LAI 2017 - The Event Magazine by Lash FX

ISSUE 1

MARCH 2017

ON LY THE

BEST

CHOOSE

www.lashfx.com

BUILDING CAREERS BUILDING DREAMS

WWW.LASHFX.COM

THE LASH VENTURE 12

INNOVATION QUALITY SELECTION

WWW.3D-BEAUTY.COM 13

WORK IN PROGRESS 14

CONTENTS Jill Heijligers-Peloquin BIOGRAPHY

Carmen Palmiste BIOGRAPHY

Kathryn Popplestone BIOGRAPHY

Relative humidity and retention

What is all the fuss with eye sensitivity?

Trend Spotting.What’s hot

Four ways to nurture lash artists

BY KYUNG HWA “KEI” KIM

Frame to FAME Lash Arts Competition

BY LASH ARTISTS INTERNATIONAL

Lifting lashes to new heights. The lash lift revoluiont

Lashes after cancer

BY MIA HAUGE

BY OTTO MITTER

Tamsen Horton

Meet Doug Schoon

BIOGRAPHY

Hilaree Brand

Are you teachable?

What else is in your kit?

Otto Mitter

BIOGRAPHY

Erika Menanteaux BIOGRAPHY

BY ETHEL REDDY

Laura Keminskiene

Ellie Malmin

BIOGRAPHY

Ria Hountas-Hart

BIOGRAPHY

BY ERIKA MENANTEAUX

BIOGRAPHY

BY HILAREE BRAND

BIOGRAPHY

BY ELLIE MALMIN

BY CHRISTIE VEVODA

Leanne Harber

BIOGRAPHY

INTERNATIONAL JUDGES, MASTERS AND SPEAKERS FROM ALL THE WORLD

CELTIC EYELASH EXTENSION COMPETITION DUBLIN, IRELAND MAY 5-6TH, 2017

MORE INFORMATION

16WWW.ICEECA.COM

EMAIL CELTICEYELASHCOMPETITION@GMAIL.COM

COMPETITION, CONFERENCE, AWARDS AND GALA EVENT

ORGANISATOR LAURA KAMINISKIENE / MB BEAUTY SCHOOL OUR SPEAKERS AND JUDGES 1. JILL HEIJLIGERS-PELOQUIN 2. ALEKSANDRA MANIUSE 3. SANDRA MARTIS 4. ELENA STAKHOVICH 5. OLGA SHARIPOVA 6. IRINA RONITE 7. LAURA KAMINSKIENE 8. COURTNEY BUHLER 9. SVETLANA PRIHODKO 10. INGA MISIUTE 11. MARTINA KALLOS

FACEBOOK CELTIC EYELASH EXTENSION CONFERENCE/ COMPETITION

JILL HEIJLIGERSPELOQUIN Founder Lash FX® Lash Artists International What are your unique views on Continuing Education in the Lash Industry? How often should a Lash Artist take classes? Continuing ed is my jam. I am a “serial student”! I also love conferences. I speak at them, organize them and attend them. I think I am actually addicted! Take at least 2 per year!

What 3 top tips can you give to motivate new Lash Artists to succeed in the “business” of lashing? Treat your business like a serious business, not a hobby. Right now is the perfect time to begin running a legit, respected and tight ship. Is there something that is creating operational drag? Address it and make the course corrections to put you on track and in momentum. Identify a brand or company that you are drawn to or admire, and learn more about it. Figure out what it is about that brand that speaks to you. Now turn that around and amplify and refine what it is that makes your ideal customer feel that way about you. Stop overworking yourself. Find new and unique ways to work smarter, not harder. If you don’t know where to begin, a personal coach or business mentor can help you lay out a map that makes sense. Where can we find you, your Academy and/or shop on Social Media? www.lashfx.com Facebook/LashFX

Do you really practice the skills that you teach, as in putting in “practice time”? My students know this about me – I really do! I practice all the time. I love figuring out new lash hacks – especially for volume lashing. I practice like its my job. I believe that dedicated practice is the key to success. In a saturated market - or when swimming in a sea of other great talent - what can a lash artist do to differentiate themselves? First of all, pat yourself on the back because you are swimming with the big fish! Secondly, charge a rate that positions you in that light. Thirdly – as most important of all – do and be MORE of what it is that makes you uniquely you. You are most fascinating when you are right in your zone, being true to your most authentic self. An Olympic swimmer or runner or skater canNOT be concerned with what is happening in another lane. They focus on their race. Stay centered, genuine and SHINE!

www.lashfx.com 18

LUXURY LASH EXTENSION PRODUCTS | TRAINING

LASHAFFAIR.COM | INFO@LASHAFFAIR.COM

CUTTING EDGE TRAINING PROGRAM ADHESIVES YOU CAN TRUST CONTINUED SUPPORT TO HELP YOU GROW YOUR BUSINESS WE DO THE RESEARCH SO YOU CAN BE EXCEPTIONAL 19

CARMEN PALMISTE Founder and CEO of Lash Art Is there a “lesson learned” that you have experienced or witnessed, that you could give advanced warning for our readers to avoid? The best lesson would be, never degrade yourself to others level. In our field, there will always be people who do not like you for what ever reasons and there are always gossips going around. Never fight fire with fire! What 3 top tips can you give to motivate new Lash Artists to succeed in the “business” of lashing? Keep your head high, goals ahead of you and keep moving at your own pace - it is not a sprint, it is a marathon.

Were you originally a “natural” at lashing? Definitely not. It was one of the most difficult things i did and it did not come naturally to me. Once i felt like i had it, Volume lashes came out and i had to start from scratch,which took me twice as long as learning classic lashing. Where can we find you, your Academy and/or shop on Social Media? www.lashartshop.com insta: carmenpalmiste FB: Carmen Palmiste or Lashart by Carmen Palmiste Tell us a little known/fun or unusual fact about you. I do not like, infact i cannot stand being criticised (even constructively) on my work, but at the same, it is the main driving force behind my relentless need to keep improving and even overachieving.

What are your unique views on Continuing Education in the Lash Industry? How often should a Lash Artist take classes? Every artist should take atleast one course at the minimum, per year, to keep a steady hand on the pulse of the continuously evolving field. But any technician, serious about what they do, should take atleast 2-3 courses per year, if they are set out to make this a career. But that is not all. Making a career out of this means reading field-specific literature, being active on forums and boards, creating contacts, participating in conferences and most of all - having a healthy amount of curiosity. That will make you experiment with new things and ideas, come up with tricks and methods. All these little things are what keeps that special shine in our eyes.

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WWW.LASHARTSHOP.COM

KATHRYN POPPLESTONE Founder and CEO of Flutter

make them a regular client you need to make the service about them. I have an 80:20 rule. 80% of the treatment time should be about them and 20% you. Make sure you learn and remember(make notes if you need to) what’s important to each client. Things like their partner’s, children’s or pet’s names, details about their job, the holiday they are going on etc. Then make sure you ask them about these things at the next service. It’s important to share information about yourself too as this helps build rapport, just make sure you don’t dominate the conversation. If the client doesn’t like to chat? Make sure you leave them to rest, play the kind of music they like, put the heated blanket on if they get cold or give them an extra cushion to go under their knees. Everyone wants to feel unique & remembered.

What are your unique views on Continuing Education in the Lash Industry? How often should a Lash Artist take classes? I think one of the most challenging & rewarding ways to learn and improve as a lash artist is to teach. It makes you more conscious about your processes and forces you to be accountable for your methods of working. You are encouraged to take more classes and learn from your peers as well as your students. People underestimate how many great ideas people with less experience and ingrained approaches can have. I believe you can learn something new from everyone you engage with.

In a saturated market – or when swimming in a sea of other great talent – what can a lash artist do to differentiate themselves? If you want to stand out from the crowd, make sure you have a unique selling point. Clients love it when someone is offering something different to everyone else. It gets customers talking & gives them a reason to pick you over other lashers. For example If lash artists in your town are all offering super full, false lash effect, Russian volume be the artist specialising in natural, can’t believe it’s not mascara, extensions instead. Or if most of the salons in your area are open standard weekday 9-5 hours make sure you offer evening & weekend appointments. Just make sure you are playing to your strengths & meeting a demand in the market.

In your opinion, what is the “First Rule of Customer Service”? Make it personal. To truly gain customer loyalty and

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RELATIVE HUMIDITY & RETENTION BY CHRISTIE VEVODA For those of you who have been in the lash industry for a while, it is not a surprise to you that your adhesive is affected by the amount of relative humidity. Most of us have become aware that moisture is the catalyst that causes the adhesive to cure. I see specific ranges of acceptable humidity for particular brands of adhesive discussed regularly on the forums, especially when the seasons pass, or weather changes dramatically. This is when we typically see more retention issues. Interestingly enough, there will inevitably be different percentages shared by various stylists for the same brands of adhesive. How is this possible, unless there is another factor that isn’t being recognized? What I don’t see very often are stylists talking about the amount of adhesive that they typically choose to use.

MOST STYLISTS USE VERY LITTLE ADHESIVE, BECAUSE LESS ADHESIVE ON THE LASH LINE NEAR THE EYES CAUSES LESS VAPOURS. While that reason is valid, I have come to realize that if you aren’t adjusting the amount of adhesive according to the relative humidity, you will still be struggling with retention. Fixation, for example is rated for a humidity level of between 30-39%, and it is important to adjust the amount of this adhesive according to the amount of humidity you are dealing with. You can’t expect that the adhesive will perform exactly the same at 30% as it will at 39%. If your adhesive is a “2 second set” adhesive, and you are using a micro dot of adhesive, you can be assured that if the humidity is in the higher end of that range, and you aren’t quick enough, it will have partially cured on the way to the natural lash.

