Tweezer 101, Tweezers can Expire!

Yes, It is true!

Your tweezers can expire. It depends on the type of material and how the tweezers are treated for color and durability. If your tweezers have changed color, showing wear and tare, please leave a comment below.

How do you know if your tweezers are expiring? 
If you have purchased tweezers, when they become a year old, the tweezers will begin to change in coloring and wear. You may have not had the tweezers for a year, but it is from the time the tweezers were made, or their birthday. Once they have hit their expiration date, the tweezers will begin to change color, show signs of corrosion, and wear and tare.

Types of tweezers:

There are many different material grades used for making tweezers and treating them for the desired color and durability. Do you know what material is used for the tweezers you are currently working with? 

Note: Not all steels are stainless steel. There are different Grades of steel: AISI 410, AISI 420.
The two most common types of steel for lash extension tweezers are: 
1. Indian, Pakistani Steel
2. Japanese Steel.

The more Chromium content in the steel the more durable and corrosion resistant the tweezer will be. With the Japanese Steel the Chromium content is higher which makes it more durable and rust resistant when sterilized. The Japanese have a history of making high quality steels. Steel that is imported from Japan are known as Japanese steel because it is very similar to the original composition  and elements of japanese steel. Japanese Steel is most commonly preferred. 

There is also the option of Titanium Alloy tweezers, which are mostly used for medical instruments. Titanium Alloy is extremely expensive to use for Lash Extension Tweezers. For example, a titanium Alloy tweezer is $20+ to produce.

Types of coatings or finishes:

First off, what is a coating? Coatings are layers on the tweezer. Once you have your Japanese Steel tweezer then you can choose the different finish or coating.

Dull Finish
Polished Finish
Powder Coating
Liquid Coating

Paper Coating
​Glitter Coating
Plasma/Titanium Coating

As a Company Owner, I wanted to know more about each different coating, reason for each, and the durability of each. Next in this post I will share the details of each finish and coating, the reason for the different coating and the rating of durability.

Dull FInish

The Dull finish is leaving the tweezers in it most raw form, un buffered or polished. Back in 2013 these are the tweezers I first began my lash training with.
Durability: 9/10
Corrosion Resistance: 7/10 

Polished FInish

A Polish finish is a buffing to the high quality steel that will make the tweezer surface more shiny and bright. ​This tweezer will not expire.
​Durability: 9/10
Corrosion Resistance: 7/10

Powder Coating

With the Dull and Polish Finish the tweezers do not have any color. To have a color to your lash tweezers, they will need to have a coating.  The purpose of choosing a powder coating is solely on looks, achieving the ideal color you are dreaming of. The powder coating is done with a spray gun. 
Have Expiration Dates.
​Durability & Corrosion Resistance: 6/10

Liquid Coating

The reason for liquid coating is also for the design and color you desire. This process is done by dipping the tweezers into the color and then allowing them to dry. The liquid coating covers the whole tweezer with color including the tip.
Durability & Corrosion Resistance: 6/10

Paper Coating

Doing a Paper Coating allows for the tweezers to ultimately have any pattern and design. The design is created through the computer, then printed and cut to fit the tweezer. Next the tweezers and paper go through a heating machine to seal the paper to the tweezers properly.
​Have Expiration Dates
​Durability & Corrosion Resistance: 6/10

Glitter Coating

​The Glitter Tweezers are stunning in photo and in person. These glitter tweezers are also known as Diamond Dipped or Diamond Dusted. The reason for choosing to do a glitter coating is based on the beauty and uniqueness of having glitter tweezers. The Dull tweezers are dipped into liquid glitter then heated. Next the tweezers get a lacquer coating which will prevent the glitter from falling off.
Durability & Corrosion Resistance: 7/10

Plasma/Titanium Coating
​Plasma is the same as titanium coating. I honestly had no idea, exactly, what Plasma coating was or how it was done, other than it was a gas coating that made our tweezers awesome and the color we desired! The best information I found explained all the details and answered all my questions, was from Bodycote. In Bodycote's words, "Plasma spray is a thermal spray coating process used to produce a high quality coating by a combination of high temperature, high energy heat source, a relatively inert spraying medium, usually argon, and high particle velocities." If you are interested in knowing the details further, please click here to connect to their website. 
​
​There are color option with Plasma Coating. This is a coating that goes on the polished tweezer with heat. This makes it long lasting and durable. For example if you ordered a pretty Rose Gold titanium tweezer from our manufacture, the tweezer would first be made in to a clean polished mirror like tweezer. Then it would go to the titanium department for the Rose Gold color. Some of the color options are black, purple, blue, rainbow, rose gold and gold.
Durability & Corrosion: 8/10

In conclusion, there are many different options for creating the tweezer of your dreams, whether you are working with a manufacturer or a lash extension company. Tweezers can expire and sadly it may be time to find your new best lash friend (tweezer). I hope this information is beneficial for you on your lash journey.

Notes from the Author:

There is hardly any information on these subjects pertaining to Lash extension tweezers on the internet. Some of the tweezer information in the post, I had to learn from trial and error with many manufacturers. Between the different terms, wording and language barrier it can be difficult to fully understand the options for the best Lash Extension Tweezers for our Lash Sisters. I created this blog post as I have been doing research over time. Though I was even more fortunate to find an amazing Tweezer manufacturer recently who I interviewed so I could fully understand the different options. I basically interviewed my supplier with hundreds of dumb questions, so I could truly grasp the Tweezer information. You see I am not an expert at making tweezers and the materials used, etc. So I had to interview the expert for this blog post. Majority of the blog is quoted from my supplier, with his permission. I give full appreciation and respect to him. Please leave a comment below, if his information was helpful for you in your lash journey.

More things to consider when choosing a  great lash tweezer

Click here for our blog that goes more into depth on the pros and cons of magnetic, Grips, shapes, and techniques the tweezers are used for. Interested in figuring out which tweezer is best for your lash skills, Click Here.

​Did you know that if you are using a tweezer specifically for creating Volume lashes, it would be best not to use them for classic lashing?