Brow Inc. ISSUE 1 : 2022
contents welcome 4
Meet Team Brow Inc
5
Letter from the CEO
08
brows 8
Brow Lamination: T he latest beauty trend taking the UK by storm!
11
Why is our new brow sculpt a big wow for all brows?
12
The dangers of DIY home lash lifts
14
What artists need to know about laminated brows
16
Brow Lamination: What is it, why are we doing it, and do you really need to learn
2 Welcome
14
16
25
24 business 20
Get your brow business started
21
Lift your business
22
Give your academy a BOOST!
23
Are you offering a service or an experience?
24
Dealing with difficult customers and situations
25
How to set up lash extension prices
Welcome 3
welcome Meet Team Lash Inc.
Angelina Salacinski Lash Inc Co-Owner, Brow Inc Guest Editor Owner Lash Factor
Britta Krueger Lash Inc Co-owner & UK Co-Editor Owner flirties.
Loreta Jasilionyte Lash Inc Co-owner & Expert Article Writer Owner Flawless Lashes by Loreta
Wendy Maltman Media Director
Contributors Also: Louise Tierney - Editorial Consultant Shahzor Ahmed Jalbani - Editorial Assistant Polly Smith Flirties Sara Bingham Silva Petraite Lashesbyjuli
Cover Image Credits: @strekozza77
4 Welcome
Letter from Guest Editor, Angelina Hi, I’m Angelina Salacinski, CEO of Lash Factor and, more recently, Brow Factor. I was so pleased when I was asked to be a guest editor for Brow Inc and I’m looking forward to getting involved with this creative venture. Brow Inc were the first to launch a brow magazine globally. That was over 6 years ago! It was put on hold but now is the time for the relaunch as the demand for brows has grown exponentially. Prior to this new endeavour I was a senior journalist for Lash Inc magazine, which introduced me to Louise and the brand. So, when she asked me to get involved with Brow Inc I didn’t hesitate. I am now fortunate enough to be a co-owner of Lash Inc too! My brow journey started around 13 years ago when I did a basic course and left feeling not very confident at all. A few months later, I trained with HD Brows. My confidence still hadn’t improved and I didn’t feel comfortable offering brow treatments to any of my clients. In the end I thought that I just had to face the fear and do it anyway. I’d had my training and knew what to do, so it was just a case of doing it. It ended up being one of my favourite treatments to do and that began my love of brows! So, I’d like to officially welcome you to the relaunch of Brow Inc, the world’s first global brow magazine. I look forward to seeing you again in the next issue. Angelina x
Angelina Salacinski @inc.business @lashinc
Published by Lash Inc Contact: Louise Tierney Envelope info@lashinc.com GLOBE www.browinc.com
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Welcome 5
Featured Brow Artist - @lash_trend
BROWS
Brow Lamination: The latest beauty trend taking the UK by storm! S
o the latest trend at the moment is brow lamination or brow perming. It has taken the UK by storm with hundreds of techs clambering to get trained in the treatment to be able to offer the service to their clients, but what exactly is it? What is Brow Lamination? Brow lamination is a beauty trend from Moscow. It makes the eyebrows look fuller, more symmetrical and gives the brows a well-groomed look. It also helps to strengthen and nourish the brows and results can last up to 8 weeks. Brow lamination will ‘fix’ your brows into the shape you want! Innovator Cosmetics is a Russian company and they were the first company to bring out a product especially for brow lamination. The brand is called Mayamy and it is sold all over the world and favoured by a lot of artists due to its amazing results and gentle formula. You cannot use henna on the brows straight after a brow lamination treatment. Any henna procedure should be done 48 hours after. Innovator Cosmetics also have a brand called Bronsun. Bronsun is a gel dye that has a henna effect and this dye can be used straight after brow lamination. Who is the treatment for? If you have unruly brows then this is the treatment for you. If you have brows that are not symmetrical then this is the treatment for you. If you have a gap in your brows or if you just want a more polished look to your brows then this is also the treatment for you. So how does it work? It works in a similar way to a lash lift as you are using similar products and the technique is similar.
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Brow lamination does not use the same ingredients as a regular lash lift though and so shouldn’t be attempted with your brand of lash lift, unless it states that you can. Lash lifting products do not touch the skin and so they can be stronger than brow lamination products. Brow lamination products do touch the skin and so are much gentler. Brow lamination uses a perming solution, a fixing solution, glue and a nourishing agent and/or a liquid silk composition. A proven solution based on keratin and liquid silicone, which coats the hair, creating a protective nutrient-rich film. The perming solution will soften and straighten the hair. The fixing solution fixes the hair for up to 8 weeks. A thin layer of glue is applied. You will need to check the brand you are using to see whether you need to use glue or not. Some brands say that you must use glue. This is usually because the solution is a bit stronger and so the skin needs protecting. With Mayamy they recommend that glue be used when you have just trained in the treatment or if clients have particularly stubborn brows. It does not need to be used though. You then brush the eyebrows into the shape you desire and then perm and fix them into place. The brows can be tinted straight after but if you want to apply henna then you must leave at least 24 hours after treatment before doing so. What look can you achieve? Some people want to go for that Cara Delevigne look with brows brushed upwards. Some just want a more natural look whilst others want a very highly defined look. A lot of people have hairs that grow in different directions and with this treatment you can set the brows so they are all going in the direction you want which gives a neater look.