If, however you use a little more, or what you might consider to be too much adhesive, you will have enough fresh adhesive hiding under the skin that is inevitably forming to be able to break through that skin and bond to the natural lash properly so your retention won’t be adversely affected by the higher level of humidity.

A HYGROMETER, PLACED IN A VERY CLOSE PROXIMITY TO YOUR LASHING AREA WHERE YOU CAN PAY ATTENTION TO THE RISE AND FALL OF THE HUMIDITY DURING YOUR APPOINTMENT IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST. You

can’t guess, or go by what you think your humidity is or has always been in the past. For success with EVERY SET, you must closely monitor your humidity and adjust the amount of adhesive you are using according to the numbers you are seeing. I have seen the humidity change up to 8% in the course of a set of lashes. Once you start to incorporate this, your retention will consistently be better than ever and your clients will in turn be happier. Lastly, closely monitoring your humidity to amount of adhesive ratio, will help to dispel the myth of the dreaded “bad batch of adhesive”. Just remember, lower humidity, less adhesive. More humidity, more adhesive. Christie Vevoda, Co-founder/Owner of Eyelash Addict LTD in Stony Plain, Alberta is a frequent contributing author to Lash Industry trade publications. She is passionate about equipping future lash Artists to become successful in their new career through education and quality product development.

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LASHES AFTER CANCER

BY MIA HAUGE

MIA HAUGE IS THE COFOUNDER AND CEO OF LASHCOMPANY. MIA IS A LICENSED NURSE, WITH A MAJOR IN ONCOLOGY AND HAS DEVOTED 5 YEARS TO SPECIALIZING IN LASHES FOR CLIENTS WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS CANCER. MIA IS AN INTERNATIONAL LASH TRAINER AND JUDGE, AND HAS OVER 8 YEARS OF LASH EXPERIENCE. My inspiration for providing lashes to clients with cancer started 6 years ago. My best friend was diagnosed with stage 3 brain cancer, and underwent a complex medical treatment of chemotherapy. Against all odds, she was able to overcome her cancer, but the side effects from the treatment, such as hair loss, was very overwhelming for her. At that time, I had been doing lashes for a couple of years, and I found it very interesting to figure out how I could create beauty lashes for my friend. When I started my research, I worked as a full-time nurse on the oncology ward.

WHAT IS CANCER?

Cancer is a disease in which the body’s cells are growing and dividing uncontrollably. Cancer occurs in all cell types in the body and is caused by changes in cell genes. The first description or mention of cancer, comes from Egypt and is about 5,000 years old. The word cancer means “crab”. Crabs were believed to be linked to the disease by Hippocrates in Greece 2500 years ago. Cancer can be caused by hereditary factors, lifestyle factors or environmental impact.

CHEMOTHERAPY – CYTOSTATIC

The word cytostatic, is derived by the Greek word kytos meaning “cell”, and the Greek word statikos which means ”stopping”. Cytostatic is the general term for chemical medicines used in the treatment of cancer. Treatment utilizing these drugs is called chemotherapy.

SIDE EFFECTS… WHY HAIR LOSS?

Chemotherapy is transported by the blood to all parts of the body. When the drug reaches the tumor, it will inhibit or stop cell division or maybe trigger cell death. The side effects are unavoidable. The chemo medicine is set to target quick dividing cells, like the tumor, but it can’t separate between good healthy cells and tumor cells. Hair cells are quick dividing cells, so that’s why, hair loss is a common side effect. Luckily, the body’s cells can repair themselves, and therefore over time, the hair will start growing again.

THE SCIENCE ABOUT THE “NEW” LASH CYCLE

After the treatment course of chemotherapy, the lash cycle needs to reset or reestablish. To understand the amount of time the “new” lash cycle takes to begin, we need to have knowledge about the pharmacokinetics of the medication and length of the treatment. It’s very complex, but if you’re interested in learning more, you can attend our Lash Medic Course at LASHCOMPANY. It takes about 2-3 months for the hair follicle to function again after treatment. The new lashes are very light color and very fragile. When lashing a client who has just had cancer, use only 0.05 or 0.07mm lashes until the hair follicle has fully recovered. The “new” lash cycle will be back to normal after 1 -2 years, but until then, especially the Anagen phase will be shorter than normal.

TAKE A COURSE – LASHMEDIC

Are you interested in providing lash treatment for clients with medical condition in your salon? You’ll be taught by Mia herself. The course takes 3 full days, where you’ll be taught anatomy, physiology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics etc. You’ll also learn new application techniques and be introduced to some of the newest lash products in the business. After the course, you need to pass 3 home assignments and an exam before you get your certificate. For more information, contact us by email: info@lashcompany.dk

MEET DOUG SCHOON Schoon Scientific & Regulatory Consulting, LLC Specializing in Answers and Solutions

Doug Schoon is an internationally-recognized scientist, author and educator with over 30 years’ experience in the cosmetic, beauty and personal care industry. He is a leading industry authority, known for his technical and regulatory work that has helped shape the beauty industry. He is Co-Chair of the Nail Manufacturers Council (NMC), and as Creative Nail Design’s (CND) Chief Scientist, was head of the R&D laboratory, QA, and Field Testing/Evaluation departments for almost 20 years. Schoon has authored several books, video and audio training programs, as w-ell as dozens of magazine articles about salon products, safety, and best practices for salon professionals. Schoon is well known for his captivating presentation style and his unique ability to make complex concepts easy to understand. In 1986, Schoon founded Chemical Awareness Training Service (CATS) – the beauty industry’s first safety training company. This was followed by his book, Nail Structure & Product Chemistry, 1st and 2nd Edition, which has become essential reading for nail salon pros. Schoon is a chief contributor

to Milady’s Standard Nail Technology and Standard Cosmetology, as well as several medical reference books such as Baran and Maibach’s Textbook of Cosmetic Dermatology and Cosmetic Dermatology: A Comprehensive Medical and Surgical Text. Schoon serves as an expert witness in legal cases, and doctors, dermatologists and podiatrists often consult Schoon when writing articles, books or scientific papers. He has worked as a scientific researcher, author and lecturer for almost 35 years and holds a Master’s Degree in Chemistry from UCIrvine. He currently resides in Dana Point, CA. Schoon Scientific Committed to delivering the highest level of technical expertise, advice, and innovative ideas to the beauty, cosmetic and personal care industry. We translate complex scientific issues into clear solutions for product developers and manufacturers.

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ARE YOU TEACHABLE? BY HILAREE BRAND

ARE YOU TEACHABLE?

This is a question that I ask myself every time I meet my new students. Each new person is obviously in my course to acquire something. However, over the years I have found that not every student is in my class to learn more about eyelashes. Example: Student arrives eager to gather info. Student sits through theory and asks questions. Lunch then practice time. Student doesn’t bring a model. Applies 10 volume fans to the mannequin head. Distracts everyone around her and then asks to leave early after 1 hour of practice. Are you confused? I was. When I asked her why she wanted to leave early she said, “I’ve got it. Plus, I am tired and I work 18 hour days 6 days a week and I want to go home be with my kids, my friend is in from out of town, prepare for tomorrow, blah, blah, blah” . Please know that I do love to give people the benefit of the doubt. I’ve also become really good and calling bullshit when I see it. She wasn’t there to absorb info and apply. She was there for another piece of paper that said that she had continued her education. The problem is this, if this is how she behaved in my class, this is how she behaved in her last class. She learned just enough to get by. This is how shaky foundations are built.

Back to the mannequin head. I looked at her after hearing her long list of reasons as to why she should get to go home early and the closed fans on the lash strip and said this with love. “YOU LISTENED

TO WHAT I SAID IN THEORY. YOU DIDN’T HEAR IT.” SEE YOUR FAN? THIS IS TOO MUCH GLUE. MEANING YOU HAVE TO HOLD YOUR FANS IN PLACE LONGER. I PROCEEDED TO GIVE HER REASONS WHY SHE SHOULD STAY INCLUDING THE FACT THAT SHE PAID TO BE HERE. Most importantly, before class she

approached me and said that she and her team would like to compete soon and was here so that she could bring information back to her team and so that her salon could be an award winning salon. Here’s the thing, If she only stayed long enough to listen to info then leave, do you think she will be able to convey to her team what they need to work on to be a competition winning team. NOPE. (For the record, she still left early).

I’VE MET STUDENTS WHO ARE ON THEIR FOURTEENTH VOLUME COURSE. YOU READ CORRECTLY. 14TH CLASS! THE REASON, “I JUST HAVEN’T FOUND THE RIGHT TEACHER” My encounter with this person was

that she had already decided she knew everything about volume and that she was just there for the certificate. If her work reflected her mastery of Volume Lashes I would have signed the certificate on the first model. Unfortunately, this person is still on the hunt for the perfect teacher. Literally thousands

Marianne Casais, Design & Beauty AS

of dollars down the drain because her ego knows better than all the lash masters. Things you must do during class to be a successful student: 1. Come with an open mind. Volume lashes are like learning another language. Be ready for different in every way! 2. Decide not to give up. I have actually had students say, “ Maybe this isn’t for me.” To that, I say, “Have you every met a baby that said, maybe walking isn’t for me?” Some babies may take longer to learn but they eventually learn. 3. Take tons of notes. Taking notes forces you to listen to what is being taught. 4. Put your phone away. You paid good money for the seat in your class. 5. Slow down. Classic lashes are NOT Volume lashes. Repeat. Classic lashes are NOT Volume lashes. So slow down, watch your movements.

