Lash Lift Lotions Explained: Step 1, Setting Lotion, Fixing Lotion and pH Balancer

A lash lift is not one product but a sequence of lash lift lotions, each with one job. Step 1 softens the hair so it can take a new shape. Step 2 – the setting lotion, also sold as fixing lotion or neutraliser – locks that shape in. Step 3 nourishes the lashes afterwards. Some systems add a care step between 1 and 2, or a pH balancer. Below you will find what each lotion does, why the names change between brands, which products belong to which step, and why you should never mix systems or borrow another brand’s processing times.

Why lash lift lotions have different names

Is a “perming lotion” the same as a “softening lotion”? In function, yes. Every brand describes the same chemistry with its own vocabulary, and translations add to the confusion:

• Step 1 – perming lotion, softening lotion, lifting lotion or solution, sometimes “lash lifting gel”. It opens the hair structure.
• Step 2 – setting lotion, fixing lotion, fix lotion, neutralising lotion or cream. It closes the hair in its new shape.
• Step 3 – nourish, nourishing or care lotion. It conditions the lashes after the lift.
• In-between steps – care treatments such as Noemi Intense Step 1.5, or a pH balancer such as the Early pH Multipack Balance.

The number on the bottle gives the position in the sequence. It does not mean a Step 1 from one brand works with a Step 2 from another: each system is formulated as a set, and its timings only apply inside that set.

Step 1: perming, softening or lifting lotion

Step 1 goes on once the lashes are attached to the silicone pad or rod. Its active – cysteamine, thioglycolate or a combination – breaks part of the bonds that hold the lash in its natural shape, so it can follow the curve you have built. For the chemistry, see our comparison of cysteamine vs thioglycolate.

This is the strongest lotion in the kit. Too little time and the curl will not hold; too much and the lashes turn frizzy, dry or brittle.

How long does Step 1 stay on?

Exactly as long as the manufacturer states for that product. Times in our range vary a lot:

• Noemi Perming Lotion 1 Pump: 5–8 minutes.
• Early Step 1 Softening Lotion: 6–8 minutes depending on lash thickness, plus 2–5 minutes if further softening is needed.
• Noemi Step 1 with Cysteamine (tube): 10–14 minutes.
• Noemi Innovate Step 1 Cysteamine: 8–12 minutes.
• Noemi Freelift Step 1: 6–11 minutes.

Fine or previously lifted lashes usually sit at the shorter end of a range, coarse lashes at the longer end.

Step 1.5: Noemi Intense, a care step between lifting and fixing

Noemi Intense Step 1.5 is not a second perming lotion and does not lift anything by itself. It is a strengthening treatment applied after Step 1 has been removed and before Step 2, to protect the hair when it is most vulnerable. Argan oil, panthenol, castor oil, hyaluronic acid, peptides, beeswax and shea butter limit the damage caused by the perming agent.

Noemi gives two protocols: a generous layer for 5 minutes for deep repair, or 2 minutes for healthy lashes; for regular maintenance, a thin layer for 2 minutes. According to the manufacturer, Intense Step 1.5 works with all brands of lash and brow lift – the one in-between product you can add to almost any system, and a must for thin, fragile lashes.

Step 2: the setting lotion, also called fixing lotion

The setting lotion rebuilds the bonds that Step 1 opened, this time in the lifted position. Without it, the lashes drop back and the hair stays weakened. Systems use different actives: the Early Step 2 Setting Lotion works with sodium bromate, Noemi Freelift Step 2 with hydrogen peroxide – reason enough not to pair a Step 1 from one brand with a Step 2 from another.

Why the fixing lotion is never optional

Skipping or shortening Step 2 is one of the most common reasons a lift drops after a few days. Apply it over the same area as Step 1, leave it for the stated time – Noemi Fix Lotion 2 Pump 5–8 minutes, Early Step 2 Setting Lotion 5–7 minutes, Noemi Innovate Step 2 Fix 8–12 minutes, Freelift Step 2 6–8 minutes – and remove it completely.

Step 3: nourishing lotion and aftercare

After the chemistry, the lashes need moisture and protein. Noemi Nourish Lotion 3 contains keratin, is used as the last step after a lift or a tint, and gently loosens the silicone pads from the lid. In the Noemi Lash Lift Kit with Cysteamine, Step 3 stays on for 24 hours without rinsing. If you tint, the tint goes on after Step 2 and before the nourishing step.