Can anyone have the treatment? The procedure is safe but you can’t have the treatment if you have any cuts, abrasions, burns or scars near the eye. You also would not be a candidate if you have any infections of the eye. How much do I charge? Average price is about £40 How long does the treatment take? Treatment time is 30-45 mins Where can I buy products? Lash Factor is the UK distributor and products and kits are available at lashfactor.co.uk Brow Lock Our sister company, Brow Factor sell an amazing product called Brow Lock. Brow Lock is like a brow lamination in a jar! This product was made especially for Brow Factor and is the only one on the market that contains vitamin B5 to nourish the hair and vitamin E to protect the skin. We are very proud of this product and plenty have tried, and failed, to replicate it. Sculpt, feather, and tame with Brow Lock. This clear, flexible formula tames even the wildest brows. Say goodbye to flaky, rigid brows for an enviable look that lasts all day. If your clients aren’t sure whether the brow lamination look will suit them, then you can use Brow Lock and show them what sort of result they can achieve. If your clients like the look of lamination but don’t want that look every day, then Brow Lock is perfect for them. Brow Lock is currently available in 8g, 15g and 30g sizes but soon this will change to 10g, 20g and 30g. Brow Lock can be bought from browfactor.co.uk.
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Advert
Why is our new brow sculpt a big wow for all brows? by Polly Smith
W
e all know Brow lamination has quickly swept the industry as the next big thing in beauty. With brows being one of our most prominent facial features & celebrities like Lily Collins & Cara Delevingne entering the scene, the pressure to keep them Flawless is prominent now more than ever before. The art of creating beautifully fluffy & natural looking brows is the perfect secret weapon all beauty techs need to give a boost to their business. It’s a perfect alternative to the lengthy process of learning to micro-blade, while still restructuring brows and framing the eyes with a just-combed effect. What more could you want!? But how do clients keep up this look in-between treatments? The Soap Brow style is all the rage, so we can be certain your clients are using brow gels or soaps until they’ve booked in with you next. But are these products making the brows hard or crispy? These kinds of products will be harsher & won’t be nourishing to their natural brows, making your job harder at their next appointment. Enter Flawless Brow Sculpt! You can ensure to prolong the Flawlessly laminated brow look with our newly formulated Brow Sculpt. The product can be applied over treated brows & added to their daily grooming routine. Brow Sculpt contains aloe vera & castor oil to maintain super soft brow hair while still achieving maximum hold. Castor oil will also give the added benefit of encouraging brow hair growth. Just like lash extensions, taking care of treated brows is important for the health of your natural brows and keeps those treatments lasting longer.
But how do clients keep up this look in-between treatments? Don’t fret, you can apply Brow Sculpt to untreated brows too! If you haven’t made the plunge yet with brow lamination or taking a break from your regular treatments, this is that dream product you’ve been searching for. Add to your daily routine & watch the magic happen as you apply to your natural brow hairs. Reduce your time getting ready with the quick to use spoolie applicator, designed to create a fuller appearance to all brow shapes. So, Whether your natural brows are thin & wispy or bushy & unruly, you can tame them with Brow Sculpt. At night when you’re ready to take off the day, Brow Sculpt can easily be removed with water, because all just want to get in bed right? But taking our make up beforehand is very important When you haven’t had the time for a tint too, you can complete the look in two easy steps; 1. Fill space areas with Duo Brow 2. Shape and define with Brow Sculpt With all this global uncertainty, we are recommending now more than ever to start stocking up on salon extras. If your client’s favourite treatment is brow lamination, Brow Sculpt is the perfect add-on sale so they can maintain the look in-between appointments. In the same way, if you client is obsessed with Lash Lifts, our lift-safe Intensive Eye Mascara is the perfect extra. If your salon is having to close due to local or national lockdowns, this will ensure you’ve maximised everything you can from business. You can come back stronger than ever with new products to offer your eager clients. So what are you waiting for Lashista!?
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The dangers of DIY home lash lifts The temporary closure of salons during lockdown drove many people to attempt at-home beauty treatments. This (and TikTok) has led to a surge in popularity of at-home lash lift kits, available cheaply from all kinds of places. But attempting a lash lift is not like giving yourself a manicure or dying your own hair - it involves the use of chemicals which have the potential to be very harmful if used incorrectly.
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Are your clients are tempted to grab themselves an at-home lash lift kit thinking it will save them money? Let us run you through the dangers of the DIY lash lift so you can educate them properly on the (substantial) risks. Lash lifts vs lash perm: What's the difference? Although both are procedures that curl natural lashes, the main difference is that a lash perm is a more old fashioned treatment using a different formula, and a lash lift is a modern beauty treatment using the very latest formulations including nourishing steps to promote lash health. A professional lash lift, also known as LVL or lash lamination lifts the lashes very close to the base, making lashes look longer and curlier, and eyes appear more open. Various solutions are applied to the lashes along a silicone lash lift shield, often including a nourishing treatment with keratin in synch as Lash Botox or Lash Plump to keep lashes in good condition. Is a lash lift safe for your eyes? Yes, when carried out by a trained lash professional, a lash lift is a perfectly safe beauty treatment. Lash artists master the art of applying the glue and lotions safely, so there should not be any risk to their clients. They train for months, gaining the kind of knowledge and expertise that can only come with experience. They must receive the proper accreditation and also have the relevant insurance
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Treatments take place on eyes that are closed at all times so that product cannot get into the eye. Glues and solutions are applied very precisely to ensure no products gets onto the skin or eyes. Also, lash professionals are experienced in judging how long to leave each product on the lashes in order to get the desired result without leaving the product on too long - this can vary depending on the individual’s eyelashes. Eyes are properly prepared before the treatment, and product is removed effectively and thoroughly after every step. A lash perm usually involves curling the around a cylindrical rod or roller. This very rounded shape can actually make lashes look shorter rather than longer. A perming solution is used which may be harsher than a modern day lash lift, and there are no nourishing steps meaning lashes can be left brittle or damaged.
