Things To Know When Opening An Eyelash Extension Business 

You have worked hard and for a long time to open up the doors of your new lash extension business and you're excited to welcome customers into your own space. The rewards of being your own boss and being creative on a daily basis are endless, but there are some things you may have missed or not considered before opening the doors. We're here to discuss five things we wish someone had told us before starting out.

Take Deposits

Taking deposits should be a policy you implement immediately, even before opening up your salon. Deposits are there to cover your time in the event that a customer doesn't show up or cancels at the last moment before their lash treatment. Therefore you will be covered for keeping their time slot and accounted for should they not show up.

These days it isn't unreasonable to ask for 50% of the treatment as a deposit, in fact it is standard practice. But of course pricing is up to you as your own boss. Don't be afraid to set your rates based on your experience. The most important thing is that you are compensated for your time should your client cancel last minute or is a no show all together.

Have a Clear Cancellation Policy

With deposit policies, cancellation policies are just as important. This is where you decide what is a reasonable time to cancel or reschedule a lash extension treatment and what isn't reasonable. And of course, letting your clients know about the time frame they have to have their deposit refunded before it's too late.

There will be exceptions when it comes to cancellations. For example, a client may have an emergency and needs to cancel last minute, that is understandable and you can refund their deposit, but if this becomes a habit then perhaps the deposit should be kept, even if not the full amount, if this is a one off event and the client still wants their treatment then you can keep the deposit and simply reschedule their appointment.

On the other hand, there will be clients who cancel last minute and leave you with an empty slot you scheduled for them. As lash extension treatments take a long time, it could mean several hours of catching up on paper work and stock but, you are not receiving income, so if the cancellation time frame is unreasonable, the deposit should be kept. Usually a 24 hour cancellation policy is most reasonable as it could give you time to fill up the time slot.

You’ll find that from time to time, like with so many things, you’re going to be a little bit flexible on this – let’s say a long term client has an emergency or is running really late but you trust that they will still show up. It’s perfectly fine in these cases to ignore your own policies, so long as it’s on your terms, with the health of your business in mind.

Charge What You’re Worth

Being your own boss comes with many perks. You have spent a lot on your education with Eyelash Extension Courses, you are perhaps renting a room in a salon or even opening up your own space and you've invested a lot of money on the space, decor and of course your tools and equipment. So, figuring out what to charge for your skills and professional experience is imperative. If you are a highly skilled Lash Artist, or even starting out, do not undersell yourself. Figure out your local competition and research prices before you choose what to charge for your own lash sets. 

So what do you do? Well, by all means have an introductory offer price to get people interested, just be clear that this is an introductory price, and that your prices are usually higher so that they’re well aware that your prices will go up eventually. Something else you can do to entice clients once you’re offering treatments at full price is to ensure you have a really good portfolio that you regularly update – make good use of those cheaper appointments or the practice lash sets on friends and family by taking lots of photos and videos for your social media and/or website so that clients know what to expect from you. Invest in Glamcor Beauty Lighting for your salon, not only will you take incredible images and footage for your portfolio, but it doubles as LED lighting for your detailed procedures.

When it comes to setting prices for your lash extensions treatments, there isn’t a one-price-fits-all, as your pricing will depend on a range of factors such as your location, your experience level, how many courses you’ve taken and what you can offer your clients, which products you use and so on. Do your research, take on advice and think about this carefully. 

What About Patch Tests?

Allergic reactions to lash extensions isn't actually to the eyelash extensions themselves. In fact, the London Lash Eyelashes are hypoallergenic. The reason your clients may experience an allergic reaction is because of the lash adhesive used. Eyelash glue contains cyanoacrylate, a chemical present in all glues. This chemical is present in the lash fumes and therefore your client may experience a reaction to the fumes from the lash extensions.

Never apply lash glue on the client's skin for a patch test. Allergy patch testing for lashes is a little different. You can perform a quick and mini lash set on each eye to make sure the client does not react to the lash glue. Ten lash extensions per eye should be sufficient. If the client does not experience a reaction after 24 hours then they are most likely safe for a full lash set. It is important to remember that reactions to lash glue is accumulative, so the more lash extensions a client receives, they may accumulate a higher resistance to lash glue and therefore have a future reaction. Read about patch testing for lash extensions here.

PRO TIP - Using Superbonder Sealantwill cure the lash glue immediately after the eyelash extensions treatment. In doing so, it also seals all of the lash adhesive fumes and reduces the risk of an allergic reaction.

Make Time for Admin

We understand as a brand new business owner you want to fill out your schedule and make sure you're performing lash extension procedures and building client reports. But, remember to make time for you, and of course your business. Even though you are a Lash Artist, you must treat this as the professional business it is.

Schedule time to drink some water, take a break and have some lunch. Replenishing your energy through the day is absolutely important. But, very importantly, you should schedule some time during your week to work on your books, stocks, social media and keeping your salon clean and tidy. 

Making time for this on a weekly basis means having more time for free weekends and evenings. Keeping up to date with which stock you need to replenish and place an order will mean no late orders or deliveries. Have a clear set schedule where you know you have time for yourself and time for your business.

All in all, when it comes to your business it’s got to really feel rewarding for you, so taking the time to really consider these things before you open your doors to clients will only save you time and stress in the long run.