TGA vs cysteamine
What is TGA?
Thioglycolic acid, or TGA as it’s more commonly known, is a long-established, tried and tested ingredient that has been used in lash lifting and hair perming services for decades.
It works fast and creates a bold curl, making it perfect for clients with normal or strong lashes who want a dramatic result in a short amount of time.
TGA is more alkaline, enabling it to work quickly, but that also means your timing is key to avoid overprocessing.
What is cysteamine?
Cysteamine is another key ingredient in lash lifting solutions that has recently grown in popularity. It is generally considered a gentler alternative that reduces disulphide bonds more gradually than TGA.
Because it can be formulated at a lower pH, it puts less stress on the lash cuticle and helps lashes stay flexible. Its slower action gives lash artists more control during treatment, making it especially suitable for fine, fragile or previously treated lashes.
To achieve an even lift, the lifting balm must fully coat each lash from base to tip, as patchy application can easily lead to uneven curl.
Cysteamine systems are often associated with the popular Korean lash lift method; a glueless technique which focuses on creating a softer, natural curl while supporting lash health.
What is a Korean lash lift?
The Korean lash lift is a technique that is rapidly growing in popularity, but what is it?
As the name would suggest, it originates from lash artists in South Korea who tailored lash lifting to cater to their client’s eye shapes and common lash types, such as downward pointing lashes. The way the treatment is carried out also allows the artist to set the lashes slightly pinched together, in a doll-like or anime style that is popular in South Korea.
How to perform a Korean lash lift
During a traditional lash lift, the first part of the treatment is spent adhering the lashes to the shield with an adhesive or glue balm. During this process, you need to carefully place the lashes to ensure they are laid and adhered perfectly to avoid criss-crossed lashes.
During the Korean method, you go straight into the lifting step of the treatment. The lifting solution is applied to the full lash, root to tip, brushing downwards onto an under-eye treatment pad. Alternatively, you can opt for the two-shield method and brush the lashes up onto a flat silicone shield for this step.
Once this step is removed, the lashes are then adhered onto a shield before applying the fixing solution. The hairs should be softer and easier to manipulate onto the shield at this stage, helping to save application time (as the development time is longer with a cysteamine system, so it does not make an overall quicker treatment).
The Korean method is sometimes referred to as ‘glueless, however it will generally use a small amount of a softer hold adhesive. Lash artists tend to opt for a balm adhesive for a soft set that doesn’t dry down. Alternatively, they will mix a specially formulated powder in with the lifting and fixing steps to create a thicker paste-like texture that allows for the solution to hold the lashes on the shield without a separate adhesive.
Due to these methods, silicone shields are most lash artist’s preference as they have a slight natural adherence to them that makes them easy to place on the eyelid with only a minimal amount of additional adhesive required. Shields with a flatter shape are also commonly used alongside this technique for a crisp, clean lift.
Should I use a TGA or cysteamine-based system for a Korean lash lift?
European and American lash artists tend to favour a cysteamine-based system when lifting lashes with the Korean method and many people believe it can’t be carried out with a TGA system, however, that is not entirely true. In fact, when the technique was originally developed in South Korea, the system that was most popular amongst artists was a TGA based system.
The reason a cysteamine-based system is generally the preference is to reduce the risk of over-processing. In the Korean method, the lifting solution is applied over the entire lash from root to tip. Unless you are an experienced artist, applying a TGA product on the very tips of the lash could easily result in over-processing.
Which is better for lash health: TGA or cysteamine?
Cysteamine: the gentler alternative?
Cysteamine is often credited as being the better alternative for maintaining lash health, but is it really the gentle alternative to TGA? Not exactly.
Due to its lower pH, cysteamine breaks down the disulphide bonds slower than TGA which gives you more time and flexibility during treatments and makes it a great option for those with fragile lashes. However, when used correctly and in accordance with your client’s lash type, TGA is perfectly safe too and has decades of treatments to support its safety and efficacy.
Basically, both ingredients are doing the same thing, TGA just works faster.
Cysteamine and TGA regulations in lash lift products
When it comes to formulating products for cosmetic use, there are regulations in place to ensure safety for clients. However, not every ingredient is regulated in the same way and and regulations can differ from country to country. So, what are the regulations for cysteamine and TGA in the UK and EU?
European cosmetics regulations permit up to 11% thioglycolic acid (TGA) in professional-use lash lifting products. This means you can rest assured that the concentration of TGA in your professional formulas complies with EU-approved limits for safe professional application.
Unlike thioglycolic acid, cysteamine isn’t capped at a specific level under EU or UK cosmetics regulations. This means cysteamine lash lift systems can be formulated at different strengths, leading to variations in processing time.
On the other hand, the use of cysteamine is restricted in Japan. As of 12th July 2024, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare deemed cysteamine hydrochloride (the salt form of cysteamine that is generally considered the more stable version of the ingredient) not approved for use in certain cosmetics, including lash lifting formulas. It can continue to be used in other formulas with restrictions on the percentage used.
Now, that is in no way us saying cysteamine is bad (we support the use of the ingredient and encourage lash artists to use whatever product system works for them), but it’s simply a reminder that different regulators can have different views, and research into cysteamine’s safety and performance is still evolving.
TGA or cysteamine: which is more conditioning?
With the idea that cysteamine is the gentler alternative comes the assumption that it is more conditioning on the lashes. However, neither TGA nor cysteamine are nourishing as an ingredient. Their job in the formula is solely to break down those bonds that allow us to reposition the lashes.
When it comes to caring for the lashes as you lift, you need to look at other ingredients within the formula, such as ceramides, proteins and antioxidants. For example, ceramides naturally occur within the hair. A lack of ceramides leaves the hairs unable to hold onto protein and moisture so treating hairs with ceramides helps to maintain health, strength and shine. The LVL CeraLashLift System has been formulated around the key ingredients of vegan CeramideBio to maintain lash health throughout your treatments.
Of course, clients should also be using a lash conditioning serum daily as part of their treatment aftercare.
So, which lash lift system and method should you pick? It’s entirely up to you. Mastering the art of both ingredient systems and methods is a great way to diversify your skillset and ensure you have a product system and technique to cater to every eye shape, lash type and desired lash look.
As always, if you are trying new lash lift formulas, you should re-patch test clients to ensure this new formula works for them.
Looking to train in lash lifting? Discover our lash lifting course.
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