Allow your fan to dry on the natural lash correctly. Don’t be so quick to throw away a fan because it isn’t perfect. Teachers have tricks that help you waste fewer lashes and still achieve the perfect fan. 6. Do not compare yourself. There will always be the student who “gets it” right off the bat. The one who is having a celebration with every perfect fan. Then there will be everyone else. Put your earbuds in, get back to work. You’re not in competition with them. You’re bettering yourself. 7. Make friends with other artists in your class. Who doesn’t need more lash sisters? Also, it will be nice to have someone to refer clients to when you get sick or go on a vacation. 8. Focus on 1 thing at a time. You don’t need to master, fan pick up, style and tweezers all at the same time. Practice making the fans. Make a million. Then master your pick up of that fan a million times. Then master placement. Volume

BY HILAREE BRAND lash application is not one movement and voila, you have a gorgeous set of Volume lashes. It is a series of consistent movements repeated over and over and over and over to infinity. 9. Spend at least 2 hours with your new tweezers before jumping to a different kind of tweezers. Jumping from tool to tool doesn’t help your progress. Trust me, it’s rarely the tweezers fault that the fan isn’t pretty. See #8. 10. ASK FOR HELP. Don’t be afraid to raise your hand and say, “This blows! I need help.” Any good teacher will sit with you until you understand. It is ok to say, “I am uncomfortable.” “ My thumb hurts holding the tweezers this way.” “The bases of my fan are always twisted or crissed-crossed.” “ I don’t know why my fans are closing.” There is a trick to solve all of these problems. After class

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Actually,

this is the hardest part. Most lash artist had a full clientele before their Volume course. So how are they supposed to have time to practice their new skill? Here is my tip, use the first 15 minutes of every set you do for Volume lashes. Even if you only get 2 fans on the whole time. You can catch up with classic after. Soon you will fill the 15 minutes with Volume fans that make you proud. Once you have filled the 15 minutes, move to 20 then 30 and so on.

You are teaching your brain to be able to jump back and forth from Classic to Volume lashes. Become fluent in both. I have met lash artists who will only do Volume one day and only Classic on another. Don’t limit yourself like that. That’s like saying, I only speak English on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Spanish on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

REACH OUT TO YOUR TEACHER WHEN YOU ARE STUCK. Give your teacher the chance to finish

what she started with you before reaching out on Facebook forums. Unfortunately, Facebook forums end up being a place where women go to bitch and forget that they need to take accountability for their own success. If your teacher is unavailable, reach out to a classmate. Perhaps they understood that thing that you are stuck on and can offer some insight. There is so much to learn about Volume lashes. The next time you attend a course, leave your ego at the door. Ego only gets in your way of success. Make sure that the certificate is not just another 8x10 on the wall that doesn’t mean anything because you didn’t apply what you learned in that class. Acquired certificates without acquired knowledge are false advertising. Let your certificates represent your dedication to perfecting your craft and your contribution to bettering the reputation of the Eyelash industry.

Photograph courtesy of: Kimball V. Regier, chelPHOTO

The National Association of Lash Artists

BECOME A CERTIFIED EDUCATOR! If you are interested in an independent career as a Lash Trainer, you can earn your Educator's Certification through NALA. Your certificate is globally recognized and will qualify you to teach students under your own name or business name. Restrictions apply in some states. It is a natural progression to want to transition into a career as an educator. You have accumulated so much knowledge and experience as a lash professional. It will be a generous and rewarding act to share your expertise with those wishing to begin a career in the beauty industry.

The NALA Educator's Certification Course will guide you through the stepbystep process of creating your own lash training program and will cover uptodate industry standards for important health and safety elements.

The National Association of Lash Artists BECOME THE BEST LASH EDUCATOR YOU CAN BE! Earn great money while helping others start their career in the Lash Industry. Learn the steps for creating a quality training program. How would your life change if you could transition from serving clients to teaching students? Or perhaps you are already an instructor and you are looking to up your game and expand!

WHETHER YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT OPENING A TRAINING ACADEMY or YOU WANT TO UPDATE YOUR EXISTING SCHOOL THIS COURSE IS FOR YOU!

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE NALA EDUCATOR'S CERTIFICATION COURSE? In this oneday course you will discover: Different learning styles. Uptodate decontamination standards for the Lash Industry. What to include in your training program. Stepbystep process for developing your curriculum. Insight into the accreditation process and requirements. Strategies for pricing your courses. Legal and insurance considerations for training academies. Daily practices to ensure success!

HOW DO I BECOME AN EDUCATOR?

Are you ready to take your first step towards becoming a worldclass Lash Educator? Will you travel the globe sharing your expertise or set up a cozy classroom near home? The choice is yours. After all, it’s YOUR Lash Training Academy! It’s critical that you create a training program that: is comprehensive, is easy for students to grasp and learn from, is uptodate with current industry standards and will properly prepare your students for success. Investing in this oneday course is the best decision you can make for your career as an educator. Start your training academy off right! During our time together you will be richly supported and lovingly challenged to step into your next exciting role as an educator. You can expect to finish the day feeling inspired, confident and knowledgeable. NALA Certified Educators receive a certificate as well as a listing on the NALA Certified Educator's directory. NALA was created to celebrate and support lash professionals around the world through membership, accreditation, educator certification, awards and competitions. Visit our website to learn more about NALA resources and upcoming educator courses.

OTTO MITTER Founder and CEO of Elleebana What 3 top tips can you give to motivate new Lash Artists to succeed in the “business” of lashing? 1. Sharing great photos of work: There is an art to doing this so you can capture the best possible promotional image for your marketing campaigns. Take the time to capture a great photo. Make sure there’s no shadow over the eyes. Take a photo of each eye separately as well as a front-on because sometime one eye may turn out better than the other. 2. Be a happy magnet: Take steps to spread a positive influence to your clients and industry peers. People want to work with people that are happy and positive, so try not to be to judgemental. Don’t drag people down if they’re applications aren’t up to par. Keep it positive, keep it happy. 3. Don’t sell yourself short: If you are competent in offering high quality work then make sure you charge a fair price to cover your expenses and time. It costs a lot to maintain a salon, with overheads, insurance, staff costs, superannuation etc. Consider all these factors when creating your price list. There’s an old story about a hair salon that used to be the only one in the area, Let’s call it Tony’s Hair Salon. Tony charged $40 for a haircut and had a fully booked clientele. Business was running great for him. A little while later a salon opened next door to him, and they started charging $20 for a haircut! Tony got a little worried and said “What am I going to do? There’s no way I can afford to drop my prices that low!” He thought about it for a while. He knew he did excellent work and really believed in himself. So Tony reinvented his marketing campaign to say “ Tony’s Hair Salon - We fix $20 haircuts”.

What are your unique views on Continuing Education in the Lash Industry? How often should a Lash Artist take classes? As professionals we need to keep up to date with the latest information so that we can be sure we are offering our clients the best possible service and outcome. I personally try to take a few classes a year with various trainers or even other business related training. Attending conferences is obviously a fantastic way to stay up to date with what is happening in the industry, as you learn from various experts in one place through various education sessions. I have noticed various therapists sourcing or buying products from different brands and then they assume they should give the same results. Always check with the manufacturers guidelines and support team before using new products. If they offer any support training, take part! Sometimes you can learn a few new tips or techniques that will help speed up your treatment time or achieve better results. Where can we find you, your Academy and/or shop on Social Media? Over the past few years I have been travelling a lot and performing education sessions at various conferences, beauty schools and distributor workshops. Our head office and training centre is based in Australia, and we now supply head distributors in over 20 countries around the world. You can follow what we do on Instagram @elleebana or our website www.elleebana.com

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ELLIE MALMIN Lash Brow Make Up Academy

Tell us a little known or unusual fact about you. I started in the beauty business working on cadavers (dead people). I would do their hair, makeup, and of course lashes. Also, a little known fact, I am really shy except for speaking in front of large crowds, which I know is counterintuitive, but true. What are your unique views on continuing education? How often should a lash artist take classes? People start going to school as early as 3 years of age, finishing high school, then heading off to collage getting master, bachelor, and some even doctorate degrees. As lash artists, we should not settle for a 2-day course. Our industry is ever changing, so our continuing education should also be on going. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what sparked my passion in collaborating with eye doctors and dermatologists. I wanted to elevate my profession and to put together an online course on eye and lash health at eyeandlashhealthinstitute.com

If you could invent a magic tool lashing tool or innovation what would it be and what would it accomplish? Through my years of lashing, I kept running across clients with that had sensitive eyes and sensitive skin. This presented a problem because the skin was already compromise. So to address this issue I created a barrier cream to be applied prior to lashing, that protects the delicate tissue around the eyes from irritants settling on the skin around the eyes. This is the tool in my toolbelt that I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live without And now since I think this cream is so critical, I have worked the past couple of years so that the cream can be available to all to use. The Barrier Cream is being released in March. Where can we find your academy and or shop on social media? Lashologistchoice.com Eyeandlashhealthinstitute.com elliemalmin.com lashbrowmakeup-academy.com

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WHAT IS ALL THE FUSS WITH EYE SENSITIVITY?

