positioning the lashes, you will not notice significant variations in execution times. Conversely, if you are a beginner or if it takes you a long time to lay the lashes using the classic technique, the greater ease of application promised by the Korean technique could result in concrete time savings.
The average times for Korean lamination remain in line with the standard: from 50 to 90 minutes, varying according to the lash structure and the complexity of the eye to be treated.
Korean lamination and film: why avoid it
The use of film during Korean lash lamination is a particularly controversial topic. For lamination with InLei® products, it is a discouraged practice.
Our solutions are formulated to ensure maximum stability, allowing for reliable results within well-defined standard times, calculable based on hair characteristics such as porosity, elasticity, and thickness. Intervening to speed up the process would mean losing control over the speed of disulfide bond breakage, with the real risk of compromising the lash structure in just a few minutes.
Another reason we advise against using film is a technical consideration: in addition to creating a greenhouse effect, film tends to push the product towards the root, increasing the risk of contact with the skin — a condition that, as already highlighted, must be absolutely avoided.
We believe that film should also be avoided when using cysteamine-based products. In this regard, we have written an article dedicated to the difference between ammonium thioglycolate and cysteamine.
