• Recognise the signs- starting to feel resentful toward something that you love to do and towards your career can be the first sign of burnout. When small day to day tasks become too overwhelming and you feel the loss of motivation it is time to take some time off and re-evaluate the situation. Set some rules and stick to them!

• Organise your days- schedule everything, from waking up in the morning until going to bed at night. Schedule your coffee breaks, food breaks, stretching breaks, quick walk break etc. No clients are allowed to book in your break time! Having it all written out and actually sticking to it will have a massive impact and life can seem a bit less overwhelming.

• Make time for yourself- take time to unwind. Have a proper evening routine where emails, text messages and social media is not present. They can all wait. They can actually wait till the next morning. Give your brain and body time to relax. Read a book, don’t rush anything, take a bath, cook yourself a meal that you really enjoy and just be. Do things that you love. Having that time will make you feel re-energised and excited to go to work the next day.

• Have set working hours and days- yes it's easy to squeeze clients in and yes we can think about the extra money that we are potentially making. But is it all worth it? No.  If clients want to come to you for a treatment then they need to fit around your working days and hours. Not the other way around. Learn to say no. Work smarter not harder. If your days are filled with clients and there’s no room for new ones, it's time to raise your prices. Know your worth and set your boundaries. That way you’ll be left with clients who appreciate and respect your time, work and rules. Perfect!

• Look after yourself- you can’t take good care of your clients if you don’t look after yourself. It is so important to stay hydrated at all times and don’t replace your meals with coffee or chocolate. Take time to meal prep and get enough quality sleep at night. Schedule a little 30 min walk in the middle of your day if you can, stretch out your body and clear your mind. Listen to a podcast, audiobook or just music.

• Take time off! -go on a holiday or take a little weekend trip away and enjoy life! Your clients can wait and they will wait. Don’t feel guilty for taking the time to re-energise yourself and just spend it with your friends and family. That’s what life is about!

Hi dolls!

It’s me again, Grete!

Starting as a lash artist can be so exciting. But staying busy, motivated and on top of this competitive industry can be so overwhelming and sometimes also demotivating. So how to keep yourself focused, motivated and positive in this ever-growing and changing lash world?

Here are the top 5 questions I get asked in my DMs constantly about this subject and here’s what I think…

What are your tips for someone who is starting out in the lash industry and how to stay motivated? It is so competitive!

Start with doing really good lash course first. It is your foundation and it matters so much! After completing your courses, practice, practice, practice! You won’t be good straight away as it’s impossible. But with lots of research, extra training and practice you will get there soon enough!

Have you heard the sentence - there are enough clients for everyone! 🙂 It is true. I don’t think the lash industry is over-saturated ….we don’t have enough PROPERLY EDUCATED  lash artists who charge their worth. So when you are starting out as a new lash artist and you want to succeed and be on the top, it will be hard work like it is with everything else. Just do the work! 

Make sure that the products you are using are quality products so you can provide your clients with the best from the start. Charge accordingly. 

Remember why you started, what brought you to lashes. And keep going. Not settling is the key. Staying on top of trends, knowing how to take good quality photos, improving every day, practicing and giving your best will bring you out on top!

How many courses/ masterclasses should you do to get good at lashes?

You are never ever too old to learn something new or improve and better yourself. 

Beginners classic and volume courses are a must to learn the basics and to get insurance. After that don’t stop! Keep learning and improving whenever the opportunity arises itself. Pick out lash artists whose work you admire and who inspire you and reach out to them to see if you can do some 1-1 classes with them You can learn so so much! I don’t see a point in training with people who are kind of similar to the ones that you admire, it just won’t be the same. You will still keep looking at the ones whose work you love and you’ll never be satisfied. So save the money and train with the best.

How would you recommend someone grows on social media?

Consistency is key! If you stay consistent the results will come. Pick a platform that you like and fully commit to it. If you don’t like being in front of the camera, you don’t have to do it! Don’t get stressed about it. 

Give value to your clients/ followers and you can do that by creating informative and aesthetic posts on Canva or on other programs. There are so many options. 