Is it safe to do a lash lift at home? No. It is not safe to do an at-home lash lift. For a start, the home lash lift kits are not being properly regulated by any kind of authority so there is no telling the suitability or the strength of the chemicals included. Secondly, no matter the quality of the home kit you buy, they all contain potentially dangerous chemicals, and the risk of an accident or improper application of the chemicals used is huge. This can lead to all manner of problems as we’ll go on to explain, including burning your lashes and eyeballs, even causing permanent eyesight damage. Thirdly, it is almost impossible to attempt an at-home last lift without having your eyes at least partly open - and eyes must remain closed at all times during a lash lift treatment. Even the best lash artists in the world would not be able to safely perform a lash lift on themselves as the treatment is simply not designed with self-application in mind.
At-home lash dangers There are many dangers in doing a DIY lash lift on yourself, ranging from the slight to the extremely severe. You only need to read some of the comments and reviews on cheap at-home lash lift kits to realise that the risks are very real. Let us take you through them. Brittle or damaged lashes At the least scary end of the scale, at-home lash lifts can leave you with brittle lashes that break easily something which may not be apparent at first but you will soon start to notice in the following weeks as the newly-curled lashes begin to snap off. This can occur when products are left on for too long, not removed well enough or if products are simply too harsh. Worse than this, you can burn parts of your lashes away, or even cause them to fall out at the root. While you might think ‘well never mind, they’ll grow back!’ this isn't always the case damage at the follicle can leave you with lashes that grow back brittle, permanent bald spots or simply have no lashes left at all. Skin irritation The skin of your eyelids and around the eyes is especially delicate and sensitive. Professional lash technicians will always carry out a patch test at least 24 hours before the treatment to ensure there is no chance a reaction will take place. DIY lash lift kits do not even always recommend one, and if they do, they are often skipped which can lead to dangerous allergic reactions. Even if a patch test is conducted, performing a lash lift on yourself is much more likely to lead to spillage of the chemicals onto your skin or their improper removal. Side effects range from redness and rashes to swelling and inflammation, burnt eyelids, and contact dermatitis - an ongoing condition that can result in sensitivity to a wide variety of beauty and skincare products.
Infections The delicate eye area is much more susceptible to infections, which can be mild and treatable or can lead to more serious complications with your sight. The correct preparation for a lash lift is key something a trained lash professional knows well, but a regular person at home may be unaware of. Thorough make-up removal, cleansing of the whole eye area and removal of contact lenses is essential.
It’s especially good if you have long but straight lashes and perfect if you’re about to go on holiday for a few weeks as you can enjoy gorgeous lashes every day with no effort. An at-home lash lift kit on the other hand is not even worth the cheap price you can buy them for!
Bacterial infections can also result when solutions enter the eye. Itching infected eyes can lead to further issues such as scratches or abrasions on the eye.
There is a very high chance that at home lash lift kits will damage your lashes. This is because of the potentially harmful chemicals involved, the difficulty of performing the treatment on yourself, and the requirement for the knowledge and expertise in how to perform it safely.
Retinal burns and blindness Beyond irritation and inflammation, if the lash lift chemicals come into contact with your eyeball they can result in painful burns, corneal ulcers and scarring. This can lead to eyesight loss which may be temporary, but in the worst cases may be permanent. You can also irreparably damage glands at the base of your eyelids that are essential for the maintenance of healthy eyes and eyelids. Damage in this area can lead to permanent dry eyes, leaving them red, irritated and potentially blurry. The best lash lift kits When it comes to the type of lash lift kits that are worth buying, we’re talking about professional lash lift kits to be used by trained lash technicians only. These kits come complete with all the elements needed to perform a lash lift or LVL. The Flawless Lashes By Loreta Lash Lift Kit contains each of the lotions required as well as all the accessories needed to perform the treatment all in one cost-effective package. Is a lash lift worth it? A professional lash lift can be worth every penny, giving gorgeous lashes that open up the eye, without the time and budget commitments that lash extensions require. A lash lift lasts 4-6 weeks with no need for infills or upkeep of any kind, and when combined with a lash tint you don’t even need to wear mascara.
FAQ Do at-home lash lifts ruin your lashes?
Can I wear eyeliner after a lash lift? Yes, you can wear both eyeliner and mascara after you’ve had a lash lift, but you need to wait 24-48 hours after you have had the treatment done, and avoid products containing oils. We recommend the Flawless Eyeliner. Which is better: lash lift or lash extensions? Whether a lash lift or lash extensions are better is a matter of personal preference. If you want a huge transformation, extensions can give you the drama you seek, but they cost more and require infills a few weeks later. A lash lift is more naturallooking, costs less and takes less time to perform but there isn’t the variety of different styles as with extensions. Which lash products is the best? The best lash lift products are those that contain nourishing ingredients such as keratin, which strengthens the natural lash. There are now innovative lash lift products on the market such as the Flawless Keratin Tint, which combines several stages of the lash lift process, as well as a lash tint in one ingenious time-saving product.
