So, you want to become a lash tech or maybe you want to learn a new skill?
Whether it is from home, working from a lash bar or salon, or just adding an extra skill to your services, there is a strong market for it.
Natural, long, bold, whispy, cat eye, everyone has their own preference, there’s no wrong or right but one important factor is how lashes are applied.
So, let us talk about some of the basic things to consider before training up as an eyelash extension technician.
Choosing a course from a well reputable company
You will be overwhelmed with the number of courses out there. Industry experience and knowledge should be high on your list when researching. Also be waivy of cheaper course, as they are cheap for a reason!! It is important to learn from a reputable training business. Remember you are investing in yourself and you want to learn how to do things the right way with the right people with the right experience. When looking for a course, you need to research how long there have been training in the industry? How long has the company been in the industry for? What kind of training and certifications do they provide? Will they provide you with ongoing support, not just during, but after you have completed the course. How long does the course go for? Will they teach you the importance of aftercare? Check out reviews or visit Facebook pages and groups and ask around. Just be sure to do your research.
Practise your lash skills
Stick with it! Patience and practise is the key. Learning eyelash extensions is not going to happen overnight. It is a fiddly skill, and you will feel uncoordinated when you first start. You may feel like it is taking forever to learn, but I promise you, if you persist, every set you do only makes you a better eyelash technician. The main thing is to take your time separating lashes and applying individually 1:1 ratio. Don’t watch the clock, just focus on that 1:1 ratio and getting them straight. Speed will come later. Practise on LOTS of different people with different shaped eyes, otherwise if you master your skill on one person, I guarantee you will have a heart attack when you try on someone else!. Even putting eye pads on some people can take ages because everyone has different shaped eyes. So, it all comes down to patience and experience. You will make mistakes but do not beat yourself up about it, as it is all part of the learning process. Slow and steady wins the race.
Use the right products and tools
Don’t opt for the cheap 3-4 sec glue on eBay for $20, instead of the $50 glue you got in your lash kit. You do not want your clients coming back after a few days or a week because that $20 glue is not holding up. Or the cheap eye pads you bought in bulk are not what they looked like in the photo and they are a different material that make it too hard for you to use. People can get reactions to certain products that you’ve using, and you do not want that stress especially when you are learning. So do yourself a favour and invest in quality lash supply products so that you can rest assured that these products have been trialled and tested.
Invest in Lash Aftercare
It is a REAL thing, and it is just as important as applying lashes correctly. It is so important to educate yourself and your clients on the importance of eyelash extension aftercare. Correct aftercare will prolong the life of your clients eyelash extension investment. On the plus side it will make your life as an eyelash technician much easier, as infill time is reduced when clients have been using a cleanser on their eyelash extensions. Some clients might feel that you are just trying to sell them a product, so be sure to educate yourself on all thing’s aftercare related, so when you client asks you a question, you can give them an educated answer. It is important to be confident and know what you are talking about when it comes to aftercare. It also helps to gain your clients trust, as they will understand that you care about the health of their lashes, which is a win win for both sides. Remember they are a walking billboard of your work!
Hygiene
I am not just talking about wearing deodorant and washing your hands, but those things are also especially important. When you are up close and personal with someone, they have their eyes closed and your hands are on their face, literally. Obviously with the global pandemic atm we are washing our hands and sanitising etc, but we should be doing that ALL THE TIME with EVERY client. If you smoke or had some tuna sushi for lunch, they don’t want to know that.
Keeping fresh mints or chewing gum on your trolley is one of the things that I cannot highlight enough. There is nothing worse than someone with bad breath. These subjects seem so small and just common sense but make a HUGE difference to your client’s experience when getting eyelash extensions. Keeping your workspace around you clean, using disposable where you can like bed roll, eye pads, whatever you use to put your glue in, lash brushes etc and changing these after every client ensuring you are keeping things clean and easy.
There are many things to consider if you want to become an eyelash technician and these are just the tip of the iceberg. Just be sure to do your research and it will be the best decision you made. The industry is always growing and learning about new products and different ways to do things, so it will never be boring!