When posting, try and think from your client's point of view. What would they love to see? Try and bring your personality and style to your posts/ videos so it’s easier for you to keep creating, rather than copying someone else. Stay active with your audience, test out different hashtags and times when is best to post. I think if you put your time, energy and effort into it, and stay authentic then the following and growth of your platform will happen organically! It's like magic!

What to do if someone copies your work/ captions/ style? It is so frustrating!

Yes, it is. But….you know what they say- take it as a compliment. Hearing that sentence usually frustrates us even more, so don’t take it as a compliment, but think of them as followers. They will never be ahead of you because they are copying someone else’s style without actually creating their own. 

So what to do? 

First, stop looking at their page. It's hard at first, but literally, force yourself and you’ll get here. Block their page if that helps. 

Now put that energy that you currently put into stalking them into your own business. Work on yourself, better yourself, learn different lash styles, learn how to take/ edit your photos to the highest quality, concentrate on giving your clients the best so they keep coming back. Do your best in terms of protecting your work and designs, and continue to be creative. After all, the “heart” of what you do can’t be duplicated.

What are some things that help you stay positive?

Surround yourself with positive people, not mood and energy hoovers! 

It can be hard being a newbie in the lash industry or feeling that you just can’t get things off the ground properly.

Try not to compare yourself and your work to other lash artists who have years of experience and who have been bossing it for decades. We all started from somewhere and we have all been in your shoes before.  Take them as an inspiration, someone to learn from and maybe even who could mentor you. If you want to be where they are, then learn directly from them. Hard work and consistency will make it happen for you! 

But, it’s not all about work. Take time for yourself, exercise, have enough sleep (this is like a magic tool! Without having enough sleep, I become just useless and emotional. I can’t concentrate or be productive. So make sure you get enough to bring the best out you!), look after yourself daily.

Have the same morning and nighttime routine so you can start your day positively and in a good mood, without rushing, and finish it feeling relaxed and completed. Read self-development books and positive affirmations, it can really change your mindset. 

I hope you have found answers to some of your questions and if you would like me to elaborate on some topics more, please get in touch!

The time has come for you to squeeze all my lash knowledge out of me, in a 1-1 class! Here’s your time to squeeze all my knowledge out of me and trust me, I don’t hold back. These private masterclasses can be done at our Lash Dolls HQ in Sheffield or over FaceTime/Zoom.

Before we get properly into it I will tell you a small secret- I am an absolute over-sharer! I am so passionate about lashes and what I do, and it’s really hard to shut me up when I get going! It’s because I want to give you all the knowledge that I have gathered and collected over the years of doing what I love the most.

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no-one can take it away from you!” B.B. King

And that’s exactly what I’m here for. I am here to help you, guide you and fill in the blanks so you can take your lash business, confidence and income to the next level.

Do you...

Want to perfect and polish your technique?

Learn how to create dense, dark speciality lashes with all the tips and tricks?

Need help with your business or do you want to start a product line?

Feel like the previous lash course just didn’t cut it? 

Well, I have some fantastic news for you! You have come to the right place. 

And I will tell you why, I am the last person to blow my own trumpet but this time why the hell not?

I have...

• Worked as a mobile lash tech, done lashes from home and also in the salon.
• Set up two successful lash salons.
• Trained with multiple award winning lash trainers worldwide.
• Set up a successful lash product and training academy Lash Dolls UK and Lash Dolls Europe.
• Written multiple manuals and masterclasses about lash styles and photo editing.

And I am currently offering different accredited lash courses and online masterclasses in our Lash Dolls HQ.

So yes, I have been there and done that. I have educated myself over 10 years in this ever changing lash world, I have gained an unbelievable amount of knowledge in products and manufacturing and how to run a successful business that grows and grows. And I love it. I love learning and finding out new things about myself and the business everyday, overcoming obstacles and proving that it can be done! If you put your mind to it, you can do it! 

Now, let’s have a look at what lash knowledge I can offer you and what would be the right masterclass, or classes, for you.

What does private training mean?

Private training means that you will be working on a live model, or mannequin head, under my direct supervision. There won’t be any other students present, so you will have my 100% undivided attention as I guide you through any obstacles you might occur. We will work together and perfect your technique and skills and I will answer any questions that you may have, on the day and after when we have waved and kissed each other goodbye! 