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What artists need to know about laminated brows by Polly Smith Have you seen Brow Lamination everywhere the past year and want to know more? Some of our top Flawless Trainers have shared their thoughts about Brow Lamination treatments and the best practices for us technicians to use. Get all the advice you need when it comes to consulting with your clients, assessing their brows and which types of products are the safest to use on their natural hairs. Our brow lamination starter kit contains the best products for you to kick-start your new treatments. Julija Baltulioniene of Juli Lash Studio Brow lamination was one of the most wanted treatments in 2020 and we believe it will still be very popular in 2021 (when we reopen), because the trends of natural beauty are ruling the world. Brows are a significant part of our face and define our expression. Nowadays we all dream about fuller and bushier brows, the brows you see on the cover of beauty magazines. How is this look achievable and is it suitable for every type of brow? In my opinion, those that would benefit from the most from this treatment are those with full and thick brows. Anyone with thin and full eyebrows can consider this treatment, however, you would get a similar outcome using brow sculpt, and brow hair can be styled without a big effort on a daily basis. I personally wouldn't recommend it for people with super thin, uneven or patchy eyebrows.. In this case, I’d rather recommend having brow architecture done using henna or skin-staining tint for several months, until the brows are fully grown. I would also not recommend laminated brows to pregnant ladies, as hormones can play here and no result might be achieved at all. There are many various ways to perform an eyebrow lamination. For example it can be done in combination with brow architecture or using a natural pattern of brow shape (the latter is the
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trendiest at the moment). It can be tinted in a natural way (tinting only hair) or it can be tinted using skinstaining colours. Brows can be bleached and colour might be lightened (but we wouldn’t recommend doing that the same day as brow lamination). It is also important to know that it shouldn't be used on the same day as a henna treatment. If someone’s brow hairs are thin and flexible, laminated eyebrows can be performed without gluing them to the skin and laying them down nicely. However if the brows are thick and grow in different directions, you might want to use glue and align the hair the way you like them to be before applying lotions. While working with eyebrow lamination lotions it is always important to remember that the product should have as little contact with the skin as possible, to avoid irritations. When you apply lotions, place it mostly on the hair in the shape of the eyebrow. Make sure to clean it from the skin in the surrounding area. Brow lamination works in a similar way to lash lamination. The first lotion is relaxing the hair and the second lotion is fixing the hair in the desired shape. Here it is important not to over-bend the hair and not to create any sharp angles. (If you brush them too much upwards in the middle or the end
The front of the brow, around 1/8 of it, should always be brushed up, the middle of the hair brushed in a 45 degree angle from the ear, and the end of the brow body should point towards the ear. Avoid putting all the brows upwards - it will create unwanted breakages to the natural brow hairs. Never cut the tips of the brows after eyebrow lamination. Hairs will become flexible after this treatment and you can put them in pretty much any shape you like. It is very important to deliver this information to the customer, as some of them think that brows will remain stuck to the forehead until the next visit. Yes, they will be like that for the first 2-3 days, before the treatment settles in properly, however after that, brushing and styling is needed to maintain the look, especially for thinner hair. Brow Sculpt will help you style the brows into desired shape (whether that’s more trendy, spiky, or into a defined, precise shape) - you can play with it - one day one shape, another day or event - completely different shape. It can change and frame your face in whatever way you like. Make sure to explain this to your customer while you deliver information about aftercare. Educated customer = happy customer = happy artist! It is important to remember to decrease the
of the brow body, you might create some unwanted angles on the hair and that will become visible after the brows have grown out).
amount of time for tinting, to avoid creating brows that are too dark. It should be 2-5 minutes, depending on the tint you use and the colour of your client’s natural brows.
Tinting is normally done after the second lotion, however, if you plan to use skin-staining colour, I’d recommend doing the full lamination process, clean brows and then afterwards go in with architecture and tinting. Otherwise the tint won't stain the skin, especially if you used glue to fix the brows. Personally I prefer natural looking “Brow UP” results, without architecture, but your client might have a different style in mind. Have variety and selection for your customer to choose. Listening to what your client wants is key. Consult with them about what they would like to achieve from this treatment and follow through with what you think would work best for their brows. If you believe that a client isn’t suitable for this procedure or that you may not be able to achieve the outcome that they desire, have the knowledge and certainty to explain why that might be and offer alternative treatment. Always remember, one of the most important steps actually comes after the treatment and that’s explaining the after care to your client.
There are generally two types of Lash Lift products available to us technicians: aggressive old school
different, depending on whether they have been treated with gentle or with harsh products. That’s where FLAWLESS comes in! The curling lotion's basic method of working is to raise the pH level inside the lash. Our range is much lower than the industry average of 9. You can spot more aggressive products from the types of containers they will be sold in. Aggressive curling lotions can be stored in glass bottles with openable lids, since their pH doesn't drop upon contact with oxygen. Whereas gentler curling lotions lose their curling effect after oxidation so they cannot be stored in containers with openable lids. That’s why we are using an innovative airtight bottle system for our Flawless Lash Lift lotions. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide! You may need to take some time to have a think about the formula of the Lash Lift system you are using. Compare the characteristics of gentle and aggressive Lash Lift products and evaluate the lotions you use and whether you are providing the safest service for your clientele. When you switch from strong lash lift products to gentler ones, you might not notice the difference in your customers' lashes after the first lift but the more treatments you do and the better you get to know
products and more gentle modern ones. As we all know, the world of cosmetics is moving towards using gentler and safer products on our natural features and the lash & brow industry is
their lashes, the more of a difference you will see. I hope this has helped you to make up your mind whether to use aggressive or milder Lash Lift products in the future!
Gina Nascimento of Flawless Lashes by Loreta Portugal
no different! It’s very important to understand that aggressive products work very differently from the newer, gentler ones. Among other differences, these newer and more mild products need a little bit more time to carefully process lashes & brows, while aggressive products shock them rapidly into a completely new shape while putting a lot of stress on the natural hairs. Curling Lotion: The Game Changer The key ingredient in all of lash lifting is the curling lotion, also known as the perming lotion because it is the most aggressive out of all lash lifting products. The purpose of curling lotion is to fully open all of your client’s lash cuticles and soften the keratin inside the lash, so we can give lashes a whole new shape. But the state of lashes after this stage is very
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Brow Lamination: What is it, why are we doing it, and do you really need to learn it?
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Unless you live under a rock, or somewhere with no internet access, you’ve probably heard of brow lamination at least once in the last twelve months, even if you don’t do brows at all.