BY ELLIE MALMIN

With so many environmental eye allergies, glittered eye make-up (that can cause microscopic cuts on the eyelid), eye shadows, pollutants and pollen in the air, the skin around our eyes is becoming itchy and red. The texture is changing, and even a form of dermatitis can occur. Many clients choose to go to the doctor for a Cortisone cream and steroids. However, Cortisone can thin out the tissue around the eye area, making it further susceptible to irritation. Other clients use products with retinols and glycolic acids in them, causing the eye area to become even more sensitive,

even if they are not using directly on the eye area. These products migrate. Irritated skin and dry itchy eyes due to makeup, skin treatments and pollution has become more and more common. As lash artists, our services include extensions, lash lifting, tinting and more. Caring for our clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes is part of our job. Keeping the integrity of the natural lash and skin around the eyes should be our top priority. When we first learned to do eyelash extensions, we

ADVERTISEMENT would never lash without patching down the bottom lashes so that when we are lashing we did not hook the bottom lashes and glue them to the top lashes. Now that we’ve been lashing 10+ years, we’re seeing a lot of sensitivities on the upper eyelid. Obviously, the tissue of the eye area is being compromised by makeup or allergies. The key is to spot the problem before it occurs, and protect the upper eyelid skin area. Adhesive used near the sensitive eye area can certainly inflame and even cause a reaction on its own, but in those circumstances, we had no options except to discontinue service. Now there IS an option: Lashologist Choice™ Barrier Cream - the first of its kind to aid in protection of the eyelid skin from irritating molecules that can settle on the eyelid skin and cause further irritation around the eyes. Lashologist Choice™ Barrier Cream is a must for anyone who performs eyelash extensions services, tinting or lash lifts. If a client is allergic to the adhesive, reactions can be severe - so it’s imperative that we always use precautionary measures in protecting the delicate eye tissue area.

adhesive and silicone shield is removed. When using henna products on the eye brows it is great to keep the brow shape intact so the henna does not run out of the eyebrow area where you apply it. It can also be used after waxing to remove wax residue. Apply and simply wipe off. Why have the barrier cream stop there? It makes a great retail item that your clients will love to use on a nightly basis. Distributers are welcome. For more information contact us at: Lashologistchoice.com eyeandlashhealthinstitute.com USA Distributer: LashFX.com

Lashologist Choice™ Barrier Cream is a unique product that has many properties to help shield and sooth the skin tissue. Using new technology and all natural ingredients, the Lashologist™ Barrier Cream is a cream that has numerous applications. First, cleanse the upper eyelid with Lashologist Choice™ Silicone Remover. Second, the lashes are washed with the Lashologist Choice™ Shampoo and rinsed with eye wash. Third, the Barrier Cream is applied from the lash line to the eyebrow. After you have done the eyelash extensions, remove the cream with the Lashologist Choice™ Make-Up Remover (there will be a thin film that remains on the eye to continue to protect it). This film will not compromise the adhesive. For all extension applications, I recommend Lashologist Choice™ Barrier Cream as an essential product. Lashologist Choice™ Barrier Cream is also used when tinting lashes and eyebrows as a barrier to avoid staining the skin if tine gets on the skin. It is great to apply after a lashlift perm or on the eyelid after the

luxelashbylm.com use promo code: LAI15 for 15% off valid until June 1 2017 45

TREND SPOTTING WHAT’S HOT

BY KYUNG HWA “KEI” KIM BROWN IS THE NEW BLACK In 2017, Volume Lashing will continue to evolve, embracing accents of creativity. Catch the trend by adding color in ombre effect and allow expressive individual technique to be your key selling point. Instead of rich black with hundreds of hyper volume fans, the trend now is moving toward softening and lightening the heavy lash look using the brown color ranges. Monochromatic mixtures or single tones of dark brown, medium brown and khaki will be the new trend this year. Look for brown/black mixtures as well. Black lashes will always be a fashion staple, but brown is trending now.

TONED DOWN PRIMARY COLORS WILL “KICK IT UP A KNOTCH” FOR EXQUISITE COUTURE AND DESIGNER LASH LOOKS. WE RECOMMEND “PRIME INTERVAL DARK BROWN” LASH DESIGNS FOR CLIENTS WHO FOLLOW TRENDS, BUT WANT TO WALK THE SUBTLE SIDE OF THE CATWALK, ADDING BOTH TEXTURE AND SOFTNESS OF COLOR.

LOOK TO PANTONE FOR COLOR FORECASTS THAT YOU CAN DEPEND UPON. IN 2017, THE COLORS THAT POP ARE ON THE MUTED SIDE OF VIBRANT FOR A FRESH LOOK. WORK THESE TONES INTO YOUR MORE FASHION-FORWARD CLIENT STYLINGS!

AFTERCARE Aftercare – especially maintaining clean, healthy natural lashes – is a top priority, not a trend. Proper cleansing and nourishment of the lash hairs will prevent damage and allow you the freedom to design lash sets of your choosing without worry. Oil-free makeup remover and a great lash shampoo should be aftercare staples. Micro-pore brushes are also a smart – yet gentle - cleaning & grooming tool.

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR LASHES DAILY HOW TO USE BUBBLE CLEANSER & BRUSH

COMING SOON

POST-MODERN & CONTEMPORARY ART SUMMER EDITION JULY 2017 w w w.lashartist sinternational.com 51

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and

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36 ENTRIES FROM 12 NATIONS HERE ARE SOME OF THE CONTESTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TOP LOOKS:

AND THE WINNER IS...

JOLITA SHISHMANOVA

First of all CONGRATULATIONS, JOLITA for winning the grand prize in the Lash Artists International Frame to FAME Fantasy Lash Arts Competition! How many contests have you entered? Did you always know that you would not only be terrific at lash artistry so quickly, but be able to win international awards in your first year as a lash professional? Thank you for the congratulations! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never thought that I can win this type of competition as a lot of talented lash artists entered it. But I thought that I need to enter as Fantasy Lash Art is my passion and I can show my creative side at this type of competition This contest was the third one I have entered. First one was at Scottish Lash conference

in 2016, where I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t place and the second one was at London Lash Battle where I place 6th and was chosen as London Lash Favorite. Please share how and why you chose Marie Antoinette and this particular Art History Period for your inspiration.

MY FIRST IDEA WAS TO SHOW BAROQUE OR ROCOCO ERA. I did

more research and stopped on Rococo, as this period of time was very interesting for me with its colorful dresses and huge wigs and masquerades. Of course, I had to choose a well known person who lived in that period of time, and it was Marie Antoinette.

Grand Prize Winner + 1st Place Expert/Pro-Master Category Lash Artists International Frame to FAME Lash Arts Competition November 2016 59

What kind of preparations did you do and how long did you work on the total final (gorgeous!) result? When I decided what I was going to do – the ideas of how everything should look in a picture were flowing into my head. So I made a sketch of my vision, thought about the colors I want to use and the preparation began: I made a frame, sewed a skirt, made a wig and neck jewelry and a masquerade mask. I found a photographer and a model. All the preparation took me about 4 days, and putting together the final result – all day. At the end of the

day I felt really tired, but the pictures we did were worth it! As your Grand Prize award, you are being flown to the Lash Artists International Conference & Workshops in Arizona. Have you ever been to the USA before? Are you looking forward to the conference? What are you most looking forward to studying and experiencing there? I’ve never been in USA before, but I can’t wait to get there and meet my fellow lash artists from all around the world at the Lash Artist International

Conference in Arizona. It should be an unforgettable experience as some of my Lash idols are speakers at this conference. I’m also looking forward to Doug Schoon’s speech and Carmen Palmiste’s workshops. July 2017 will bring another LAI Frame to FAME Contest. Would you help us to announce the theme and officially open up registration to the event at the conference? We hope you compete again! What advice do you have for those thinking they might enter the summer online competition? Should they go for it?!

IT WILL BE A HONOR FOR ME TO HELP ANNOUNCE THE THEME AND OPEN UP A REGISTRATION FOR A NEW LAI FAME TO FRAME CONTEST. FOR THOSE WONDERING IF IT’S WORTH IT TO ENTER, I WILL TELL – GO FOR IT! IT’S GONNA GIVE YOU TONS OF EMOTIONS, SOMETIMES HEADACHES...BUT AT THE FINAL – YOU WILL GROW AS A FANTASY LASH ARTIST. THIS COMPETITION GAVE ME PRICELESS EXPERIENCE, AND COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGES HELPED ME TO IMPROVE MY WORK AND WIN 1ST PLACE AT ANOTHER LASH ART COMPETITION JUST A FEW DAYS AGO. AND WHO KNOWS - MAYBE I WILL ENTER AND WIN THIS ONE AGAIN :)

ANA MARIJA TELIÅ MAN

My name is Ana Marija Telišman and I come from a very small, but very beautiful, country in Europe called Croatia. I have been in the lash business for 6 Years now, but only last year I started competing.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT, “IT IS HARD. I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW IF YOU DON’T TRY!” SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN THE WINNER OF THREE EYELASH COMPETITIONS! 1st Place Master/Expert/Educator Lash Artists International Frame to FAME Lash Arts Competition November 2016

What would you like people to know about competing in Lash Art Competitions if they have never tried before?

IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN YOURSELVES, WHO ELSE WILL BELIEVE? YOU JUST HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU ARE BEST IN (LASHING) AND ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF YOUR WORK. When planning your entry start with the very first association that pops out of your mind – it is always the right one! Pick an interesting, beautiful model with beautiful eyes.

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AND THE GRAND PRIZE GOES TO...