So how does it work?

I have a few private masterclasses set already, so it’s easier for you to pick.

Or if you don’t know what it is that you exactly want, then please contact me on my instagram @gretehimbergx, email us at info@lashdollsuk.co.uk or fill in our contact form with all the details and subjects you would like to cover on the day. I will get back to you with a lesson plan and estimated time how long I think it will take + pricing.

The options are limitless for what you can learn. 

Please see my current available Masterclasses below:

Private Wispy Masterclass

This Masterclass is the most in-depth look into my signature style lash sets that I have ever done! I will let you into all my secrets, tips and tricks that you’ll ever need to create the absolutely perfect wispy set! I will explain my step by step process of how to create it, discuss different maps and look at troubleshooting and different techniques. There’s going to be lots and lots of information so get ready. This masterclass can be done at our Lash Dolls HQ in Sheffield or over FaceTime/Zoom.

Private Back To Basics Refresher Course (Classic, Volume or Megavolume)

Have you done a classic, volume or megavolume lash course already but didn’t leave confident and happy? Did you feel like you didn’t receive adequate training and like something was missing? I have been there myself! 

What we need to do is take it back to basics and start to build the foundation again and this time you will leave bursting with knowledge and the motivation to get started or continue on your lash journey as soon as possible! This masterclass can be done at our Lash Dolls HQ in Sheffield or over FaceTime/Zoom. Because of the type of masterclass it is, I’d recommend to do it face to face.

You want it, You got it Masterclass- this masterclass is all about YOU! 

What can I teach you?

We can create the most insane and out of this world lash maps together and execute them to the max or we can take it back to basics and see how we can improve your application, technique and skills to make you to be the best lash artist that you can be. And everything in between. 

Want to start your own lash product line, but don’t know where to start? 

Are you a mobile lash artist and feel like all over the place travelling nonstop from and to your clients?

Do you own a salon, and want to accelerate it through the roof with more treatments, clients and income?

Here’s your time to squeeze all my knowledge out of me and trust me, I don’t hold back. This private masterclass can be done at our Lash Dolls HQ in Sheffield or over FaceTime/Zoom.

I am very excited that I can offer all these private masterclasses to you. I can’t wait to meet you all and help develop your lash knowledge! Private masterclasses are a very efficient and effective way of learning and it can improve your technique, styling, motivation and overall business tremendously. You will have my full attention while we are together and as I mentioned above, it's very hard for me to shut me up when I get going about lashes. I am extremely passionate about this, so get ready for so much more extra info than you can handle! 

5 biggest lash retention issues and how to solve them.

Is it YOU or is it your client?! It doesn’t matter if you are a newly qualified lash artist or an experienced lash pro, bad lash retention will affect us all at some point in our careers. And that’s ok! All we need to do is take a deep breath, treat it as a learning curve and not hide away when it happens.

I know! Your heart literally drops when a client rings or a screaming message lands on your phone - “Aaaaa, help! All my lashes have fallen out and I have done nothing different!” I have had them during my lash career as well. 

Now, messages like this make us feel uncomfortable and make us second guess our ability to do lashes.  You want to pack up your tools, shut the salon, go home, cry and eat ice cream. But, your business and reputation rely heavily on how well your clients lashes last, so let’s deal with it, learn from it and fix it! Happy clients=more clients=happy us!

So, is it you or is it them?

Well, It can be a juicy mixture of both.

Now, firstly when we are saying bad retention? What does that even mean to you? Is it 2 days, a week, 2 weeks? 4 weeks?

Rule of thumb is that, to consider a treatment as an infill, clients need to have at least 50% of lashes left. So how do you measure that? Count the lashes? Who the hell has time for that?! If lash extensions have been applied properly, using quality products, and your clients are good with aftercare, lash extensions should last properly until their next infill appointment. Whether that is 2 weeks, 3 weeks or 4. Here we are talking about a situation, when lashes start falling out within a few days or a week after walking out of your salon. If that happens, sorry doll, its on you! 

Let’s look at the top 5 biggest bad retention causers, how to avoid them and how to fix them.

Bad prep- 

Lash prep already starts before your clients walk in through the door. 