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he rise in popularity of the treatment has led to multiple brands releasing their own lamination products and upskill training, which you may have seen advertised in the catalogues and emails of your favourite beauty suppliers ( favourite aside from us, of course!). So you’ve heard of it, you’ve seen some inspiring photo examples of it on Instagram, and you know it works kind of similarly to lash lifting but you’re not exactly 100% sure: what is it? The What Brow lamination is an aesthetic treatment that, like a lash lift, breaks the bonds in the hairs to make them flexible and resets them into a more desirable position. It uses the same system as a lash lift, but with a shorter processing time for skin and hair safety. When laminated, the eyebrow hairs move more freely, so can be styled into a more upright position, or brushed to cover gaps or create an arch, without that resistance that we would typically need gels, soaps or waxes to counter. Essentially, the idea is that a client can simply brush their laminated brows into position in the morning, and no further styling would be needed. Brow hairs that have been laminated can often look ‘flat’; this happens because the hairs are brushed into a position which separates them, removing that density that occurs on some brows where the hair grows thickly. The hair directions are changed to make the brows look thicker in height rather than density: the hairs are essentially ‘flattened out’ into their new position. The hairs also get straightened out in the process, which causes them to lose their 3D look. Part of a brow lamination treatment usually includes tint or dye (henna is not allowed), some shaping and a hydrating treatment to nourish the hair, as the process can be quite drying. The Why It’s no secret that pretty much everyone wants their brows to look full and thick. The chase for the perfect, full brow has been a thing ever since Cara Delevingne first walked the runway and had us all drooling over her natural, tomboy brows. Suddenly, thick and dark eyebrows were very important.
The trend has been driven away from the perfected and sculpted look favoured by Youtube and Instagram makeup artists in recent years, and a more naturally full and textured brow has become the new ‘perfect’. Think about those beautiful bronzed makeup looks created by artists such as Emma Chen, Ania Milczarczyk and Nikki Wolff: those brows are what the trend-driven clients are wishing for. While this look can be created temporarily, it does take practice, some time and a litany of makeup products. The beauty trends, though, currently are moving away from high-maintenance routines, and clients are preferring that ‘I woke up like this’ vibe. Last year’s beauty retail sales reports showed a massive shift away from makeup and towards skincare. Clients are spending more on treatments and skincare to look good all the time with less daily effort, and lashes and brows have become a part of that.
Laminated brows immediately look fuller, thicker and more textured, and can easily be brushed into that high, spiky position. Having laminated brows eliminates a lot of styling time, and works with that beautiful, minimalist look. The aftercare products feel indulgent and are easily slipped into an evening skincare routine. Do I Need to Offer it? If you’re not a brow artist, my short answer is actually no. I think you should be fully trained in all elements of brow styling before offering the brow lamination service, even if you are trained in lash lifts. There are definitely some particular risks that come with this service.
If you do already offer some brow services then yes, I definitely recommend that you train in brow lamination! The trend isn’t going away any time soon, so you’re not too late to jump on and make the most of it. Brow lamination is a relatively quick service, taking around 45 minutes to an hour at the most. It suits most clients (usual waxing and lash lifting contraindications apply), and the end result can be totally customised, so even if your clients aren’t into the super brushed up or bushy look, lamination can still work for them. It’s a great treatment to tame unruly brows, or to redirect hairs to cover gaps or lift an arch in a straight brow. It’s very easy to slot into their normal treatment routine; if they have their brows done on a 4-weekly rotation, you could essentially alternate between their normal brow sculpt and the lamination treatment, as it can be re-done after 8-10 weeks. It’s an easy add-on to a lash lift service, too, as many lash lift systems can also be used to perform brow lamination, such as the new Elleeplex Profusion, or the Yumi system. You can charge anywhere from $80 - $150 for a brow lamination, and perform it at the same time as you are doing a lash lift. If you’re interested in learning how to create a perfectly laminated brow, we have included a Brow Lamination Masterclass as part of our new LashJoy Academy Only Masterclass Collection. Tailored exclusively to existing brow stylists who want to upskill, the 4 hour course will cover all of my top tips for a safe and beautifully laminated brow, including a live demonstration. If you’re a total newbie to brows, you will learn brow lamination when you attend my 4 Day Ultimate Brow Mastery Course, alongside brow henna, facial mapping and the other newbie on the scene: brow dye.
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Featured Brow Artist - @inmia_
BUSINESS
Get your brow business started Brow enhancements have become more and more popular and nowadays there are hardly any therapists who don't offer one brow treatment or the other - either alone or as an add on.
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f you want a treatment that compliments your lash or other beauty business then have a look at a brow treatment as more and more clients ask for this! We have listed the most popular brow enhancements below to help you understand the difference between the treatments but please remember that you can also combine the treatments to create the ultimate brow! Tinting Lash and brow tinting is such an easy treatment and is often seen as an add on BUT it is an essential part to any lash & brow business. Lash tinting can give fantastic results but as we are focusing on brows it is worth mentioning that the tint can make or break a good brow design. Brow lifting/lamination Many of you are very aware of lash lifting and you might already be offering this in your salon or as part of your treatment portfolio but now you can also lift brows! Yes, this treatment is fabulous for downward growing or unruly brows and just like the lash lift it can transform the eye area and create a lift and brighter and younger look.
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Some products are just designed for lash lifting and others are specific for brow lifting/ lamination BUT there are also duo systems which allow you to use the same products for lash lifting AND brow lamination which offers you a huge advantage as you have less outlay and the risk of product waste is a lot lower. Sculpting This treatment is hardly used now as others are more popular but sculped brows were created with ultra fine application tools and a mixture of a bonding agent and pigmented powders that were applied in hairstrokes to create the appearance of natural hairs. The longevity is relatively short and most clients (especially those with oily skin) found that the brow design only lasted a week to 2 weeks and especially with use of makeup, removers, exfoliants etc the time was shortened. Brow extensions This treatment was very popular but has also faded now. The use of straight and short extensions (similar to lash extensions) was used to create a natural brow look and the extensions could be used to fill in existing brows or create bespoke brows for those clients with sparse or no natural brow hair.
