Dealing With Tips from Lash Extension Clients

Is it acceptable to tip Lash Artists? Of course! You should never feel ashamed to accept tips as a Lash Tech who provides exceptional service and attention to detail. Not only do you provide a beauty enhancement, you’re also a consultant and advisor on aftercare, plus, how often do you end up listening to all of your clients’ woes during a treatment?! Put simply, your job doesn’t begin and end during application, so if a client wants to offer you a little bit of gratuity for a job well done, there’s no harm in accepting that.

Acceptable Tips

If a client kindly offers to tip but they are not sure how much to tip you, a beauty industry standard to suggest is 10-15% of the price of their treatment. Of course, the client can tip more or less depending on what they want to do, but it’s never a good idea to suggest an unreasonable amount or to dismiss the idea entirely. 

It’s also very important to show your gratitude for a tip. Everyone likes to feel that their good deeds are appreciated, so be sure to thank them genuinely for their gratuity. This means not going over the top with your thanks, and without your thanks coming across as dismissive. A warm and friendly ‘thank you so much...’ is ideal.  

Accepting Tips

If you choose to accept tips—which by all means you don’t have to—make sure you’re prepared with how to manage the question of tipping from your client, including the amount you accept and, if you work in, or rent a lash bed in someone else’s salon, make sure you know, their policies on tipping. Some salons may regard tipping as a service charge which is to be shared with the rest of the staff, while other beauty salons may see it as a personal relationship between client and Lash Tech. Knowing the policies of tipping is important for maintaining good relationships. If you own your own business, or you’re a mobile Lash Artist, this is of course much easier as you set the rules on accepting tips from clients.

Never Expect

Do not expect every client to tip, and be aware that it’s not generally a good idea to ask a client for a tip at the end of their treatment, as this could really ruin a good client relationship. While getting eyelash extensions isn’t exactly a necessity, you never know a client’s financial situation, so expecting a tip beyond the final price should not be expected. To save conversations about tips, you could simply have a line on your booking form, on your social media or website saying that tips are welcome but are not expected.

Depending on the country you work in, tipping culture may be different for different services and it may be something that is new for some clients. In some countries tipping for a service is an industry standard, while for others it’s not even something that is considered. This isn’t something that should discourage you or make you feel like you’ve done a bad job; a tip can be a welcome surprise and bonus reinforcement that you’ve done a good job, or may simply be the culture of your client’s home country, if they’re traveling or have relocated to your area.

If A Client Does Not Tip

If a client does not tip, as noted previously, it shouldn’t discourage you or make you feel differently about your client. Building a loyal client base is a hard job and regardless of a tip or not, having returning clients is more valuable. 

Whether or not a client tips, don’t be afraid to ask about their experience. While a tip or lack thereof may not be a form of feedback or a reflection on your service, asking a client how they found their experience with you can do wonders for cultivating client relationships and for increasing the quality of your treatments for them and for all of your other clients. 

In fact, a great way to not only build up relationships but positive reinforcement too, is to ask a client to leave a review. If they enjoyed the service, their experience, and the overall outcome of their eyelash treatment, it’s always a good idea to ask them to post about them online. Ask them to share a picture and leave a lovely review on your website, social media or Google reviews. Read more about building up a loyal client base in this blog post, or read more about the Importance of Client Reviews here.

If you’re looking for more ways to boost your profitability, it’s also a great idea to try and boost your retail sales if a client does not tip. If they’ve experienced a great treatment and they’re satisfied with their lashes, offer a Lash Shampoo and Cleansing Brush set for aftercare. After all, you’re building up trust with your clients and giving them good lash aftercare advice is still important, and this is a great way to go the extra mile in your service. Should a client take your advice and purchase a bottle of Lash Shampoo, this shows trust and understanding that you’ve done your job amazingly and you’ll boost your revenue in the long run, as well as being safe in the knowledge that your client is going to be taking really good care of their eyelash extensions between full sets and infill appointments. This too, should act as a positive reinforcement for your hard work – don’t forget to book them in for their next infill at the end of their appointment!

Whether you’re a beginner, or a seasoned professional, tipping is a welcome bonus to your hard earned work as a Lash Technician. Always approach the matter with a positive attitude and never expect it. Having a loyal client base is always more important than the odd tip from a singular client, so remember to pat yourself on the back when it happens but continue to provide exceptional service even if it does not.