What you can do to help? Just say to your client- please arrive on time and preferably without any makeup! And I mean …. ANY MAKEUP! Awful I know, but hear me out. If they arrive with makeup, especially eye makeup, it will waste your precious time to take it off. You can use as many eye makeup removers, lash shampoos etc you want, but there will be some residue left. FACT! If there’s residue, there’s a barrier. If there’s a barrier, lash extensions won’t bond properly to the natural lash. Now, I am not saying that you should start lashing as soon as a client walks through your door, but arriving on time, especially without eye makeup, will save you lots of time.

Steps to follow for perfect prep- 

1. Clean around clients' eyes with oil-free makeup remover or lash shampoo. Rinse properly to get all the product off. Dry thoroughly with a lint-free towel, pat dry with a paper towel or dry with a lash fan.
2. Place pads, tape etc
3. Prime the lashes with a suitable primer. I personally believe in primers and look at it as having your nails done. A clean and properly prepped surface will make your lashes last longer.
4. Try not to use too many pre-treatment products.  Because the more you use, the higher the risk of buildup and the products could actually start working against each other. 

Lash adhesive - the dreaded subject! If you are swapping and changing your adhesive brand every few weeks hoping for better retention, and clients' lashes are still falling out left, right and centre….I got some bad news for you. It’s not the adhesive, It’s most likely you. 

Let’s take it back to basics. 

1. Use an adhesive that’s right for your experience and speed. There’s no need to go for a faster adhesive if you can’t actually work that fast. Knowing what the seconds on the bottles mean help. If the adhesive speed is 1-2 seconds, it doesn’t mean it cures in 1-2 seconds when it hits the natural lash. It means that you have 1-2 seconds to get the extension from glue to the natural lash. The faster the adhesive, the faster you need to be. The client's natural lash needs to be isolated before you dip the lash in adhesive.
2. Date it. When you first open your adhesive, write an opening date on it. Then you know exactly when to open a new one. I would recommend 4 weeks of use and then opening a new bottle. The more you open it, more oxygen gets in and that can weaken the adhesive and also the bond.
3. Change your adhesive dots often. How quickly your adhesive dot dries depends on humidity and temperature in your treatment room (humidity 45-55% and temperature 21ºC-23ºC are great!), the surface it’s placed on (foil, tape, jade stone, glue ring etc) and where it’s placed. If you are keeping it underneath your light it will definitely dry faster. Sitting next to a heater will have the same effect. Keeping all these points in mind, and following them religiously should definitely minimise the retention issue. 
4. Store your adhesive properly. Keep it in a dry and cool place, away from sunlight and in an upright position.
5. Shake your adhesive properly and long enough. All the ingredients in the bottle need to be mixed properly every single time you change your dot. When you open it for the first time, shake it for at least 1-2 minutes and I would recommend doing that at the start of each lash day as well. Between adhesive dots, 20-30 seconds should be enough. 
6. Using enough adhesive. Don’t be scared to use more if you need to. Learn how to use enough for the retention to improve but not to stress out or cause heaviness to the client's natural lash. Sometimes, using a tiny bit more adhesive is all you need to improve your client's retention dramatically. 

Shop our range of Professional Lash Adhesives here.

Education- never stop learning!

Especially if you are a new lash artist or just looking to train in lashes, do your research about the courses first. Make sure whoever you pick to start your lash career with, is a professional and experienced trainer, as they will be the ones who are going to lay the foundation for you. At your first lash course, it will be impossible to remember everything. The amount of knowledge you’ll receive will be overwhelming. But actually doing lashes, seeing multiple types of clients and running into different problems, will make you grow as a lash artist.

Wrong length or curl lash extensions have been used & poor application - know your client's lashes and follow the correct application.

Doing a pre-treatment consultation when you are doing a patch test is yes time-consuming, but will actually help you so much at the actual appointment. You have already seen the lashes, photos of what they are expecting and have all the information you need to just crack on when your client arrives at their booked appointment. Educate your clients straight away if the lashes they are wanting are way too long, thick or the shape won’t suit them. Then they know what to expect and things will run more smoothly.  Talk politely, be smiley and act like you know everything about lashes. Even if you are just a beginner. That’s why booking a trustworthy lash course with experienced educators is so important, as you will leave confident and ready to tackle the lash world. 

