BY FA y ; Ce Kx ; fe ADHESIVE SAFETY CHECKLIST © Elina Sadelko Lash Secrets AcademyLash adhesive is the most important product in lash extensions, as well as one of the most dangerous ones. I've created this checklist to raise more awareness about product safety as well as share important information & help you to protect yourself and your clients from potential risks. Everything mentioned below applies mostly to UK & EU products, however I would strongly suggest following these guidelines even if you are outside Europe and UK, as regardless of the law, the potential damage to your and your clients’ health is the same! I would also like to give a shoutout to my colleague Frankie Widdows, who is a founder of the “Eyelash Excellence” brand and is an absolute expert in product safety! Some information that I've included in this checklist I learnt from Frankie and she has kindly agreed for me to share it with you. Let's begin!COSMETIC PRODUCT SAFETY REGULATIONS First of all, it is important to know that lash adhesives as well as any liquids used for lash extension application are considered a “cosmetic product” rather than adhesive ora chemical product. WHY? According to “Regulation 2009/1223 and the Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013” a product (excluding pure soap) is defined as cosmetic product if itis intended to be applied to external parts of the human body to: ( Clean ») ¢ Perfume ) (Change the appearance ) (Protect ) (Ween inannd eanditien) (Cerrant bade pdnare) (Keep in good condition ) (Correct body odours ) This applies to the following human body parts: C ——\ castem) (Themis) (Theme) \ (The epidermis) (‘The hair system) (Thenails ) (Thelips ) (The teeth ) 7 P Wz ——) (The external genital organs ) (‘The mucous membranes of the oral cavity ) Article 2 - Definitions ‘Cosmetic Product 6 The definition of a cosmetic product comprises three parts: a function, field of application, and product composition. All parts of the definition must be satisfied. 7 The Regulation specifies six functions in relation to external parts of the human body for products that may be cosmetic products, namely: * to clean: * to perfume; +_to change the appearance; =o protect + to keep in good condition; or * to correct body odours, 8 The field of application of cosmetics is to the external parts of the human body; that is ‘one or more of the following sites: * the epidermis; athe nals: * the lips: Source * the external genital organs; a © the teeth; or * the mucous membranes of the oral cavity ‘A cosmetic product may be a substance or mixture of a number of substances, and it may come in one or more than one part to be combined by the user.This means that all liquid lash products fall under a large amount of strict regulations. In order to be legally sold & safely used on your customers all cosmetic products must: + not contain any prohibited ingredients listed in Annex II (list of substance prohibited in cosmetic products) + be independently laboratory tested for safety - be safety certified + have correct labelling (in accordance with Regulation 2009/1223 and the Products Enforcement Regulations 2013) IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH LASH GLUES IN OUR INDUSTRY? Yes! Unfortunately the majority of lash adhesives that are widely used, easily available and even sold by some reputable lash brands do not comply with regulations. For example, well known Sky and Lady black adhesives which you can buy on Amazon for like £8 contain Hydroquinone which is banned in UK & EU countries. This ingredient is used as a stabiliser and makes the glue more stable in a wider humidity & temperature range as well as extends its shelf-life. However, it may cause fatal liver and kidney damage, is cyto-toxic (if used on skin) and may act as a carcinogen (cause cancer). Yes, there is information that Hydroquinone is allowed in small concentrations in cosmetic creams (up to 2%), but such products may only be prescribed by medical professionals & sold by licensed retailers. Hydroquinone is listed in ANNEX II (list of substances prohibited in cosmetic products) under a reference number 1339. The only exception is made for nail systems in concentrations up to 0.02% and no skin contact. ANNEX II applies to both UK & European countries.',7'-Tetraiodofluorescein, its disodium salt (Acid Red 51; Cl 45430) and its alum dye products 1338 1-Hydroxy-2,4-diaminobenzene (2,4-Diaminophenol) and its dihydrochloride salts (2, 1339 1.4-Dihydroxybenzene (Hydroquinone), with the exception of entry 14 in Annex IIT 1340 [4-[[4-Anilino-1-naphthy!][4-(dimethylamino)pheny!]methylene]cyclohexa-2,5-dien-1 substance in hair dye products 1341 Disodium 3-[(2,4-dimethyl-S-sulphonatophenyl)az0]-4-hydroxynaphthalene-1-sulphot 1342 Trisodium tris[5,6-dihydro-5-(hydroxyimino)-6-oxonaphthalene-2-sulphonate(2-)-NS, products jource % As an example, a lash adhesive containing Hydroquinone was withdrawn from the market in Slovenia. After this case the CPTA (the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association) have also confirmed that lash adh ives should not contain hydroquinone and stated “if such products containing hydroquinone were identified by Market Surveillance Officers, they would be removed from the market and appropriate action taken.” Brand : CLD