Semi permanent make up has taken over from Sculpting and Brow extensions but these were the perfect solution to try a brow design before making it permanent. Waxing A steady hand is key to the ultra precision brow line and you can create that very sharp look with just a few simple steps that will transform the brow design to "precision" which will create brows on fleek! The honey like texture of the soft wax is ideal to create a precision brow line while the hard wax is used to wax sensitive and facial hairs. Retail As with every treatment, retail items are a very important part. Not only do they help your clients to maintain the desired look at home and in between appointments but they also help you to boost your turnover and profit margin. Most suppliers and brands will have a range to compliment the treatment and it is well worth investing in this if you want to offer your clients the full package AND you want to maximise your income potential. Flirties
GLOBE flirties.co.uk
Advert
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Give your academy a BOOST! Running a training academy is a fantastic way to impart your knowledge and to introduce a new generation of therapists to an amazing career in beauty therapy. However, putting together courses, sourcing high quality products and starter kits, finding students and teaching the classes can be a lot of hard work, so partnering with Flirties is the perfect solution for you and your students.
O
ur incredible range of products have been designed to allow established and brand new beauty academies to offer professional, in-depth recognised courses from the day they open their doors. Working with a reputable and wellknown brand can help to increase your visibility and give you all the foundations that you need to offer a terrific education. So, what do you get out of working with Flirties? New students One of the biggest challenges that any beauty academy can face is to get new students through the door. There is a lot of competition out there and it can be hard to make your school stand out from the rest. Flirties already have a massive presence in the industry and can help drive new learners in your direction. When students come directly to us, we refer them on to our training schools depending on where they are in the UK, giving you a steady flow of new leads. We also actively help to promote you by featuring you on our social media platforms, which gives you exposure to thousands of followers. As lovers of the beauty world, we understand that there is a lot of knowledge out there, and
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lots of things to talk about, which is why we also give you the chance to contribute to some of our blogs, posts and newsletters. These all give you great opportunities to get your business seen and enjoy a steady flow of new students who want to learn with you Amazing products At Flirties, we have spent years working on developing industry leading products. We are incredibly proud of what we offer, and we know that students, schools and trained therapists all love using them. We want you to be able to include them in your training academy, which is why we offer discounts on our products, kits and our awesome Glamcor lights. These discounts can be used alongside our other volume discounts and special offers, meaning that you can benefit from some great savings. When offering courses, it is always useful to be able to provide starter kits for your students.
The Flirties starter kits include everything that your students will need, which is why we offer reduced prices on these too. You can then be confident that your learners have all the products and tools that they will need on the day as well as for performing case studies and treatments independently. We know that your students will love the Flirties products that they use with you, and so we also provide an affiliate scheme to allow you to profit when they buy from us – after all, it’s you that introduced them to us! New products are always exciting, and we want to give you the opportunity to get to know them before your students get to try them. That is why our academies get to be the first to try our new releases and see for themselves how amazing they are. Working with Flirties is the perfect way to boost your training business. You will be fully supported and get the opportunity to fill your course dates and your bank account. So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch today to find out more. Flirties
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Are you offering a service or an experience?
H
ey there fellow Brow Boss, I see you,
thing or two. What I am writing about today is
Ok, you understood the assignment and took
working endlessly in this fast-paced ever-changing industry. Every minute is a hot one over here. If it’s not changes to algorithms or trying to get 10 thousand followers from the first three seconds of your reel, it’s a new product alert from brands and a change of technique to create that perfect brow. Now add all that to the long list of other tasks we have as the business owner, and not forgetting the most important thing of all – maintaining a lovely loyal client base and BAM here we are, nearly every Brow Stylist in the universe. Love them or hate them, TikTok and reels are here to stay, and brands and techniques will forever be evolving – it is part of the package when you’re in this industry (and part of the buzz sometimes). But let’s put all that modern day biz to the side for just a second and take it right back to basics – what exactly are YOU offering? Do you spend too much time comparing what other salons are sharing on their socials and wondering how they managed to get the clients and you never? Are you even stopping for a second to consider the brand you’ve created and how to make that your very own success story? After all, ‘comparison is the thief of joy’ and all that energy you are putting into what other salons are offering is taking you away from
something that I believe has been absolutely key to that success. You will be glad to know that what I’m sharing today will not require you to overhaul your entire business structure, nor will you need to allocate any kind of budget. It is more about putting on your Sassy pants and asking yourself some serious questions about you and your business kinda vibe. Ready to take action, then let’s go… Let’s start with passion vs purpose. Most of us will say we have a passion for brows when asked about our work. I would have included myself in that statement, until recently, when I read the dictionary meaning of passion: ‘strong barely controllable emotion’. Now read that again. Yikes! Purpose on the other hand is ‘the reason for which something is done or created’. If the experience you provide to your clients is done with purpose, then you are already on the way to success. Next let’s think about the service you offer. Put yourself in your client’s shoes and really go through the motions with a fine-tooth comb. From initial client interaction with your business, to payment and re-booking - was their time well spent? One thing I’ve stuck by in my many years of staff performance exercises, is this. Assume that the cash each and every client is spending with you (whether that’s £10 or
a close look at your reasoning for being a Brow Boss and left no stone unturned when role playing your client, NOW ask yourself are you offering a service or experience? Today’s client is 100% looking for an experience! Here’s some food for thought … The service (brows) you provide is the ticket to the party. Sure, it’s a really nice invite that you have created but what is going to make the client WANT to buy a ticket? Is it your salon and its vibe, cleanliness and safety?
what makes your business the go-to place for all of your clients – you know, the ones that other business doesn’t have. I am by no means a business guru but I have been successfully running my Sassy brand and salon(s) now for 20 years - so I know a
£100) is their last penny and they NEED this experience. They also need food for the table and have bills to pay but they have chosen you and your services. Is what you are offering worth it?
Best of luck for 2022, I hope it’s your best year yet.
