Welcome to The Lashe Blog!
Hi, I’m Nicole, President of The Lashe® and Salon Lashe®. I am so excited to start this Lashe® blog for lash stylists and customers. We want it to be “the place” where you go for all eyelash extension news, tips, and tricks.
Our line was born to satisfy unmet needs in 2007. We heard the outcry for premium products, precision techniques and superior craftsmanship from all practitioners. From our exclusive, medical grade adhesives formulated and produced in an FDA-certified facility in the USA, to our synthetic fibers designed to mimic natural eyelashes, to The Lashe® Technique.
Salon Lashe®, a salon dedicated to all things eyelashes and brows was founded in 2011.
A little background
My first experience with lash extensions was not a good one. This was back in 2006. I was just coming off a hell of a year. I needed some spa time and thought eyelash extensions were the perfect pick me up. It did not end well. The application process was uncomfortable, my lids felt heavy, and I had to have them removed.
However, I was still hooked. Eyelash extensions seemed to be the perfect, most natural way to enhance facial features without going “under the knife”.
Back then, the lash extension industry was in its infancy, and what I learned was that almost all the products and adhesives were inferior in quality and hold. Knowing that there had to be something better out there I embarked in formulating an adhesive.
That was not enough, as we were preforming removals at the product office almost daily, we needed a facility to showcase proper application. The salon was born out of unmet needs in Chicago, and we are now the premier salon for eyelash extensions in the Midwest, not only Chicago. We have had lash stylists fly from all over the world too seek out our expertise and we are a destination for lashes and brows.
The main obstacle in the eyelash extension industry at that time was educating the consumer. Our industry is still fragmented and not very regulated. Teaching clients that the way we do extensions does not compromise the health and integrity of their lashes, in fact from not wearing mascara, lashes done our way make the natural lashes healthier was the biggest hurdle.
Your client is likely to seek out / research eyelash extensions before your first contact with them. Below are some tips for lash stylists as do what questions to expect from your clients. I have found that these are probably the most under looked.
Many clients will enquire about the lash products you are using especially the adhesive. Know where your products are being produced and have a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on hand. A MSDS is a safety document required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that contains data about the physical properties of the adhesive being used. The purpose of the MSDS information is to convey chemical safety and hazard information to the consumer.
Does the salon practice good hygiene?
Due to COVID, sanitation is on the mind of everyone. Many clients will ask how the salon sanitizes their tweezers. We recommend sanitizing tools with 4 processes, 2 wet and 2 dry/heat. We recommend going the extra step to wet sterilize twice as well as dry sterilize because the number of viruses, bacteria, microbes and fungi present nowadays. One process is not enough.
We always recommend to have a client intake form. By filling out an intake form, clients must fully think through what they need from us. This process helps provide a high-quality service.
We highly recommend going the extra step and starting a service chart for your client’s lash maintenance. A service chart will improve the speed and quality of your business and improve time management. Every chart should contain the clients name, eye shape, and any type of particularities as slants, spacing, skin sensitivities and any other pertinent characteristics. Every appointment is documented with the date, type of service given, aftercare issues, and special notes. With this information, you will remember important details about clients, including preferred lash artistry, health history, which leads to improved client retention.
Remind your clients to arrive without wearing any makeup. When clients do arrive wearing makeup, this will take away from the number of lashes that you can apply. It can take us 5-10 minutes to take off eye makeup. Sometimes, extending the appointment is just not possible.
This is why we recommend to remind your clients at the beginning of their appointment about the importance of aftercare not after their appointment. We noticed that after a client is resting for 1-2 hours all they want to do is see their beautiful new lash set. Once we switched, we saw a noticeable improvement. We also add a little note in their appointment reminder.
Another important but often overlooked tip is to remind your clients to avoid caffeine. What happens when we drink coffee? We get the jitters, and unfortunately the eyes will blink a lot. Trying to lash blinking eyes is very difficult and will always require more time to achieve a full set. Remind your clients, to get the best results and ensure the most relaxing experience possible, to refrain from consuming all caffeinated and energy drinks at least three hours before their eyelash extension appointment. For a great example of fluttery lids, Click Here.
As to first time clients, almost 40% are coming in due to reactions and need full lash therapy. Reactions are still running rampant in our industry. Explaining to the client that in our salon we formulated the adhesives we use and our produced in an FDA certified facility here in the US was a big one. We just had to get them in the door, let them smell the adhesives, touch the lashes and see that using The Lashe Technique the lashes lasted indefinitely with monthly re-lash appointments.
Once they were brave enough for an initial appointment, saw the results, word spread.
What’s coming next month? When your new client needs a removal.
As to first time clients, almost 40% are coming in due to reactions and need full lash therapy. Reactions are still running rampant in our industry. Explaining to the client that in our salon we formulated the adhesives we use and our produced in an FDA certified facility here in the US was a big one. We just had to get them in the door, let them smell the adhesives, touch the lashes and see that using The Lashe Technique the lashes lasted indefinitely with monthly re-lash appointments.
If you are interested in viewing The Lashe MSDS please request by clicking here.
For more information on adhesive manufacturing, clicking here to read a great article I wrote for Dermascope, “Eye Spy: An Inside Look at Eyelash Manufacturing".
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