Can you please share a little about the preparation that you did while planning, designing and finishing the entry?

FOR MY FRAME TO FAME ENTRY MY THEME WAS PABLO PICASSO. In preparation, I watched

movies about him and his work, and then it was all much more clear to me. I thought, “I understand his work”. For the lashes I used mostly colors that he used on his paintings. I took a piece of paper and hand painted several of his paintings – but in miniature – to accomplish and embellish the upper lashes. The most important thing is taking a picture.

SO WHEN YOU DO ALL THAT – GO FOR IT. YOUR CLIENTS WILL LOVE THAT YOU HAVE ENTERED ANY COMPETITION, AND YOUR BUSINESS WILL GROW FASTER. BE CREATIVE AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. EVERY ENTRY IS A GOOD ENTRY, BECAUSE BEHIND EVERY ENTRY, THERE IS HARD WORK, YOUR HEART AND YOUR SOUL!!!

Owner of W Lash Beautique Studio and Lash Beautique Pro Distribution Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

VIVIAN KO

Your entry was an audience favorite because of the opulence and detail. Can you tell is about the decorative elements you created and crafted? The turquiose lashes are classic and 2D 0.10mm lashes 8-13mm At the ends are single 14mm green 0.15mm with 5D pink fans sprinkled with large pink translucent shards of clear confetti Yellow gold glitter dipped 0.15mm in between Purple “vine”of lashes with yellow 6D fans and rhinestones Green “vine”of lashes with pink 6D fans and rhinestones 5 Lash Flowers decorated with nail stickers and rhinestones Bottom lashes - 3 clusters with pink extensions sprinkled in between w gold tattoo and white confetti. Are some of them made of lashes? Yes, all the decorative aspects of the design are made of lashes Fantasy Lash Art is not as popular in North America as it is in Europe. What can you say or recommend to lash artists that would like to try their hand at it? I find what we do for a living (lash extensions) is a form of art however most clients choose mostly black for the day to day. Competition allows me to be creative and let loose with color and an adornments. I think more lash artist should come out to compete so they can have the freedom to express themselves and play.

I RECOMMEND THOSE WANTING TO COMPETE TO THINK ABOUT THE COSTUME AND HAIR PIECE FIRST. THEN PULL INSPIRATION FROM THOSE MATERIALS (WHETHER ITS FROM A PIECE OF LACE, JEWELS OR THE BODY PAINT ETC.) AND THEN GO WITH IT!

We will have a summer edition of the F2F contest – will you be joining us? Yes It will be fun!

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VILJA BIRKELUND

Having been on both sides of competitions, both competing and judging, what are your top 3 tips to help future competitors in our summer LAI Frame to FAME Competition? 1. Let your creativity loose, but also contain it. Stick to your theme. 2. Make the lashes “pop” with all, or just a hint, of color. It’s easy to forget about the lashes when there is so much else going on. 3. Read the rules of judging very closely to make sure you will get the most points. Can you break down the beautiful ombre lash work you did for your Golden Buddha entry? The lashes used were Flawless Lashes by Loreta. All upper layer is made with Brown Chroma Lashes in Ccurl 0,07 in 4-6D 8-11 mm. I then taped back for easy access to lower layers. The lower layers are D-curl 0,06 thickness in 5-8D, 8-10 mm lengths. The styling is similar to an “open eye” effect with the longest lengths in the middle of the eye. Do you prefer to let the beautiful lash work and skill in mega volume, for instance, take center stage in Lash Art pieces or do you like super embellishment and complex overall design? I think that some lash art entries can have too much embellishments on the lashes - which takes away from the beauty of the lash work itself. Some might have too little (like my own Buddha entry, I admit). To be honest I did not plan well enough, but I am still happy with the overall results. I did my best on

the lashes. In my next lash art entry, I will keep in mind this contest’s feedback. I will try to get the perfect balance between gorgeous lash work and embellishments that enhance the lashes, but do not outshine them. If you could add one more skill to your terrific arsenal for competing in lash art competitions what would it be? I have always been artistic and loved to draw. I love makeup and have always had an interest in special effects makeup - although I am no master, I love to experiment. I also have always loved teeny tiny things and precision work - which makes lash art my new favorite hobby! Can you tell us a little of what it was like to compete in this competition? I loved doing the lash art, but still wish I had more time to plan better. Just finding the art piece I wanted as inspiration was hard enough and took me a few days. It was kind of a disaster the day of. My model’s 6-year old was with us all day. Little did we know we would be going for 9 hours, meal breaks and all. Well there is no child that is ever 9-hours patient! After lashes and in to makeup, I ran out of gold paint! Bad planning, haha! So, I have learned for next time to start earlier, no kids and definitely better planning. But Lash Art itself is so much fun! And I loved the theme of this competition, it allowed for so much creativity!

VIKTORIA TARJAN

Will you tell us particularly about the lash design and detail for this entry? In making the set, I used red, wine-red, brown and neon yellow lashes together with the black base C and D curl. I mixed the curls, size and placement of the colors that when the eyes open and when the eyes closed is a different color scheme to the overall effect. To decorate the lower lashes, I used feathers which I decorated with beads. There is a custom-designed Holofernes head next to the model’s left eye and the ruby jewel-blood drops falling from that eye would mean in today’s tattoo art that the person killed someone but in this Biblical story murder was necessary to reach peace.

What was the process like for you, coming up with this finished look? I really liked the LAI Frame to Fame Lash Art competition of art history. I chose direct the Renaissance era, which creates a clean and counterproductive in contrast the modern fashionable eyelashes extension. My theme was Lucas Cranach – Judith and Holofernes (1530). Judith’s character has been a popular theme in history of art. The temptress, the “fame fatale” character appears in world famous creations. She is the incarnate of the temptress. The ideal of such a heroic and beautiful woman whose glance and temptation are fatal. I had about 2 weeks to organize everything, that is the model, elements, photographer, it proved to be a difficult task. This competition was my first lashart competition. My friend who is a costume designer created a renaissance contemporary outfit, neckband and a headpiece – they are true “haute couture” pieces. I tried to obtain any symbol referring to renaissance that would give the final look harmony.

For new lash artists or maybe lash artists who have just never competed, why should they consider competitions? The competition for me is a challenge. The end result is not necessarily important, but the road leading to the essence. Both professionally and humanly you are evolve and learning. I love the planning, preparation, and that myself I give into my work. I believe that the uniqueness is what You stand out from the crowd and this is a perfect opportunity to do so.

MARIE-LINE BRUSA-PASQUE

If you could give advice to someone who wants to try Lash Art Competitions but is a bit shy, what would it be? You should not be afraid...you should jump into the challenge...The remarks of the judges can be harsh or critical, but they make us progress! You should see lash art as an entertainment, your artist part, the fantasy you cannot express during your everyday work (because not everything is allowed by the customers) can blow out and you can really express yourself! It is also a way to showcase your work to the whole world, since the competition is broadcast in many countries via social networks.

If you could go back in time to the preparation of the photo entry, would you do anything differently? Yes for sure, I would apply more accessories to my model, I would improve the makeup. I would not try to faithfully reproduce the drawing...

Can you please tell us about how you designed your DaVinci-inspired creation? I chose Léonard because he is a complete artist: scientist, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, etc. Like him, a Lash Art Artist has to smartly combine many skills such as makeup, decoration, sewing, color scheme, pictures.. in order to produce a harmonious work. I simply tried to reproduce the painting “the lady with the ermine”. I wanted to make it soft, so I applied colored eyelashes, with a gradient of green / blue. And it was necessary to find the ermine that I did not have! So I took the rabbit “Tutti” from my model. All accessories are good to take !

Entering an online competition is certainly different than a live competition, do you now feel inspired to compete both live and online? Yes, it most definitely is different! Although competing in an online competition is a lot less nerve wracking, competing live will ultimately push me and make me better as a lash artist. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pumped to keep competing in live and online competitions. What was your preparation like before your photography session? Did you do any dry runs or experimentation? A few days before the photo shoot I painted the background on canvas and I painted the blue dress. The night before, we started with the volume lash

NATALIE CLARK

application. We were up until 2:30am! I’m still new to volume so it took me forever to get the lashes done. The day of the photo shoot I applied a layer of liquid latex to her skin before painting her body with non-toxic acrylic paints. The liquid latex and paint dried and made her skin look wrinkly, she could barely move her face. Feeling defeated and nothing to hold the frame I snapped a few photos and called it quits. A couple days later I called my model up and asked her if she’d be willing to let me try it again, and to my surprise she agreed. The second time around we did not use the liquid latex and figured out a way to hang the frame so that it gave the illusion that she was an actual painting. Were there any lessons you learned in the process that could benefit the efforts of a newer lash artist? Do a trial run and hire a photographer! What is it about this artist that you remastered that made you choose this design and composition? I was inspired by the 1960’s artist Margaret Keane, an American oil & mixed media painter. Most known for her paintings of people with over-sized doe like eyes. Margaret’s work is often referred to as “Big Eyes”. The idea to make my model look like a painting came from my all-time favorite artist, Alexa Meade, who is famous for painting directly on subjects to create the illusion that the real person or subject is a 2D painting. And what about the lash design? Using a 3D and 4D lash application technique, I applied black lashes in an open eye frame, to emphasize Keane’s iconic doe eyed style.

