We are so close to opening our businesses again and now is the perfect opportunity to take a step back and look at how we are going to move forward in our careers, but also taking into consideration the self-care we need to give ourselves so we don't burn ourselves out.
Here are some tips I have learnt over the years... Have designated time for work! Being self-employed there has been many times I've still been replying to messages about lashes at 10 at night when I should be relaxing and winding down. If I worked 9-5 in an office then I wouldn't but as a lash artist I worry that if I don't reply quick enough I would lose the client. Over the years I have learnt that if you're confident in your abilities and clients are loyal to you then they would wait till the morning for replies. One way around this is to have automated messages that respond something like "we are currently out of working hours, we care about your message and will get to you as soon as possible" Book yourself into the diary! You go through your diary and think I'm very busy which is amazing. However you again forgot to book yourself in for lunch or time for a gym session, or coffee with a friend. Next thing you know you don't eat all day, your brain foggy, your back is aching and you're wondering how many more hours of work you have left before you get a to have a drink or snack or a loo break. After so many years of doing this you then contemplate if being self-employed is all it is cracked up to be and if you can handle doing it for the next 40 years. The answer is obvious that if you don't look after yourself and book in that time for self-care you will burn yourself out. Learn to say no! So at some point we will all experience a nightmare client! The one that shows up half an hour late and still expect their lashes done or they forget to pay again, or cancels appointments and changes them all the time, sends lots of text and sometimes forgets to show up anyway. A way to get around this is to have policies in place. A set of ground rules for everyone! For example a cancellation policy, if they cancel within 48 hours you keep their booking fee. Don't be afraid to state it because if they mess you around that much anyway you're better off without them. Mentally unwind! As lash artist we form a connection with our client's that make them feel comfortable enough to share their worries and their fears with us. This is really special that they feel so comfortable with us to be able to do that. But we need to just be careful to not let it mentally drain us. Some appointments you feel mentally drained because it's been negative talk the whole time. Just have that boundary in place that if it gets too draining you have the quick questions to change the subject. Set aside annual leave! Working for yourself and not going on holiday doesn't mean you can't take time off! Book yourself a holiday off even if it is a stay cation just to have some time to relax and have a week of fun things to do to reset and spend time with the people you love. Can't do a whole week? Set your self-time off for mental health days, get a massage, have a lunch date, go for a walk. No replying to messages just have a day off to unwind. It is important to prioritise these to recharge your batteries and get you ready for lashing again. Community! The lash community is a new one for me! I've worked for myself for so long and always felt as if there was a competition with local lash artist for clients but actually it's not like that at all! The level of support you get from other people who understand you and can offer advice or are there when you need a pick me up is 100% needed in order to help boost you and give you the confidence when you're feeling a bit down. Team LashBase is my favourite and I've been chatting to quite a few of the girls and the love is uplifting! You want encouragement and support to help further your career without being subject to self-doubt and rivalry. Be honest! Be honest with your clients, they will appreciate it! We haven't worked for most of the year and it might take us a little longer to get back into the swing of it. Before you book in 12 hour blocks to fit everyone in just be honest and say I have a lot off bookings and want to make sure I have extra time for everyone so I can fit you in at this time on this day. Don't cram everyone in they have gone a whole year without it and you are worth the wait! We are all feeling anxious about going back but we will get back into the rhythm and this time we have put ourselves on the priority list to! Keep calm and lash on! If you want any more advice or want to chat lashes feel free to contact me on Instagram Flourish_eyelash_and_beauty
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Being a lash artist may look glamourous on Instagram and Facebook feeds and sometimes it is. However, behind every photo and video is hours of work, practice and patience.
Every lash artist is different, but I would like to share with you what a typical day is like being a lash artist. If you are just starting out you can see what it could be like or if you're a lash queen already you can see it from another perspective. There are so many different types of lash artists' out there! There are mums who are fitting lashing around the kids, salon owners, mobile artist, those renting a room and just some who are practising on friends. I work from home so I can do the school runs, pick the kids up and if I have a quiet day I have time to throw on a quick wash or just spend some time "relaxing" (usually scrolling through lash pics and editing and other social media work). I start my day looking at the diary and seeing who's in and what needs setting up and when I can take a lunch break. I try to book in mini breaks between big sets but sometimes I do get to the point of nipping to the loo or grabbing a quick snack and the door bell goes! The rooms all set up; I've put on some music quietly and made sure everything is clean, set up and ready for client number one. Client number one is always the best; it warms you up for the day and gets you in the lash zone. A couple of clients later I can finally have a break, grab some food and go through my phone and reply to any appointment requests. I also post photos of the lashes I've done that morning (If I remember to get the photo before they leave that is) Back to it, a couple more sets done and I finish for the school run and dinner before I start up again and do my 9-5 working clients evening appointments. These ones I always find to be more chilled as they have been at work all day. Their appointment gives them a chance to relax and usually a little lash nap. I have seen it less now I've started charging booking deposit's when a client books in for their appointment, but occasionally you get a no show or that text you hate 10 minutes before the appointment saying "sorry, I can't make it". In those times I sit and pre-make some fans which help make my Russian and Hybrid appointments quicker. I store these in the LashBase Fan Storage Box. I carry out a stock check once a week and make sure that I have got enough of everything I need for the following weeks ahead. Nothing is worse than having to say to someone "I'm really sorry I don't have any of those lashes left." - My advice is; just have extra of everything and when you move onto the extras reorder them for backups. Finally at the end of the day I switch off my phone, put my feet up and feel great that I have spent the day helping people feel more confident! How does your day look? Let me know on Instagram @flourisheyelashandbeauty Had problems doing a lash lift? Are the lashes just not taking? Or is the curl not quite right? Here are some tips and tricks to help you get the best lift possible every time!