What you must/must not do:

1. Know the lengths, curls and styles that are suitable for different clients. Lash extensions that are too long or thick can cause trauma to the client's natural lash making it fall out prematurely causing bold patches. 
2. Don’t swipe the lash extension coated with adhesive up and down the natural lash as it will dry it, which will cause lashes to fall out way quicker. 
3. Don’t swipe extra adhesive to the pads. Learn and practice how much you need. 
4. Always isolate the natural lash before dipping the extension in the adhesive.
5. Lift natural lashes with tape off the pads to have a clear vision of what you are doing.
6. Don’t just drop the extensions on the natural lashes! Make sure the bases are properly and securely attached. If the bases are loose, extensions will just pop off even when gently brushing. Practice the placement and it will become second nature.
7. Don’t just lash natural lashes in their mature stage (telogen). These are lashes that are at the end of their growth cycle and will fall off very, very soon. Try to give your clients full 100% coverage, as that’s what they are paying for.

Aftercare - educate your clients!

Don’t be scared to sound like a broken record when you are going through aftercare with them again and again. There’s no need to get stressed out and talk about your dirty lash clients to your colleagues or put it all over Instagram. It’s the wrong audience and this won’t make any difference or make your life any easier. Except for the quick stress relief of getting it out of your system. To sort the situation you just need to tell your client, or even better, demonstrate.

1. Talk about it in a calm and firm way. Explain that if they don’t follow aftercare given by you, the lash appointment will be cut shorter as you are spending time removing their mascara, strip lash glue or god knows what they put in their lashes/around their eyes. 
2. Have little aftercare cards made with all the main points that they can refer to and have them on your social media pages, website etc so it's easy to find and accessible at all times. That’s your and your clients issue. Your clients need to follow the after care but you need to educate them! Recommend products to use, show how to wash the lashes etc don’t be afraid to sound like a broken record. 
3. Recommend different oil-free products. Have a list of products they definitely shouldn’t use. 
4. Have a conversation with your clients about their skincare routine, lifestyle, medication etc so you can tackle any retention issues faster. Explain how they can all cause retention issues. The more your clients know, the easier it is for them to make sure that they are doing everything they are supposed to.

Conclusion

When you get a call from your client, that their lashes have all fallen out, firstly don’t panic. Take a deep breath and try to get to the bottom of the problem. Do your best not to take the complaint personally. Keep your emotions separate and work with your client to rectify the issue.  How fast and efficiently you deal with this matters!

Love you, bye!

Grete

Follow our Instagram for more weekly tips and tricks!

There is currently a lot of discussion surrounding whether or not Lash Artists should lash pregnant women. This is a tough one because there are arguments for both doing, and avoiding it, so we’ve put together a collection of pros and cons in order for you to make your own mind up! 

It is important that we know, for legal/insurance purposes, if our clients are pregnant as a number of insurance providers don’t cover lashing on pregnant women, so make sure you check with your insurer whether this is something you can do or not. But how do we know if a client is pregnant or not? This can be a very sensitive situation so it’s best to handle this as delicately as possible, we recommend that the consultation forms ask a client if they’re pregnant or breastfeeding, and to update you if this changes for future appointments, this allows them to answer discreetly and confidently while also being made aware that they must inform you for you to be able to do their lashes safely. 

What can affect expectant mothers who get their lashes done and how you lash them?

Laying flat

People who are expecting are advised not to lay flat on their back for prolonged periods of time, this is because there is a major blood vessel called the vena cava that runs down the back and to the baby. If your client is laid on their back for too long their uterus can push on that blood vessel resulting in restricting blood flow to the baby and can also make the mum feel dizzy, out of breath and generally unwell. Here are some solutions we can suggest: 

• Can you use pre-made or pro-made fans on them to speed the process up?
• Add some extra time onto the appointment so the client has time to have a break and have a stretch/walk around. 
• Can they lay on their side with their head turned, switching sides periodically

Allergies

People often ask whether pregnancy will change sensitivity to allergens, some people say if your client has had them before, they’ll be fine, others say that because the bodies are focusing on growing a baby they are more vulnerable to things that usually wouldn’t affect them. Because of this you must be patch testing your clients again when you know they’re pregnant; the solution may seem straightforward however it doesn't come without controversy itself. 