Creative Lash Design + Type of model: CPNP notification number 2367469, black + Barcode: 5902308635845 Country of origin : Poland Notifying country : Siovenia Danger : According to the label, the ‘product_contains hydroquinone, which can cause skin inrtation and dermatitis. ‘The product does not comply with the Cosmetic Products Regulation, Measures adopted: Destruction of the product (By: Retailer) Source + Weekly overview reports of RAPEX notifications, Report 17, European Union, 28/04/2017 NOTE: Even though this adhesive was removed from the market in Slovenia, it is still being (illegally) sold in Poland. So make sure to do your research and remember that only because a glue is being sold bya big or popular brand - it does not mean it is safe. source Sov %Apart from Hydroquinone lash adhesives may contain several other potentially harmful ingredients, such as: + N-methyl pyrrolidone. Studies have shown that n-methyl pyrrolidone was toxic to the reproductive system of male and female test animals. This could mean that this ingredient may be harmful to the human reproductive system too! + Phthalic anhydride / polyethylene polypropylene polyisocyanate. May cause severe eye, skin & respiratory system irritation. HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THE ADHESIVE YOU USE/PLAN TO USE IS SAFE? You need to reach out to the brand and request the following: + an MSDS sheet to ensure the product does not contain prohibited ingredients + proof of safety testing + UK or EU safety certification Once again, to comply with UK & EU regulations the product: + must not contain hydroquinone (and any other prohibited ingredients) + must be lab tested and safety certified + must have correct labelling in accordance with Regulation 2009/1223 and the Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013 PLEASE NOTE: if you use any products from the “Top product guide” which comes as a part of this course - it is your responsibility to check their compliance. It requires regular review as brands or their factories may amend documents or product formulation. This makes it impossible for me to guarantee that every product I have mentioned complies with regulations.WHERE ARE THE LASH GLUES MANUFACTURED? A large part of lash adhesives and other liquids are manufactured in China, Korea and other Asian countries. Many of these adhesives do not comply with UK & EU regulations as they fail to pass the safety testing and contain prohibited ingredients. Best quality lash adhesives are manufactured by UK & European (e.g. German) factories. WHAT HAPPENS IF MY GLUE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH REGULATIONS? If the glue you use does not comply with the regulations I have just covered above - your insurance will be invalidated. This means that if your client experiences a severe allergic reaction and wants to claim compensation - your insurance will not cover you. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF “THE GUILD” INSURANCE POLICY: What is a cosmetic et The Regulation defines a cosmetic product as: ‘any substance or mixture intended to be placed in contact with the external parts of the human body (epidermis, hair system, nails, lips and external genital organs) or with the teeth and the mucous membranes of the oral cavity with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them, perfuming them, changing their appearance, protecting them, keeping them in good condition or correcting body odours’. Therefore eye lash glue is decmed to be a cosmetic product and subject to the 2013 EU regulation.The Guild Eye Lash Glue Recommendation Guild membership insurance would require you to only use products including cye¢ lash glue that are designated safe under EU Cosmetic regulations and any other relevant regulations, We would suggest that you should always urchase products and equipment from reputable suppliers. demonstrate that they comply with all the relevant laws that relate to the items that they are using or selling, If obtaining products from outside the EU those supplier/manufacturers must be able to demonstrate that they are also compliant with the EU and other relevant regulations, Hydroquinone The Guild are unable to comment on the individual components of a glue but if Hydroquinone is a banned substance it follows that any glue containing this chemical woul ec unregulates You may think that since your glue doesn’t touch the client's skin it can not do much harm, but don’t forget about the fumes. The glue fumes may cause severe chemical burns of the eye surface, as well as cause allergic actions. They go up in the air and siton your and your client's skin as well as are being inhaled if you don't wear proper protection. Regular exposure to glue fumes may lead to allergy build up, respiratory system irritation, dermatitis and other symptoms, IMPORTANT’ Even if you are based outside the UK & Europe I would still recommend using products that comply with UK & EU regulations as so far they are the strictest in the world. Eyelash adhesive is a very toxic product by its nature, so itis important that itis free of any unnecessary and harmful ingredients. If you would like to learn more about adhesive safety I would strongly recommend watching this video made by Frankie Widdows, which explains this topic more in-depth