Apply The Minimum Amount of Adhesive Adhesive is required to adhere the lashes to the shields, however if you use too much you can clump the lashes together, or it can create a barrier preventing the product to work deep into the lashes. Apply a little and lift the lashes onto the shield, then work in small sections, using a small amount of adhesive. Clean The Skin Thoroughly Oily skin? Dirt or make up? All these elements will affect the Lifted products working! In addition to this, if there's any dirt/residue on the eyelids, this will result in the shield not adhering in the correct place. Make sure to remove all makeup/residue prior to the treatment with Protein Remover Pads. TOP TIP for shields: you can put Micropore Tape down first on the skin and then adhere the shield on top, this prevents too much adhesive going onto the client’s skin and dislodging the shield. Give The Lashes the Correct Time to Process When using Lifted, the guidelines are: Step 1: 10 – 15 minutes depending on the condition of the natural lashes, for example if the lashes are fine, 10, and if they are coarse, 15. Step 2: 7 – 10 minutes. Step 3 should be left on for 12 hours. Use Warmth to Help the Product Process My favourite way to do this is by using the Lifted Lifting & Lamination Wrap, it is already cut to size and easy to use! Use a piece of lamination wrap for Step 1, then get a new piece for Step 2 to prevent a cross contamination of products. My clients love the LashBase Lash Lift Eye Mask, I place this over the top to add a bit of luxury to the treatment. Choose the Correct Shield Size This is the most important step, if the shield is too small the lashes will curl over too much, if it is too large you won't get much curl. Think about the look you want to create, the best curl you can achieve and how long the natural lashes are. LashBase have recently launched their new Lifted L Curl Shields, these provide a more dramatic looking lift and are perfect for clients with downward facing lashes. Product Placement Avoid applying Step 1 & 2 to the upper part of the lash, you do not want to curl the tips or over process them. Applying the product halfway down the lashes is enough to achieve great results. Finally, make sure your clients follow the correct aftercare to make them last! This includes;
Using code Beth15 will get you a discount on lashbase Correct placement of lashes makes a huge difference in how a set of lash extensions look and also how they last. So, in this blog I’m going to share a few tips with you that I have learnt about different ways you can place lash extensions onto the natural lash.
Where can you place the lashes? Lash extension don’t just have to be placed on the top of the lash. It’s okay to attach from the side and bottom as well. Just make sure the base of the extension is parallel to the natural lash, and you will have enough bonding surface. Attaching from the top is the most common method; it is for lashes that grow downwards or straight. Attaching from the side can make the lashes look fuller than they are, so this is perfect for filling in small gaps clients may have in their natural lashes. However, there may not be enough bonding surface to do this if their lashes are too curly. Attaching from underneath works great for clients with curly lashes or lashes that stick upwards. The perfect lash attachment is so important to ensure you have a great bond between the natural lash and the lash extension. This is giving your sets a great finish but also ensuring the natural lash is kept healthy and avoiding any pulling, clumping or sticking to surrounding lashes. How far away from the lash line the lash extensions should be placed? This should always be 0.5mm away from the skin, less than this or touching the skin can cause the skin/ lash follicle to be irritated which can cause issues like rubbing, swelling and itching. Too far away from the lash line you are leaving a visible gap, this can lead to dirt and oil getting trapped between and as a result losing lashes prematurely. How much of the lash extension needs to be attached? Every extension needs to be attached to the natural lash at least 2mm. it doesn’t matter what curl, length or direction if it isn’t secured enough it can pop off prematurely. Some natural lashes grow sideways or bent so sometimes its not worth lashing these ones. Where should an extension be placed? 90 degrees is the perfect angle for each lash extension to be placed. This is from the eyelid rather than the direction of hair growth, or your body position as the lash artist. When the lash extension is placed at a wider angle than 90 degrees on the inner corners it looks unflattering but also can cause irritation and rubbing for the client. Perfect placement in a set of eyelash extensions can really make your lash business be full with happy clients and you also spend less time sorting out problems due to poorly placed lashes. Do eyelash extensions ruin your natural lashes?