People often argue saying that patch tests aren’t effective as you’re only testing 5-10 lashes whereas on a full set you would be doing 90-120 per eye, meaning you’re exposed to a lot more of the product. This is completely down to your own discretion and what you feel comfortable doing. 

Sensitivity to fumes

At the start of pregnancies, and often throughout, your clients senses are heightened, this may ruin their lash experience as the fumes and smells may irritate them. Getting your lashes done is supposed to be a fun and relaxing experience that makes you feel good, so it can feel disheartening for your clients when they’re uncomfortable and irritated.

It is important to note that the lash industry at the time of writing this blog is currently unregulated, meaning glues are also unregulated so we don’t know how these fumes that the clients inhale are affecting the mother and baby.

Hair loss/hair growth

When your client is pregnant, the baby will take a lot of your client's nutrients, meaning they may face hair loss, and their eyelashes going brittle. Alternatively, the hair might thrive and the eyelashes may be thicker. However, are they losing more lashes because they’re going through the eyelash growth process quicker? Both of these will affect how you do your clients lashes and how frequently they may need infills. 

Summary:

There are lots of different factors to take into consideration, however we believe that these are the main contraindications, always team this information with your own research too as things change so often. 

We hope that this information can help you make an informed decision on whether or not you want to move forward lashing pregnant clients, we believe there is no right or wrong answer, this is all down to how you feel and what you’re comfortable with! We know how much clients LOVE getting their lashes done!

In the U.K. (like most other places in the world) we were in a strict lockdown for what felt like a lifetime, the beauty industry was closed and that meant many lash artists were out of work. As much as we are all ecstatic that we are able to work again and our diaries are booked up, it's so important that you don’t fall back into old habits of never saying no to your clients, working until 9pm on a Sunday and having no time for yourself.

I think if the lockdowns taught us anything, then its the importance of being able to enjoy each day and really appreciating your life and your work! Many of us had so much more time to be able to reflect, so due to this, we thought we’d give you 5 policies that you need to implement NOW, that will improve your work life and allow you to have much more time to yourself.

1. Non-refundable booking fee’s

No-shows are the most frustrating right? Siting around, twiddling your thumbs waiting for a client that’s never going to show up. Sometimes clients don’t recognise that by not showing up it's a massive waste of your time and money, as you could have filled their space with someone else. By asking for a non-refundable booking fee/ deposit (whatever you want to call it) means that you are able to take a small amount of money from them prior to their appointment. It also means that if you do get a no-show then you have at least got some income. 

By introducing a non-refundable booking fee, we can guarantee that your no-show rate will reduce massively. As the customers who are apprehensive, or refuse to pay the deposit are most likely the ones who would have cancelled anyway, because if you are 100% wanting to book in, then what difference does it make if you ask for a small amount towards the cost before? 

You may feel slightly uncomfortable asking for money beforehand, but don’t! Just have a clear policy stated, and make it clear that it comes off their total treatment cost so they’re not actually paying anymore. If you don’t know what to say then here’s an example:

“To secure your booking, all appointments require a non-refundable booking fee. This amount will be discounted off the total cost of your treatment. The remainder of your balance will be paid on the day of your appointment.”

2. 24 hour cancellation policy 

So now we’ve spoken about no-shows, its time to talk about clients that cancel 1 hour before their appointment, leaving you in the same position as now you’ve got the stress of trying to fill their slot or move around your current appointments. Yes, sometimes things do pop up and mean that your clients can’t make it, and in their head there is nothing more they could have done, as they have let you know. However, this doesn’t mean that it is any less frustrating. 

This is why you should put in place a 24 hour cancellation policy. This means, that your client has up to 24 hours before their appointment to cancel. After this time, you are able to keep hold of their booking fee to cover you for any inconveniences caused. If you make all your clients aware of this policy when booking, you may notice that you will start to get more notice if clients can’t make their appointment. But, if your client cancels after this time they simply have no choice but to accept your policy. We understand it’s difficult keeping money from a client for nothing, but you shouldn’t be out of pocket either, so it will ensure that your clients start to give you as much notice as possible if they want to cancel their appointment. 