• The welcoming host that serves with purpose and communicates efficiently? • Your great chat and the feeling you give to your client when they are in the brow chair? • The atmosphere, which if done correctly can be felt through your social media? • The knowledge and assurance that you are confident in your field? The most likely answer is that it’s a combination of all of these things – and more. The overall experience that you provide is your ticket sales. Making the little things seem like the big things turns your service into an experience to get those regular ticket sales and clients who appreciate time well spent in your care. Let’s start turning that passionate service into a purposeful experience.
Sara Bingham | Owner - Sassy’s Irvine
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Dealing with difficult customers and situations It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change (Charles Darwin). Whether you are a manager or an employee, it pays to stop and ask yourself: is this approach getting results? and is there a better approach? The fastest and easiest way of dealing with difficult situations is changing the attitude.
Y
our attitude is key to your success and to reducing personal stress levels at the same time. Even though most customers are calm and appreciative of efforts to serve them, there are instances when clients get upset and angry. When dealing with an angry customer, it is important to remember, that you cannot control your customer’s behaviour, but you can control your response to how they behave. Difficult customers can take one of the following forms: • A customer that argues with staff • A customer that confronts staff questioning their competency • A customer that is impatient demanding, unreasonable time frames; • A customer that do not want accept the procedures and limitations in place; • A customer that keeps making inappropriate remarks Behaviour of clients is the main cause for workplace violence and it must be eliminated or minimised. The first step in dealing with this problem is to understand the motivations behind the aggressive behaviour of customers. There are three main motivations for aggressive customer behaviours: • Expressive - most people that become abusive do this out of extreme irritation. This could be caused by dissatisfaction with the product or the service in general. • Learned - there is a part of the population, who take the experiences of aggressive behaviour and use it to serve a useful purpose, they learn that it does get them what they want.
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• Random - for some customers that demonstrate aggressive behaviour, aggression escalates quickly. Understanding these motivations is important as it will help you decide how best to solve a problem you encounter with a difficult customer. There are few important skills that are a must-have for any employee that deals directly with customers. This has to do with the ability to realise that their emotional response is changing and realising that the situation might be escalating. Look for voice and body language clues, like changes in breathing and skin colour, fast breaths, red skin, which indicate anger is approaching. Clenched fists, tightened face, lowered eye brows and vocal signs, like sighing, tutting, indicate frustration which leads to anger. A good staff should be in a position to monitor the emotional response of the client as well as their own mental process during a customer interaction. Most of the problems encountered at work are as a result of poor communication. Staff need to perfect their active listening, not only to fully understand what the client
is communicating, but also to make it clear to the customer that their grievances have been heard. Pay 100% attention to what is being said, this includes paying attention to the eyes, face, body, voice, emotions. Gently feedback and summarise what you hear to confirm you have understood. Specifically, feedback emotions. “Mrs Smith, I understand you are angry about the service and I sincerely apologise for the stress you have experienced”. The ability to defuse a problem is a subset of many other underlying skills, including active listening, questioning techniques and using appropriate delay tactics, while buying time to adequately address the problem. Apologising is a very effective way to diffuse the situation, often people just want to hear that somebody cares enough to say sorry and will take responsibility for resolving problems. You don’t need to accept blame to apologise, you can apologise for the situation and emotional stress, even if it is not your fault. “I am sorry you feel let down by our service” In some cases, it may be feasible to negotiate for a solution that is agreeable to both parties. Most businesses have flexible options, discounts, gifts and ways of expressing an apology which in the long run have the ability to enhance customer loyalty. Compensating for negative emotions with the positive ones associated with gifts and prestige can address an emotional imbalance. Silva Petraite | Entrepreneur, Global Master Educator, Trainer, International Judge
How to set up lash extension prices
£
So you’ve done all your lash training, got your qualifications and built up your
£
experience, and now you're ready to start your own lash extension business! The most important thing you need to know is how to set up the pricing for your lash extension services to ensure your fledgling business takes off.
I
t’s essential to get it right - too high and you’ll never get any customers, too low and you won't turn a profit. The last thing you want is to end up essentially working for free, or worse, make a loss. You won’t find any wishy-washy advice here! Our knowledgeable team take you through all the costs and considerations you have to factor in. Maths not your strong point? Don’t worry we are going to show you how to a) calculate all of your expenses accurately so you know what you need to make to break even b) decide how far above your break-even price to set your prices based on your experience and location.
Factors to consider when setting lash extension prices Various elements come into play here: your expenses, initial outgoings, work location, local market and your level of expertise. To begin with we’re going to focus on your outgoings both upfront expenses and ongoing costs, to calculate your ‘break even amount.’ Break-even is the point at which your income covers all of your expenses/outgoings but no more, i.e. you're not in loss but you have not yet made any profit either. Don’t just guess - take the time to account for everything thoroughly at the beginning to give yourself a realistic picture.
Initial outgoings These are one-off costs that you need to try and recoup: eyelash extension training courses, competition entry costs, tools, salon furniture, lights, salon decor etc. Every time you purchase a new course, add it on. Consider upfront marketing costs as well such as logo design, website design and build, uniform, car decals etc. Add it all up and aim to have the costs paid back within a fixed time frame - say a year. Divide the total upfront costs by 12 months and add this amount into your monthly expenses. Then you will know that everything you purchased for your business will be paid off in a year and after that, your monthly expenses will drop, and you will be able to make bigger profits. Everyday/ongoing expenses You need a number of things to keep your business going including products, utilities, business services and marketing. Let’s take a deeper look at what your ongoing expenses are. Because, even if you are working from your home-based studio, there are some costs to calculate. All your everyday expenses can be divided into three main groups:
1
General (water, gas, rent, insurance, internet, landline or mobile, transport, supplies). The biggest of these is likely to be the cost of your workspace. Are you working from home, salon based self-employed or own your own salon? Each of these comes with a very different level of overheads. It makes sense to go for a workspace that’s as inexpensive as possible while you're a beginner and charging less. Then as your skills and customer base increase, you can look for somewhere better knowing your costs are more easily covered.
