Ingredient Transparency: What’s Really in Your Adhesive

Whether you’re a lash artist, salon owner or educator, you deserve to know exactly what you’re putting on your clients. “Ingredient transparency” isn’t just a buzzword - it’s the foundation of safe, compliant and trust-building lash services. In this post, we’ll demystify the most common compounds in lash adhesives, show you how to spot hazards on a Safety Data Sheet (SDS), and give you simple tips for choosing the safest product.

1. Why Ingredient Transparency Matters

• Client safety: Allergic reactions or chemical burns can happen when you don’t know all the ingredients.

• Regulatory compliance: AICIS and other schemes require you to understand and document your chemicals.

• Professional trust: When you can explain your adhesive’s makeup in plain English, you position yourself as an expert, work confidently with your products and build client confidence.

2. The Core Ingredients in Lash Adhesives

Most professional lash glues share a similar base formula. Here’s what you’ll typically find:

• Ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate is the fast-setting curing agent.

• Butyl 2-cyanoacrylate acts as a slower-setting agent usually in adhesives designer for a longer curing rate (2 seconds+).

• Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) serves as a thickener added durability.

• Carbon Black (used in black glues) provides colour and opacity.

• Stabilisers & Additives control the adhesive’s viscosity, cure rate and shelf life.

• Fragrance or Preservatives (optional) help mask chemical odours or prevent mould.

Tip: If your adhesive label or SDS doesn’t list these by chemical name, ask your supplier for a full ingredient breakdown before you buy.

3. Spotting Hazards on Your SDS

Every industrial-chemical adhesive must come with an SDS. Here’s how to read the hazard section:

1. Section 2: Hazard Identification

   • Signal word (“Warning” or “Danger”)

   • Hazard pictograms (e.g. health hazard, exclamation mark)

   • Hazard statements (H-codes): short phrases like “H302 – Harmful if swallowed” or “H317 – May cause allergic skin reaction.”

2. Section 3: Composition / Information on Ingredients

   • Lists each chemical and its concentration range (e.g. Ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate 70–90 %).

   • If you see CAS numbers next to each name, you can quickly look up more details online.

3. Section 8: Exposure Controls / Personal Protection

   • What gloves, masks or ventilation you need.

   • Recommended exposure limits (e.g. TLV-TWA in ppm).

Quick hack: Create a one-page “hazard cheat sheet” that maps each pictogram to its meaning, and tape it to your workstation.

4. Choosing Safer Adhesives

When you’re shopping, look for:

• Full ingredient lists on the supplier’s website or SDS.

• AICIS-listed adhesives (so you know they’re already approved for import).

• Low-odor or low-VOCs (volatile organic compounds) formulas to minimise inhalation risks.

• Dermatologically tested options if you work with sensitive clients.

• Explore our Compliance & Safety Hub for deeper guides on AICIS registration, labelling and SDS management.

• Discover how to optimise your adhesive for unbeatable retention in our Retention Secrets ebook.

Ingredient transparency isn’t optional - it’s what separates good lash artists from great ones. When you know exactly what’s in your products, you protect your clients, your business and your reputation.

Have questions or need help interpreting an SDS? Reach out via our Contact page, and we’ll guide you through the details.