3. Give yourself normal working hours

Ok, so how many of us have worked until 10pm just to squeeze everyone in, or accepted appointments on a Sunday? For many of us, it’s hard to say no, especially to our loyal clients. However.. it’s so important that you give yourself realistic working hours and stick to them! Lashing isn’t your typical 9-5, but there’s no reason why it cant be. If you put in place certain hours that you work every week, then your clients will start to work themselves around you - rather than you revolving your hours around them! You will notice that your clients will respect your working hours, and people will book in earlier in advance rather than leaving it last minute and trying to get an appointment and presuming you’ll be able to fit them in.

4. DINNER BREAK!

Following on nicely from working normal hours, make sure you give yourself a dinner break, and breaks in-between clients for you to re-hydrate, eat and just relax for a moment. Having clients back-to-back is a blessing, especially after the tough year the beauty industry has had, but it doesn’t mean your health has to forfeit. Giving yourself regular breaks and a lunch hour/30 mins will allow you to re-charge and therefore you’ll feel much more energised through your appointments, your concentration levels will be higher and therefore you’ll be creating better work and enjoying your day more. We are all a bit too familiar with our stomaches rumbling between clients, and instead of concentrating on our work or talking to our clients all we can think about is eating a massive sharer pack of crisps.

5. Early/ late policy

Finally, the last policy we think is super important to implement is an early / late policy. If your clients are early to their appointment it can sometimes throw off your whole day. Clients may think they’re doing you a favour by showing up early, because naturally it is a polite and positive thing to do, but this could mean they are interrupting your dinner break or stopping you from drinking that cuppa you’ve been dying for all morning. The best thing you can do, is let your clients know to turn up on time to their appointment, and if they’re early then they’ll just have to wait outside or in their car. If you happen to be running ahead of appointments and you have extra time, then great! Just ask your client if they can come early, or enjoy the longer gap and enjoy an extra long break.

Now, onto clients who turn up late, and think 15 minutes won’t affect anything and they can still come out with the MegaVolume set they booked in for... (unlikely). Make your clients aware that if they are late, then it will eat into their appointment time, and you are only able to produce a set in the remaining time. 

So that’s the 5! We believe that by implementing these 5 steps into your lash business, then you’ll be running a much smoother, more relaxed - well oiled business, with plenty of time to yourself.

Written by: Lucy Askham

Brown eyelashes are becoming increasingly popular in 2021, and we’re here for it! 

Not all clients want the dramatic, ultra black lashes that we are so used to providing, some are heading more towards subtle, natural looking lash extensions. If you take a look at your own eyelashes, most of our eyelashes are not jet black. So, by using brown lash extensions on your clients will emphasise their eyes in a more natural looking way than black eyelash extensions will, whilst still gaining the full volume and length that lash extensions provide. 

Brown eyelash extensions are suitable for all clients, but they are an especially great alternative for your clients with a lighter skin tone. Often, your blonde and redhead clients have lighter natural eyelashes and eyebrows to coincide with their fair skin, so by using brown eyelashes is the most natural way to enhance their current lashes. Therefore, the lash extensions will appear much more believable; I mean who doesn’t want lash extensions that look that they could have grown themselves? 

As well as your fair skinned clients, brown eyelashes are also great for your mature clients. As using dark, black lashes can often be too harsh. As you get older, the natural lashes lose their hydration and elasticity and become much thinner, so you will often see your older clients have less and more sparse natural lashes. Adding black eyelash extensions to already sparse eyelashes can make their bare lash line stand out (and no one wants that!).  Therefore, using brown eyelash extensions are an amazing alternative, and will have your clients lashes looking full and natural!

We recommend varying your kit with a mix of black eyelashes, and also brown eyelashes of different tones (light to dark brown) to ensure you are able to provide the most suitable lashes for all of your clients.  

Overall, brown eyelashes are a great addition you really need in your kits! They are perfect for all of your client’s but especially those with fairer skin tones, maturer clients and also anyone that just wants a more natural look. 

