A guide for lash artists

Lash primer, bonder and sealant: what each one does.

Three products, three moments. Primer goes on before the first lash, bonder at the end of the set, and sealant is the client's, between fills. Here is what each is for, what its makers print, and which ones a regular glue and a UV glue call for.

Which ones your glue calls for

In a set

Where each one goes.

Cleanse

Before anything else. Clean lashes hold longest: oil, make-up and residue are what break a bond.
Prime

The last prep step, on clean, dry lashes. Makers describe its job as lifting the last oil off the lash and balancing its pH. Use it sparingly.
Bond

After the last lash is placed. Makers describe a bonder as finishing the cure of a regular glue, so the bond stays flexible.
Seal

A coat the client brushes on at home between fills. It is aftercare, not part of the set.

Your glue

Which ones your glue calls for.

A UV glue is cured by the lamp, lash by lash, before the client gets up, so Adhesive Max needs no bonder. A regular glue sets on its own as well; a bonder is a finishing step some artists add.

Feature	With Adhesive Pro, a regular glue	With Adhesive Max, a UV glue
Cleanser	Every set	Every set
Primer	Sparingly, as the last prep step	Optional: one or two drops per application
Bonder	Your choice: the glue sets without one	Not needed: the lamp cures the bond
Sealant	The client's choice, at home	The client's choice, at home
What sets the bond	The moisture in the air, in about 1 second	The lamp, in 0.5 to 1 second

UV lash glue or regular glue: what changes

The market

What bonder makers print.

When it goes on: 2 to 5 minutes after the last lashFour makers give a wait: 2, 2, 2 to 3 and 2 to 5 minutes
Drying: 30 seconds to 1 minuteTwo makers give a time
Flexibility: 7 of 12 pagesThe claim: a bond that bends with the lash
Faster cure: 7 of 12 pagesThe claim: the glue finishes curing at once
Retention: 8 of 12 pagesThree print "up to 30%" more
When lashes can get wet: After 3 to 5 minutesTwo makers give a time

From 12 pages about lash extensions among the first results for these searches, read on 4 October 2026. Each figure is the maker's own; no maker is named.

Questions

Primer, bonder and sealant, answered.

What does lash primer do?

It is the last prep step before a lash extension set. Makers describe its job as removing the last traces of oil from the natural lash and balancing its pH, so the glue grips a clean surface. Use it sparingly: with Adhesive Max, one or two drops per application is enough.

Do you really need lash primer?

Clean lashes are what a bond needs, and a cleanser does most of that work. With Adhesive Max a primer is optional. With Adhesive Pro, use it sparingly, as the last prep step.

What does lash bonder do?

It goes on at the end of the set. Its makers say it finishes the cure of a regular glue at once, which keeps the bond flexible. Of the 12 pages we read, 8 say it improves retention and 3 print "up to 30%".

Do you need a bonder for lash extensions?

With a UV glue, no: Adhesive Max is cured under the lamp, lash by lash, and needs no bonder. With a regular glue it is a finishing step some artists add; the glue sets without it.

Do you put bonder on before or after lashes?

After. A bonder goes on once the last extension is placed. The makers who give a time say to wait 2 to 5 minutes first.

How long does lash bonder take to dry?

The makers who give a time say 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Is a bonder the same as a sealant?

No. A bonder is used by the artist at the end of the set. A sealant is an aftercare coat the client applies at home between fills.

In our range

Our two glues.

Adhesive Max is the more powerful of the two: the longer-lasting bond, set by a UV LED lamp. For lashing without UV LED, Adhesive Pro is the best standard glue.