Well in short the answer is no! This question I hear a lot from people who have never had them before but would love to try them. Everyone is nervous the first time they try something but how amazing is it that you push through that fear of the unknown and find something that you absolutely love. There are so many ways you can make your eyes look drop dead gorgeous with many different types of lashes available to you. You can go more natural, or curly, big, add volume or even add crystals for that extra. Whatever look you fancy you can achieve it without the mess of mascara smearing down your eyes over the course of the day. Losing lashes sound like a scary concept when your dream look is long luscious lashes, but don’t worry, let me explain! The truth is your natural lashes fall out naturally all the time, they shed when they are at the end of their life cycle, then a strong new lashes grow through. You have eyelash extensions attached to your lashes and they go through the cycle with your natural lashes, therefore when one falls out, a new lash grows creating this gap, which is now ready for an infill. It’s important to research your lash technician and ensure they know what they are doing, they must be qualified and insured. If your lashes are put on properly, only 1 lash will come out with each extension when their time is up. There are also a couple of practices to keep in mind so that your natural lashes stay nice and healthy: • Don’t rub or pull your lash extensions. This can cause stress or damage to the natural lashes underneath. • Keep them clean. No one likes build up in their hair make sure you clean your lashes to make them look fresh. • Research your lash technician. Check out their reviews, photos, and ask the questions. A good lash artist will make you feel reassured. • Be vocal about your concerns from the start. Let your lash tech know about sensitivities you have to certain lash glue. Talk through the treatment during a consultation and feel excited about lashes it’s a brilliant treatment to have. So after all that big thing to remember is to not worry, lash extensions are worth it because you are! Prepping the Lashes for Lash Extensions
When starting the lashing process be sure to do a full consultation with your client and have a quick look at their lashes. Get an idea of the thickness and length and what your client's ideas are for their lashes. It's always handy to have some photos of your past work in different styles to give your client an idea of the set you could achieve. To begin prepping the area you want to ensure the bottom lashes, even the little blonde ones are all taped down. There is different ways of doing this my favourite is taping down the lashes first using a micropore tape, and then applying the Premium Eye Pads. Cleansing! If your client is a dream they will come to their appointment with lovely clean, make up free lashes. This isn't always the case so I use the Purified Eyelash and Eyelid Cleanser with the cleansing brush and give the area and thorough clean and wash it through. TOP TIP make sure the lashes are completely dry before moving onto the next stage! If the lashes are wet then the adhesive will not adhere. Priming – there's a couple ways to go about priming. If your client has naturally oily lashes then the Primer, Cleaner and Accelerator is the way forward. Just a small amount to wipe over the lashes will remove any oil, dust or any leftover make up particles on the natural lashes. It also speeds up the time of the adhesive setting. TOP TIP you can also use a Microbrush on the bottom of your lash strip so when you put the lash extension into the glue it dries quicker (make sure it completely dry which can take a couple of minutes) or you can just use it on the lashes it's always good to try both ways and work with what you prefer. Or you can use LashNeutral which is a PH balancer – It helps by ensuring the natural lashes aren't too acidic or too alkaline – which may lead to poor retention. Similar application method like the primer, get a small amount on a Microbrush and swipe from the base to the tip of the lashes. Small amounts are needed and make sure you let the natural lashes dry before continuing. What happens if you don't prep the natural lashes before you apply lash extensions? Brush Offs – this is so frustrating! You take all the care selecting a lash, isolating and applying only for them to ping off when you brush them through. Poor Retention – the lashes fall out sooner than they should and your client needs infills a lot sooner than planned – they can be unhappy spending money and time for lashes that aren't lashing long and may go elsewhere or give up having eyelash extensions altogether. Dirty Lashes – just trust me on this one! Lashes need to been clean not only are you spending time in that area, you're just not going to get an amazing finish if there's still dirt lurking around . It's unhygienic and the eyes are a sensitive area already they should be looked after to avoid infection. What should you ask clients to do to prepare before their appointment? Discourage the use of waterproof mascara days before their appointment. This is due to the compounds in the product being attached to the lashes even after cleansing. These compounds can prevent a bond from the adhesive to the lashes. Ask them to clean their face before their appointment. Less time taken cleaning the area = more time lashing. It's frustrating when you're trying to remove so much makeup when you have back to back appointments. Finally sit back and relax! Remember your client is in good hands because you are a lash queen!
