Breathing is one of the most, if not THE most, important things we do every day. When you think about it, most people cannot go two to three minutes without breathing, but most people don’t pay much attention to their breathing because it happens automatically.

As a lash artist, you definitely should consider what breathing means to you and your clients. If you’re not already wearing a face mask, here are seven reasons why you should:

7 Reasons Why You Should Wear a Face Mask While Lashing

1. Prevent germs. We either will or have had that client who comes to get their lashes done while sick. When someone coughs, sneezes, and even talks, germs have the potential to spread. Wearing a lace face mask prevents close quarter contamination. With a packed schedule full of lash appointments, artists can not afford to get sick.

2. Be courteous. Let’s face it: Bad breath happens. Most times it’s unexpected and at the hands of the usual culprits: garlic, onion, coffee, etc. Whether it’s you or your client who grabbed something on-the-go, it’s undoubtedly going to affect the other. Wearing a lace face mask is the courteous thing to do so no one gets put in an awkward situation.

3. Breathe. Lash. Love. Better breathing improves the mind, body, and soul. Think of how important breathing is to yoga and meditation. Anyone who has ever lashed knows that lashing is pretty much a form of meditation, so why not look cute while doing it?

4. Professional. A lace face mask most appropriately suits a beauty professional/lash artist compared to the other options on the market. Wearing a face mask not only looks good, but it’s occupationally responsible given your work environment. Even though dawning a lace face mask is optional, it just makes sense. It reassures your client that you take yourself and their lashes seriously so everyone can breathe easy.

5. Protect your health. Lash artists use lash extension adhesives 4-8 hours per day. Whether your adhesive fumes are noticeable or not, chemicals, namely cyanoacrylate, are always present. Cyanoacrylate is strong enough that it can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract as well as headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, and loss of coordination. Just like the fumes from adhesive can affect some clients, they can affect you too. While exposure to cyanoacrylate in small doses isn’t harmful, what about constant exposure after months or years?

In general, chemical exposure isn’t limited just to lash products. The same thing can be said about other beauty products that we use on the regular like nail polish and hair color. Using these products is part of our daily routine as beauty professionals. It’s in our best interest to protect our health, and wearing a lace face mask is the best preventative measure we can take to limit unnecessary exposure to chemical fumes.

6. Fashionable. With a fun face mask, you can still be sanitary without having to look like a doctor. A beautiful, personalized face mask is a must have for any artist.

7. Comfortable. Purchase a face mask that is ergonomically designed for lash artists to fit comfortably around both your nose and mouth. Investing in the right mask will ensure it's light, soft, and flexible, so it’s easy to wear all day.