AZ Lash Lady Chandler, Arizona

Instagram: @azlashlady 75

INGRIDA ZAICEVIENE

If you could give new lash artists – or just lash artists that have never competed in lash art competitions – one favorite piece of advice, what would it be? One of advice for future competitors would be to believe in yourself and don’t t stop dreaming. To be better than anyone else, you need to work harder. That’s what I believe in. Can you comment on how you prepared and planned your entry? After registration for the competition, I started to look for the model. The girl (who is my client) accepted my offer to be my model. Her face expressions were unique, that’s why it didn’t leave me any more options for another model. My idea for the theme came up after first frost in my back garden. That frost and sunshine inspired my creation of “Frozen Elsa”. Also, I am makeup artist, so it was easy to picture the character’s face in my mind. The clothing and accessories I found in a couple of shops. The joy of preparation and photo-shooting was the best experience.

Would you breakdown the lash work and makeup effects of the design? Lashes: I chose volume 6D-9D in lengths and pattern of 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 11 (0.05mm) lashes, because it looks glamorous. Make up: I used white and dark blue colors, some crystals, to create the frost effect for the model, by bringing outlines in the lash level and brows level. All my work was finished with some sparkling effect by crystal jewelry and sparkling hair spray on plait, by creating a wonderful frost effect. Would you do anything differently if you could go back and change or add anything? I wouldn’t change anything, as I believed I was doing all the best for the very first time :) That was the best feeling I’ve ever felt, because it was my first entry after many years of work as eyelash artist. I’m very happy that I was one of Jill HeijligersPeloquin’s Top 10 VIP List favorites.

If you could have green screened your entry or built a set for her - what kind of world and backstory do you imagine for your character? My Entry was based on artist H.R, Gigerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s art style including his sci-fi film creature so she would be in a very moody dark background, a very alien gothic style setting would fit in perfectly. Is your process to create your Lash Art entries a spontaneous flow, or do you plan out, storyboard, or other method of organizing your steps? I had a completely different idea at first (which I still love and may use in the future), however, I knew I needed a complete wow factor to have a chance of winning. With a prize of being flown to Lash Artists International Conference in the US, how can you not!? I had to take the risk of maybe being a little too obscure for the general public. I wanted to give the

PIXIE AMBLER

unexpected and not give a typical expected art entry. I choose one of my favorite artist and made a storyboard via Pinterest of art and film pieces of his, as well as inspired alien like costumes and head pieces. With a vison and concept in mind I went to the hardware store and bought what I thought could be turned into a costume piece. The costume frame was made via metal welded together and a Halloween skeleton deconstructed. (You will see the ribs are on her chin.) Cable clips were deconstructed and glued together to form a skeletal piece. Garden spiral pegs were spray painted, cable tied to her hands for claws and a Christmas tree decoration was used as a head piece. There was a lot of thought and prep as this competition, unlike any other, was going to be all in - or nothing. Everything was handmade or constructed. For lash artists who just cannot believe how luxurious your LASHWORK on this entry was, can you break it down for us? This set was a “lash and remove after” set, so extreme mega was used in order for the lashes to pop in the photos, two shades of green where used to give light and shade to the green. Color lashes are amazing to work with, but very difficult to photograph. Even a thick set can look mundane as it doesn’t have the blackness extensions usually have. For this reason, I also painted behind her eyes green to help the green “double pop” in the photos. Any advice or tidbits or tips for somebody would like to compete but never has? Step outside the norm, but don’t lose track of the brief. Read the rules. Carefully read EVERYTHING you can receive points on, and hit each mark. I missed this, and I left points on the table which I still kick myself about today. Take clear shots that clearly show the lash extensions as it still is a lash contest. Check your camera often to make sure they are in place as the camera will pick up what your eye doesn’t. (There’s nothing worse than finishing a photoshoot and lash strands are out of place.) Make sure your photos make you go “WOW”.

LIFTING LASHES TO NEW HEIGHTS THE LASH LIFT REVOLUTION

BY OTTO MITTER We live in a world where people want results – instantly. We’ve come to an age that when you send someone a message, we expect that reply to be in our Facebook messenger app within minutes. Instant gratification is a huge crowd pleaser in everything we do these days and the beauty industry is no exception when it comes to catering to your clients desires. The call for instant gratification treatments in the beauty industry has seen a boom with lash & brow bars opening all around the world, customers loving the results you can achieve with amazing lashes and brows simply by walking in and wollah! Walking out with the bomb diggity L & B look to die for. The most commonly known lash treatments are eyelash tinting, colouring and eyelash extensions, yes we all know about these main stays, there’s lash perming...mmm yeah I think I’ve heard of this you might say, but have you heard of lash lift? A

LASH LIFT? SOUNDS INTERESTING! TELL ME MORE YOU SAY! WELL YOU AREN’T THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS INTERESTED IN THE SOUND OF LOVELY LASHES THAT ARE LIFTED.

Managing Director of Ex-Import Niche Products – Otto Mitter has been on the forefront of this trend since it’s humble beginnings, his family company and Australian brand Elleebana launched in 1995 focusing on an Australian made skincare brand and eyelash enhancement products, one of which was

eyelash perming. The team at Elleebana saw the potential with this easy to do treatment that gave amazing results and started the journey on product development. Otto gives us some insight into the world of the lash lift and how it all came about.

LASH LIFTING IS UNDENIABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST TRENDS IN THE EYELASH INDUSTRY TODAY, IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD OF IT AND YOUR ONE TO LOVE ALL THINGS LASHES THEN THERE’S NO DOUBT YOU WILL BE HEARING ALL ABOUT IT. Lash lifting is a retake on the traditional lash perm technique but there’s a few new tricks to it that have seen this lash lovers delight lift to new heights.

Lash lifting allows you to enhance your natural lashes, making them look longer and fuller without the use of eyelash extensions. There’s virtually no aftercare required at all meaning you can shower, swim and play without worrying about your lashes falling out and having to go back for infills AND!! The treatment lasts 6-8 weeks and in many cases even 12 weeks! Many people ask what is the difference between the traditional eyelash perming and the new method of lash lifting? The traditional eyelash perming technique was developed in ASIA over 25 years ago, the asian market and clientele generally have very straight eyelashes so they developed a way to curl their eyelashes for a longer period of time without

having to use an eyelash curler daily. Therapists would use a latex based eye putti to adhere the eyelashes on to a specially designed perming rod or cotton roller that was placed on the eye lid. You then applied the specialised lotions to the eyelashes for the required processing time and after approx. 45 mins treatment time the lashes would be curled beautifully for your client, this curl would last for around 6-8 weeks. Eyelash perming really took off around the world as the results were undeniably amazing, however the trend lost some of itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s momentum over the years due to a lack of quality training in the procedure on a global level. Therapists would attempt to apply the products as it seems like a relatively simple procedure to do, however thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s some crucial elements that ensure you get the desired results for your clients. Without

this knowledge some therapists would fail when performing the treatment on clients and therefore lose interest in offering the service any longer. There was also a lot of innovation needed as far as the general products were concerned, traditional lotions always came in bottles or ampoules, the problem with this method was the perming lotion would start to oxidize once opened, you would get anywhere from 8 to 20 applications in a bottle or tube, but if you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use all the lotion within a couple of weeks after opening, then all of a suddenly the product would oxidize and become inactive even if if the tube was only half used. So essentially therapists would have clients on the bed having a treatment and then the product would not work, this is extremely frustrating, wasteful and time consuming for everyone involved.

BY OTTO MITTER Our brand Elleebana realised this issue early on and developed our revolutionary One Shot Lash Perm System around 10 years ago now. This system allowed lotions to be filled into single use sachets so therapists would have fresh lotion to use before every client, thus eliminating the chance that the lotion had oxidised. We then continued to work on the quality of the lotions themselves, making the processing time faster so it cut down the treatment time for the therapist and the client, we also incorporated conditioning ingredients, such as lanolin into the lotions which helps to nourish the lashes further during the treatment. The eyelash perming trend had resurged again, but there was more innovations still to come, the actual perming rod or roller that was being used was quite thin in diameter and had a very small C curve, this means clients lashes could be “over curled” quite easily they also had a very sticky adhesive on them and they weren’t very flexible so ti was difficult to attach to some clients eye lids. So the development of silicone shields, or silicone rods was born, these new apparatuses allowed a more lifting effect from the base of the eyelashes. The C curve was not as severe which then allowed for a more natural ‘lifting effect” and the base of the silicone rods could sit right up against the eye line. This made the service more comfortable for the client. With the development of silicone rods and shields came the development of a new water based adhesive, the advantages of this adhesive are: 1. It reduces the treatment time even further for the therapist, being a water based adhesive with no latex it dries faster and is also removed easier with no residue on the lashes. 2. It allows you to manoeuvre lashes into perfect position on the silicone rods, giving you the option to style the lashes to suit your clients face shape, for example clients with a rounder face can have their lashes lifted in more of straight up style, or clients with a diamond shape face could have a cat eye effect giving a a more balanced proportion to the face. The exciting developments with this service have made it a mainstay in many salons, lash & brow bars around the world. The key points are that it is

quite fast and simple to do, on average it’s only a 20 minute treatment time and the client has beautifully lifted lashes that can last up to 12 weeks with next to no aftercare required. This is a huge game changer as with eyelash extensions you need to take very good care of your lashes and they generally last 4 weeks before you need to go back and have infills or the entire treatment again. It also takes around 1.5 hours to do a proper set of classic eyelash extensions so the service will generally cost you more to have and takes more time out of your day. Lash lifting enhances your natural eyelashes making them look longer and fuller, with no maintenance required. So clients all around the world are flocking to have this treatment because of all the benefits, instant results and no fuss involved. We couple the treatment using the superior Belmacil tinting system which adds more colour and definition to the lashes to enhance the result even further, Belmacil has a range of 11 colours which can be customised to any clients needs and allows you to be a colour stylist for your client, which goes above and beyond the standard tinting application, it promotes client loyalty and sets you apart from the rest of the crowd.