If you are looking to get eyelash extensions done for the first time, your new to an area or you are in need of a new lash artist then this blog is for you. Here are some tips on what to look for in a lash artist. Are they insured and qualified? This is a big one! You can’t just pick up a pair of tweezers and decide to be a lash artist. It takes hard work, practice and knowledge, just like most industries you need to have good knowledge on what you are doing and the area you are working on. For lash artist the most ingrained part of our education is how to sterilize, clean, and have good treatment hygiene. Eyes are delicate and sensitive and require a lot of respect and attention when working near them. You would want the last artist to be insured just incase you need it, this protects you and also them and if an issue does pop up at anytime your lash artist should know how to handle it and support you. Consultation forms and patch testing With all treatments there are contra-indications, these are medical conditions or symptoms that may require the treatment to be altered or put on hold. These are found out and discussed between you and the lash artist whilst doing a consultation form. Patch testing is 100% vital for several lash treatments! If you have a lash lift and tint and you haven’t been booked in for a patch test then there is no way you would know how you will react to the products. This can result in some consequences and a reaction could have been avoided if you do have an allergy. Patch test takes a couple of minutes and gives you great peace of mind. A Good lash artist should always offer this to you, if they have not then you shouldn’t have treatment with them. Cleanliness and tidiness You want to be able to relax and know that everything around you is clean and sterile. The work area should be tidy and the lash artist practices good hygiene, for example washing hands, sterilizing metal tools, cleaning the area and starting fresh for each client. Photos and reviews Before going to a lash artist check out their socials, not every lash artist will have loads of followers but if they have photos of their work up you can check what their style is. If you want a natural look and the lash artist social media is full of mega volume lashes then you might be better trying to find someone who’s style is more natural looking. Reviews help to if you cant decided between two lash artist and one has 90% 5 star reviews and the other has 90% 1 star reviews it will help to know what sort of experience you will be getting. Lash talk Have a chat with your lash artist before your treatment, let them know what look you want to go for and show them photos (lash artist love when you use our own photos as inspiration) you want to be 100% happy with your lashes and your lash artist wants you to feel amazing after your treatment to. So Great communication between to two of you really helps before you begin. If you have questions for a lash artist then don’t be afraid to ask them. Any great lash artist will want to offer advice and support to ensure you are fully happy with your lash experience. Feel confident and love your new lashes If you have anymore questions about this blog please feel free to contact me through Instagram @flourish_eyelash_and_beauty Eyelash extensions are a perfect treatment for helping people look and feel good and is not just a treatment for the young. We should all get the equal opportunity to boost our confidence and feel amazing.
There are certain factors that need to be considered before lashing any person. A patch test and full consultation can help identifiy if there are any medications or conditions that can affect treatment. For example if a woman is going through menopause, the hormonal changes can stop the longitivity of the lashes. Knowing about these sort of things before hand can help you fully prepare and research to help get the full potential from each set that you do. Prepping the lashes will be really important for the mature client. As we get older our skin can become more oily so investing in a good prep products like purified sensitive and primer,cleaner & accelerator to give the lashes the best work surface for bonding the lashes to. Natural lashes can become thinner and weaker with age so it is really important to ensure you have chosen the best lashes possible to make sure you don’t cause any damage to your clients natural lashes. There are so many lashes out there now to choose from brown lashes to lighter lashes, flat lashes to light fans you will find something perfect to create each look with no problem. Thickness is going to be important here if your clients lashes are thin then over loading the weight will just cause them to break going for something lighter such as a 0.10 0.12 or a 0.15 will be better for the lash health. As we age your skin around your eyes can droop but with the right curl you can help your client reclaim some of that confidence and create youthful looking lashes. No one wants lashes that are going to rub against the lid so choose carefully as each individual can be different. B curl are soft and gentle and lifts slightly for straight lashes – good for those clients that want a subtle and natural look C curl helps to give an extra lift without too much drama, these are good for clients with pointy down lashes CC curls lifts up the eye appearence nicely and can be used to make a more obvious difference if that’s what your client would like D curl is super curly and can be used on some but not all eyes if the hooded eye is more prominent than this will touch the skin and irritate M curl is the best for hooded eyes – it comes out first before it lifts creating that small space to work around the skin. L curl is perfect for opening up the eye especially for those clients with deep set eyes. Ive left my most favourite tip for last! While you are lashing sometimes the lash line can be difficult to get to and it can become difficult to get close to the base. For these times isolation tape is your best friend! Don’t wrap them up like a mummy but use as much tape as you need to be able to put near the lash line and pull up to make the skin move out of the way. Caution though only do this if you have detacked the tape first as skin can become sensitive with age and always make sure you’ve not pulled up too much that the eye is slightly open as this can irritate the eye from glue fumes. Lashes are for everybody and these tips can help give you the confidence to expand your clientelle into being more inclusive. Have fun creating gorgoeus lashes and helping people feel beautiful! |
AuthorI'm a blogger who has had blogs published by Lashbase, The Image directory and British Canoeing and others Categories
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