The Noemi pump system step by step

The Noemi pump lotions are colour-coded, so you can see exactly where each one has been applied:

1. Attach the lashes to the pad with glue, balm or Gooey powder.
2. Apply Perming Lotion 1 (hot pink) for 5–8 minutes, then remove it.
3. Optional: Intense Step 1.5 for 2 or 5 minutes, then remove it.
4. Apply Fix Lotion 2 (baby blue) for 5–8 minutes, then remove it.
5. Tint, if it is part of the service.
6. Finish with Nourish Lotion 3 (transparent) and release the pads.

The pumps never need to be opened, so air and light – which degrade lift lotions – do not reach the product between clients.

The Early system: softening lotion, setting lotion and pH balancer

Korean brand Early uses the terms softening lotion and setting lotion. Step 1 has a pH of 7.5 and combines thioglycolate and cysteamine with keratin, collagen and botanical extracts in a firm cream that stays put on the shield. Step 2 uses sodium bromate and, according to Early, locks in a lift that lasts 6–8 weeks. Both come in airless pumps. Our Korean lash lift kit guide covers the full Early workflow.

What does a lash lift pH balancer do?

Lift lotions leave the hair alkaline and open. The Early pH Multipack Balance (pH 4.5–5.5) is designed to close the cuticle, add proteins, panthenol and hyaluronic acid, and help the curl last longer. Use it as a clinic step after removing Step 1 and before Step 2 for 1–2 minutes, or as a final repair step after Step 2 for 5–10 minutes. A pH balancer supports the setting lotion; it never replaces it.

Where glue, balm and lash lift powder fit

Before Step 1, the lashes must be fixed to the pad. Your adhesive affects how evenly the lotions can work:

• Glue – classic hold, but it dries quickly and must never form a thick layer that blocks the lotion.
• Balm – stays workable for adjustments. Noemi Glue Balm Strong suits stubborn lashes; see also our article on Early Balm Pro.
• Powder – Noemi Gooey replaces glue. It is designed for the cysteamine-based Noemi Step 1 and compatible with other lotions.
• Nothing at all – the thick Freelift Step 1 holds the lashes itself; see our Freelift instructions.

Lash lift lotions compared: which product for which step

Common mistakes with lash lift lotions

• Over-processing. Leaving Step 1 on “a little longer to be safe” is the fastest route to frizz. Time every step with a timer.
• Lotion on the skin. Lift lotions belong on the hair, not on the lid or waterline. Use small amounts and wipe any lotion off the skin immediately with a dry swab. Follow each product’s placement instructions: some stay away from the root, while Noemi Step 1 with Cysteamine is applied over the entire lash.
• Mixing brands’ systems. Two formulas never designed together mean different actives, pH and timing. Stay inside one system, unless the manufacturer declares a product universal, like Intense Step 1.5.
• Swapping processing times. 5–8 minutes for one Step 1 is not 10–14 minutes for another. When you switch brands, start again from the new label.
• Not removing a lotion before the next. Wipe each step off with a clean, dry applicator or cotton swab before the following one goes on.
• Poor pump hygiene. Dispense onto a clean palette, never return a used brush to a container, wipe the nozzle, close straight away and store away from light and heat.
• No patch test. Patch test before the first service, and do not lift on irritated or infected eyes, after recent eye surgery or after a reaction to lift products.

To complete your setup: Intense Step 1.5 for fragile lashes, Gooey powder for glue-free work, and the complete Noemi Step 1–3 cysteamine kit.

FAQ about lash lift lotions

Is setting lotion the same as fixing lotion?

Yes. Setting, fixing, fix and neutralising lotion all describe Step 2, the lotion that closes the hair in its lifted shape. The name depends on the brand, not the function.

Can I use a Step 2 from another brand?

It is not recommended. Step 1 and Step 2 are developed as a pair with matching actives, pH and timings. Use the Step 2 of the same system.

Do I need a lash lift pH balancer?

It is not mandatory, but it is a useful extra for dry or sensitised lashes. The Early pH Multipack Balance can be used briefly between the lotions or as a final repair after Step 2.

What is Step 1.5 in a lash lift?

A care treatment applied after Step 1 and before Step 2. Noemi Intense Step 1.5 strengthens the hair during the lift and, according to Noemi, works with all brands.

Is a lash lifting gel different from a lotion?

Usually not. Gel, cream and lotion describe the texture of the same step. What matters is the step number, the active and the processing time of that specific product.