ELLEEBANA HAS A HUGE FOCUS ON TRAINING, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND SHARING GOOD INFORMATION, WE INVEST A LOT INTO MAKING SURE THAT THE CORRECT TRAINING IS AVAILABLE TO ALL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING THE TECHNIQUE. This is a professional use only treatment and MUST be applied by a trained therapist to ensure your getting amazing results that can be achieved. In the last few years Elleebana has grown rapidly on a global scale, our international team has exploded into action conducting regular training classes all around the USA, Europe, Russia and of course where it all started in Australia and New Zealand. I couldn’t be prouder of our brand and how we have been able to come so far, it hasn’t been an overnight success by any means, there has been many years of hard work and development to get taken seriously on a global level, but with an amazing product, the right team and game plan behind you, reaching the wider audience is more possible than ever.

TAMSEN HORTON Founder and CEO of Tamsen Horton

If you could invent a magic lashing tool or innovation, what would it be and what would it accomplish? If I could invent a magic lashing tool, it would be a pen I could just glide over my brows that would remove all the pesky unwanted hairs and be completely painless. Pretty much like a refrigerator where you put all the food in and it came out calorie free. Is there a “lesson learned” that you have experienced or witnessed, that you could give advanced warning for our readers to avoid? A lesson learned is that every business decision has a legal impact point – every single decision. Work for yourself or someone else – legal impact points. See clients at home or in a salon - legal impact points. Branding yourself as a “name” – definite legal impact points. But those impact points can be great places for expansion and growth when you know that you need to keep “legal” in the mix instead of leaving legal behind and then having it bite you in the behind. In a saturated market – or when swimming in a sea of other great talent – what can a lash artist do to differentiate themselves? Highlight what makes you unique and showcase that. Also, use the many technologies available to you to create amazing customer experiences for your customers. As a lawyer, I’d love to have a lash artist that could give me access to videos so that I could “do” my lashes/brows myself during the inbetween

visits. Create a Slack channel for customers and check in with them, offer pop-up events on social media platforms - just giving your customers ways to see that what you have is SO much more than lashes! Tell us a little known/fun or unusual fact about you. I was born in Fairbanks, Alaska when it was -65 F degrees and my driver’s license was Go-Thatta Way Drive, North Pole, AK – no kidding! As a figure skater, I skated from 4am – 10am every day before school and juggling skating and my studies graduated Valedictorian of my high school. I have no problem waking up in the morning but it is almost impossible for me to stay up past 7pm. I studied Japanese in high school and spent a month living in Makuhari, Japan going to school. One evening my host family took us to dinner for tacos. I had forgotten that tako in Japanese was octopus and was very surprised when a slimy, purple octopus arrived on my dinner plate. I finished my bachelors of science degree in three years, with a pre-medical focus and then travelled to Durham, England to attend the University of Durham for my final year of studies.

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HILAREE BRAND Founder and CEO of My Brand Lashes

What 3 top tips can you give to motivate new Lash Artists to succeed in the “business” of lashing? 1. Be patient with yourself, business do not take off overnight. Plan on set backs. They help you grow. 2. Learn to say “no” 3. Don’t over look aspects that keep your business legit. I.E accounts, marketing etc. Where can we find you, your Academy and/or shop on Social Media? Instagram @mybrandlashes Facebook.com/mybrandlashes What are your unique views on Continuing Education in the Lash Industry? How often should a Lash Artist take classes? I am pro-continuing education! This industry is still growing rapidly keep up:) Plan on at least 1 class every 6 months How many Lash Industry trainings have you taken? 6

Were you originally a “natural” at lashing? Yes, I was. What lashing or business mastery “myth” would you like busted once and for all? Myth– There isn’t enough Truth– There is enough business for everyone. In your opinion, what is the “First Rule of Customer Service”? Trying not to take something personally. In a saturated market - or when swimming in a sea of other great talent - what can a lash artist do to differentiate themselves? Offer something unique that no one else is offering. DO NOT COPYCAT. My Brand Lashes were born from this thought process. Tell us a little known/fun or unusual fact about you. I have 15 hrs of flight time logged as a pilot.

Do you really practice the skills that you teach, as in putting in “practice time”? Every. Single. Day. At least 30 min. To be real, it’s more of a meditation for me.

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WHAT ELSE IS IN YOUR KIT?

BY ETHEL REDDY

ARE YOU A MOBILE LASH ARTIST AND/OR MAKEUP ARTIST? TAKE A FEW TIPS FROM ME, THAT I HAVE GATHERED OVER THE YEARS, SO THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS PREPARED. THESE TIPS GO JUST A LITTLE BEYOND THE USUAL SAFETY PINS AND BOBBY PINS. BECAUSE LASH ARTISTS ARE SO CRAFTY, YOU CAN SAVE THE DAY ON SET WITH YOUR EMERGENCY BAG OF TRICKS THAT YOU CARRY IN YOUR KIT!

Bandaids – hopefully, not for injuries! If you need to mask off eyeliner or apply an emergency volume fan to close a gap in your model’s lash line, bandaids make great emergency undereye patches! Sharpie Markers can be used for all kinds of things, from marking disposable sample jars of cosmetics, to disguising scuffs on shoe heels and more! Ever placed and “set” a volume lash fan and saw the dreaded “bloom” appear? When you’re on set or on the clock, there might not be time to remove and reapply, let alone touch up the makeup this would disturb. Touch it up with a quick zap of the sharpie tip! Yes you are an Eyelash Extension Artist, but False Lashes and Clear and Dark latex-free, skin safe, False Eyelash Glue can add bling rhinestones or jewelry findings to any look and temporarily hold things “just right” for the shot!

Clear Nail Polish is the duct tape of the makeup world! It can quickly repair and hold a sweater snag, stop a run in pantyhose or make a fading manicure POP with fresh depth of color! Full Cover Press-On Nails for an accent nail or if your model didn’t get a manicure – or if a nail breaks while on set! Search online for “full cover false nails wholesale” because you will want to have 3 or 4 looks standing by! Empty Small Cosmetic Sample Bottles & Jars are really convenient, so you do not have to carry full sized items. Use on off-site gigs and never worry about double-dipping – just throw them away! Get these at beauty supply stores or online at amazon, ebay or warehouses like qosmedix.com and purespadirect.com for excellent value. Battery-operated Eyebrow Shaper for emergency hair, brow, side burn, back of neck or body hair shaving.

Also works great to de-pill a sweater! Indian BINDI (bling stick-ons) can easily be found on Etsy, Amazon.com or at local Indian Marts or Nail Art Supplies stores. WHY DO YOU WANT THIS IN

YOUR KIT? If your model forgets, breaks or loses an

earring, as add-on nail art or a beautiful jeweled point of interest on the face, neck, hands, fingers, shoulders, etc.

AND…DON’T GO ANYWHERE FOR A MOBILE SHOOT WITHOUT A MIXED LENGTHS TRAY OF LASHES, A SMALL AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AND YOUR TWEEZERS! Ethel Reddy | Make Up, Hair & Eyelash www.ethelook.com | San Francisco Facebook/ethelook Instagram/@e.the.look

LAURA KAMINSKIENE Ireland MB Beauty School

What 3 top tips can you give to motivate new Lash Artists to succeed in the “business” of lashing? 1) Never pay serious attention to GOSSIPS about yourself from other lash masters about what you doing. Love your work, be yourself and find your own star in the sky. 2) Never give up, move only forwards. Every fall is only one more step higher in your career. Always motivate yourself with positive mindset. 3) Be professional and give the best convenience for your clients. Imagine that you are in their shoes, and act that way you would expect to be treated from another master. Where can we find you, your Academy and/or shop on Social Media? Facebook: MB BEAUTY SCHOOL Instagram: @mbbeautyschool www.mbbeautyschool.com Do you use Social Media to engage or to promote your trainings, engagements, and offerings? Which Social Media platform is your favorite to promote your classes and business? Which is best for networking and building connections? I think that Facebook is the most popular one, because we have so many international master’s groups: Eyelash Club, Lash Obsession UK, Lash Inc Magazine group and many more. There is often over 2000 members in each group. We also have our own groups

where our students are chatting and have thoughts about their work and problems in lashing, so our Academy always offering them advanced courses to improve themselves more. Instagram and snap chat are very helpful to build the student groups, members for our academy. But I think not all depends only from social media: the best recommendation would be MOUTH to MOUTH, when somebody can recommend you personally. What are your unique views on Continuing Education in the Lash Industry? How often should a Lash Artist take classes? We all should take classes; always keep refreshing ourselves, because our industry is growing and many new techniques are coming up every year. We have in this industry so many professional masters with their own techniques and strong theory motivations. Students must take trainings as much as they can - I would say every couple months if there is a chance to do so. If not, once per year it’s still good, because I know many of us is very busy and have so many clients. I think we all should take classes not only in lashing, but take business classes, motivation classes and many others which relate to our business. Tell us a little known/fun or unusual fact about you. I always wanted to be a hairdresser. Ha ha ha! But just one morning woke up and said OK, I think I will be the eyelash technician! So, this is one little fact about me!