2
Service fees (bank account expenses, electronic booking system charges, accountant, mentoring, cleaning). You won’t necessarily need all of these when you’re just starting out, but prepare for the fact that as you progress and become busier, you will likely need to invest some of your additional profits such as these.
3
Marketing (web domain and hosting, advertising, business cards, leaflets, uniform, photo app subscriptions etc.) Don’t be tempted to think organic social media will be enough to get your name out there. If nobody knows about you, you aren’t going to get any clients.
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A note on the cost of lash supplies We have calculated that on average, a lash set costs you about £7-£8, or £5-£6 with 15% student discount, using products from Flawless Lashes. And a lash infill cost to the artist is £5-£6, or £3-£4.50 with the 15% student discount. From this, it’s easy to see that lash supplies are not your biggest expense. That’s why it is essential to look into your other expenses when defining your prices. Factoring in tax for lash technicians As a self-employed lash artist, you will have to pay National Insurance and Income Tax. Do your research / get professional advice and work out what percentage of your income you will need to put aside each month in preparation for your year-end tax bill. Add the advised amount onto your monthly outgoings as an expense. Bear in mind that a lot of your business outgoings will be taxdeductible, so ensure you get advice on how to make the most of this in order to keep your tax bill (and how much you need to save for it each month) down. If lash extensions are to be your only income (i.e. it’s not a side job), you won’t have to pay income tax on the first £12,571 of income (NB we’re talking income not profit). This means
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you may not have to pay income tax in your first year - or even at all if you don’t intend on making much money from lashing each year (and it’s your only income). Real-world expenses examples Let's say you hire a space in a hairdressing salon for £350 a month and all your bills are included. This is a nice, straightforward number for your calculations. But say you work from your home-based studio. Is this a space that was previously unused and you were paying for anyway? If so, you do not need to add rent into your calculations, but you do need to factor in the additional heating and lighting bills that you will rack up on the number of days whilst you are working from home, as well as insurance for your beauty business. If you have rented somewhere specifically to have a spare room to run your business from, it’s different. Let’s say you pay £1000 a monthly rent for a 3-bedroom house and you dedicate 1 room to your workplace. This means your treatment room costs you one third, so £333 a month. Do the same with all your other upfront and ongoing expenses as detailed in this article in order to arrive at the total monthly outgoings cost for your business.
Calculating your 'break-even' cost per treatment Now – how many days a month do you work from this room? Let’s say you work 15 days a month, 5 hours a day (fitting in 2 classic full sets – something reasonable for a starter). It calculates to 75 hours a month. Imagine that, after adding up all your expenses as detailed in this article, it comes out at £500 per month. Divide £500 by 15 days, this number will show you your expenses per day. In this example, £33.30 a day is your ‘break-even cost’. If you can only fit in 2 clients a day – your expenses are about £16.70 per client visit. So everything you make above £16.70 per client visit is your profit.
Lash extension pricing for beginner lash artists Most lash artists work for friends and family for free for a little while to build up their confidence, experience - and Instagram portfolio! But when you’re ready to start charging, how should you set your prices for lash extensions? You need to know how much mark-up to add on top of your ‘break even’ cost in order to earn a decent wage whilst also making your lash business a success. We’ll take you through the pricing strategy for beginner lash technicians.
Classic
Volume
London
£75 - £85
£120 - £300
South of England
£60 - £70
£70 - £90/£150 (home)
Midlands
£60 - £70
£60 (home)
Wales
£35 - £60
£50 - £70 (salon)
North of England
£45 - £50
£50 - £65 - £95 (home)
Yorkshire
£45 - £60
£75+ (salon)
East of England
£55
£70 - £85 (salon)
Don’t just go off the menu pricing - find out what the experience and quality that customers receive is like and weigh it up against the standard you are able to offer, and be realistic about your current level of expertise. Are there added extras that bump up their pricing - and can you offer the same? NB If you find that setting your prices in line with or slightly above the local market does not leave you with enough to live on after deducting your expense calculations, your business model is simply not cost effective. Therefore you need to look at reducing your monthly expenses. Can you work from a cheaper location?
What is the average eyelash extension price?
National Minimum Wage To begin with, take into account that you should not be working for less than the National Minimum Wage (£9.50 from April 2022). If it takes you 2h 30 min to do a classic set in (at the beginning), your wage for it must be at least £23.75. To be in profit £23.40 you must first allow for your expenses (£16.70 per client in our dummy example above), which means you will need to charge at least £40.50 for your least expensive treatment, a classic full set. Anything you charge above this will increase your wage above the National Minimum Wage. Prices in your area & your ability You want to aim to be priced roughly on a par with artists at a similar standard to you in the same area, if it costs in with your expenses calculations as detailed earlier. If your overheads are low you may be able to start at a competitively low price in order to grow your customer base at the beginning, then increase them over time once you have a loyal following. It’s time to really do your competitor research. People aren't likely to travel that far to have their lashes done, so do a full audit of all salons and artists within a few miles of where your business will be based.
When to raise your prices Your prices must increase at least once a year. We recommend reviewing your prices after every single achievement, such as a competition win or training course completion. Set targets for yourself in terms of your standard and speed of work. How soon can you reach the next level? As you raise your prices, you’ll be able to earn more for the same work, or do less work for the same money, giving you time to grow your clientele and business.
Lash extension prices vary greatly throughout the UK, and it’s not simply a matter of the part of the world you live in. Prices in a large citycentre salon will be very different to at-home services in a less wealthy town, or a boutique beauty parlour in an affluent village. However, we have done some research to provide you with a valuable starting point. We hope you have found this information useful. Setting up your own lash extension business is hard work but extremely rewarding. And remember, the team at Flawless Lashes are here to help you in any way we can. Article written with help of Julija B, Trainer in Reading, UK
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