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LEANNE HARBER

Founder and CEO of Hello Ultimate

Do you use Social Media to engage or to promote your trainings, engagements and offerings? Which Social Media platform is your favorite to promote your classes and business? Which is best for networking and building connections? Social media is a massive part of everyone’s career, training and building your business. I would say 90% of my business as a beauty provider with my own beauty page came from using Facebook. If you are building your business, you can offer “this week only”, “Lash Lift £20 This month only” type posts and special offers that can really give your business a boost. We all do so much on social media, looking at others’ pages and interacting. In fact, I am writing an article for Lash Inc Magazine on Social Media groups… Lash Groups: Friend or Foe? There are a lot of pros and cons about being in those groups. Do you really practice the skills that you teach, as in putting in “practice time”? Do I practice my skills? Yes, I do! Many techniques I teach I came up with myself whilst practicing. I definitely do practice what I preach. It’s a daily practice thing, a weekly practice, a monthly practice thing: practice, practice, practice! You’ve always got to practice, girls - otherwise you will forget and your skills will go.

career, but while customer service is very important, do not let the customer walk all over you. You can bend over backwards for clients – being available , etc – but you need to remember how they need to treat you as well. Set those cancelation policies, etc.

In your opinion, what is the “First Rule of Customer Service”? It’s so important to LISTEN. Customer Service is really big; very important to me. If you make them feel important and amazing, they will always, always come back. Sometimes we end up being “agony Aunts” and counsellors, but I cannot begin to count how many times I have truly helped someone by listening or giving advice. Always listen and make them feel special. Tell us a little known/fun or unusual fact about you. I have been on a couple of TV shows in England. One was a talk show called ‘Trisher’ with my boyfriend at the time. It was quite funny. I was also on ‘Your face or Mine’ and won £2000!! Where can we find you, your Academy and/or shop on Social Media? @hellogorgeouskent www.helloultimate.com facebook/UltimateHQuk/

Is there a “lesson learned” that you have experienced or witnessed, that you could give advanced warning for our readers to avoid? I’ve learned lots of lessons over the course of my

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FOUR WAYS TO NURTURE LASH ARTISTS

BY ERIKA MENANTEAUX

undervalued, exhausted and in pain, just like me. I needed to choose: stay safe and make the same amount of money again or leap and create my own lash business. I chose to create. I wanted a lash business perfect for clients but also a dream for lash artists to work in. Three years ago, I was a fully booked lash artist. I gave up a decade of facials, waxing and makeup to meet the needs of my ever growing lash clientele. There I was, fully booked and STUCK. STUCK in a tiny room, scarfing down lunch in between clients. I couldn’t take a vacation because I would have to work double when I returned. I couldn’t move my body without being in pain. I wanted a break so badly that I offered to hire and train a junior artist, FOR FREE, just to take some of my clients. My boss turned me down, and worse, wouldn’t allow me to raise my prices or increase my commission. I. WAS. STUCK. It dawned on me that this is precisely why so many lash artists work for themselves. My friends, the independent lash artists I knew, controlled their own schedules, vacations, money and fatigue. So I called, emailed and met with my expert lash friends and guess what? They were feeling overworked,

The client experience was effortless to dream up. Luxurious surroundings with a simple menu and elegant branding convey the message that Luminous is the only place to consider for luxury lash services. The bigger endeavour was creating an ideal Lash Artist environment. I considered my colleagues’ complaints, and my personal employee woes to create an artist friendly organization. We succeeded. These the FOUR pain points I fixed for Luminous Lash Artists 1. SALARY Luminous Artists have the opportunity to make more money than freelancing. Since we maximize dollars earned per hour, services and prices are structured in a way that pays Artists for their time, as opposed to how many lashes or how many weeks it has been since the clients

fill. To ensure they get to show up and lash, Artists don’t manage clients or inventory. They don’t have to pay for supplies, ever. Everything is taken care of so that when they are here, they are making money. 2. BODY PAIN AND BURNOUT Luminous treatment rooms are equipped with mechanical tables so artists can adjust client height according to their own body mechanic needs in that moment. These tables allow our artists to lash both sitting, in ergonomic stools of their choice or standing. Lash artists are encouraged to go for walks throughout the day. We turned a 4th treatment room into an employee lounge with a stocked fridge and pantry. Breaks are encouraged. We acknowledge that extensive lashing is grueling not just on our bodies but also on our psyches. Our artists are self motivated and

responsible for their client load, so, when they say they need a break, we honor that. Whether it is a day, a weekend or a week, artists are encouraged to care for themselves by taking breaks from work. We handle the client rescheduling process. 3. CLIENT OVERWHELM The Luminous Client Concierge is a gatekeeper to lash artists. Artists once overwhelmed with client texts, emails and voicemails now rely on the Concierge to field appointment requests, common lash questions, client expectations and all pricing communications. When it is time to increase prices, the concierge discusses it with clients and manages any pushback. The Concierge is aware that she sets the tone for the client’s service and is responsible for delivering an already satisfied client to our artists.

BY ERIKA MENANTEAUX

4. LONG TERM CAREER As Luminous Artists get busier and busier we do some serious career planning. We review their book and their pricing to determine if a price increase is necessary. If artists want to mix up services, we organize complementary treatments for them to offer such as microblading, waxing or makeup. For the artist who has already increased pricing and added services, we are explore ways for them to make money by mentoring our new artists and give them an opportunity to open their own Luminous.

We have found these 4 points to be effective in employee satisfaction and retention. Our tight knit team takes care of one another so that we can all perform our best each day. If you’re a lash boss, what do you do to nurture your employees? If you’re an employee, what do you wish your lash boss would do for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. We are lucky to be able to create businesses that we would love to work in. Keep that in mind and lash on, friends.

RIA HOUNTASHART Founder and CEO of Lashtique

What are your unique thoughts on continuing education in the lash industry? How often should a lash artist take classes? Lash artists who began when the industry was in its true infancy didn’t have specific options for continuing education. We had to learn on our own. Today, its a totally different Lash World. There are so many types of lashes and curls and finishes and tapers and diameters and variations OH MY! It can be rather overwhelming – especially to newer lash artists, but many seasoned lash artists can feel the same way. There are so many talented lash artist/educators that help streamline the learning curve. We have conferences that we can indulge our lash obsession with others just as obsessed as us. I personally can’t get enough of getting together with other lash artists and sharing knowledge as well as passion. So, how often should someone take classes? Take classes as often as you possibly can! Take online classes, in person classes, attend conferences. The cost of continuing education and travel should be built into your pricing right up there with your overhead and profit margin. If you are new to the industry it can be tougher, but it truly is an investment. Consider it part of start up costs just like any other business. A great class, a great conference can truly make a difference in your bottom line as well as your reputation as a lash artist. In your opinion, what is the “First Rule of Customer Service”? Ok, this question is tougher to answer than I first thought. Customer service is EVERYTHING in this

business and it is multifaceted. I am going out on a limb here, and saying that it might be even more important than actual lashing skills. An “average” skilled lash artist with “amazing” customer service skills will very likely outperform the “super skilled” lash artist with “poor” customer service skills in the long run. So in my opinion, the “First” rule of customer service is to make customer service the benchmark that you build your business and your reputation on. Do you really practice the skills that you teach, as in putting in “practice time”? I maintain a full client schedule, and they have 100% trust in me. So if I want to try something new with styling or a curl they let me. They know and trust that if I or they don’t like the outcome that I will make it right. If I want to experiment with a technique or anything that may slow me down I ask their permission if I can extend their appointment. So I essentially build in the majority of my “practice” while I’m technically working seeing clients. If I’m trying something extremely different, then I put in practice time with a friend that will lend me their lashes. Where can we find you, your academy and/or shop on social media? www.lashtique.com facebook.com/Ria Hountas-Hart Instagram @ria_hart

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ERIKA MENANTEAUX Founder and CEO of Luninous

Where can we find you, your Academy and/or shop on Social Media? www.getluminous.com instagram/getluminous facebook/getluminous Were you originally a “natural” at lashing? I was terrible at lashing when I started. I had no natural artistic talent and my fine motor skill was so underdeveloped that my technique was absolutely horrible. But one thing that came very naturally for me was the ability to make the client feel safe. That safety led a lot my clients to want to lend themselves as models, so since I had so many people to practice on, my technical skill developed quickly within a few months. What lashing or business mastery “myth” would you like busted once and for all? The business mastery myth that I would like busted is that we must do it all... alone. Being our own boss is tough enough but when we also feel like we need to become our own web developers, photographers, accountants, marketers, cleaning service and receptionists, we are robbing ourselves of the joy lashing can bring.

Find a mentor, join a tribe of business people, seek wisdom from those lash artists who came before you and have conversations that go beyond budgets, business plans and spreadsheets. So much of what it takes to expand is emotional resilience and clear purpose...have you developed those qualities? How do they play a role in your decision making? Can you distinguish what your instincts are from what you fear? How do you handle rejection or when things fall apart? Do you know what you truly desire? Expansion isn’t the only way to grow... would you expand if you could increase revenues in other ways? Seek those conversations, stay in those conversations, even if they are uncomfortable... those conversations are what will give you the roots to propel you forward to do beautiful business with grace and integrity. In your opinion, what is the “First Rule of Customer Service”? The “First Rule of Customer Service” at Luminous is to give each client your undivided attention... whether in the reception area or the treatment room, your attention and care is what they will remember most.

What kind of advice would you give a lash artist that feels they are ready to expand in some way – i.e. Take on additional staff, expand by opening a new location, move to a bigger location, etc.?

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