So keep your eyes peeled on the Lash Dolls U.K. website as we may have these available very, very soon!

Are you creating beautiful lash sets, but struggling with speed? Are you booking 3-4 hour appointments to complete a Russian lash set? This can be frustrating, especially if you’re having to turn down clients because you just don’t have the time. We’re not recommending you rush your sets, because when you rush - that is when mistakes are made! But, speeding up your lash application can be done through lighting, organisation, timing and knowing your environment.

Of course, with practise you will naturally speed up during appointments, but we all start somewhere and sometimes we take a little too long. It’s not ideal for your clients to be laid for hours, and not good for your backs either!

Firstly, your lash room set up.
Make sure you have good lighting! Lighting is a lash artists best friend, not only do you need good lighting to produce the best lash images - (see our blog ‘How to take a good lash pic’ for more tips and tricks) but also, for you to be able to see your clients lashes clearly. If your lighting is dim and yellow, or if you are just using a rooms ‘big’ light - then you won’t be able to see all those tiny lashes on your client, and this will ultimately slow down your application. We highly recommend getting yourself a bright studio light, ideally a LED white light. The ‘Neewer’ lighting (available on Amazon) is a great investment and will make a huge difference.

Organisation.
Let’s talk about your lash trolley… Is it tidy? Do you know where all of your products are? Do you prep your lash trolley before each client? If the answer to any of those questions is no, then listen up!

Before each appointment you should be organising your lash trolley, making sure you have exactly what you need for each client. There is nothing worse than running out of lashes and having to root around your trolley trying to find some more, or realising you haven’t got your primer, all of this takes up valuable time out of the appointment that can be avoided.

Next up, is timing.
It’s very easy to get carried away during your appointments, and lose all sense of timing. But it is essential to keep checking your progress during application. The best way to do this is to get a simple table clock next to the lash bed. You may ask, why don’t I just use my phone? Well, that’s because whenever you go to check the time on your phone, there might be a message you want to reply to, a missed call - all of these things will further distract you from your appointment when you should be focussed on your client and working.

Knowing your environment.
When it comes to your glues, we all know that there are certain humidities and temperatures that work best. If you haven’t already, then make sure you have a thermometer & hygrometer placed next to your lash bed. This is so you are able to monitor any changes, as change in humidity and temperature can affect the drying speed of your lash glues, and will slow down your set.

Alongside these factors, is of course, practise. The more you work, the better you will be at time management. The less errors you will be making, and overall you will be working much quicker than when you started out.

However, there are some client factors that can impact on the length of your appointment. Ensure your client arrives at their appointment with no eye make up on, and clean lashes. Check out our blog (The importance of cleaning lash extensions) to read more on how this can impact your appointments. Also, are you talking to your clients too much, or are they chatting non-stop which is making it difficult for you to concentre? We recommend supplying a hydrating lip mask for your clients who may need one, which will cover their mouths so they won’t be able to talk.

Each of these tips will help you on your way to slowing down your lash appointments, everything takes time so try not to force it. It’s better to learn, and do things correctly rather than rush and make mistakes. Be sure to practise, practise, practise.
We all want to be better at what we do, but success and perfection take time! So don’t beat yourself up if you’re slower now. You’ll get there!

Written By: Lucy Askham

When it comes to selecting the right lash adhesive, one glue isn’t always perfect for everyone. This can be due to experience e.g. the quicker you work the faster drying glue you can use and vice versa; and also, it is down to the environment you work in. 

When it comes to your work environment, room humidity and temperature are extremely important, as the performance of your glues rely on this. Eyelash adhesives rely on moisture in the air to work properly, they need moisture to attach. The main ingredient of all lash glues is cyanoacrylate. This ingredient ensures the lash glue dries quickly and holds the extensions in place for several weeks. However, cyanoacrylate only cures when there is moisture. Simply put, the humidity works as an activator for lash extension glue’s adhesion.

If the room humidity is higher than the ideal level, the cyanoacrylate in your glue will be ‘overly activated’ by too much moisture in the air. This means that the lash adhesive will dry much faster than usual -  lash glue can dry 1-2 times faster than its specified drying speed when the humidity is too high. This will become a massive issue when lashing, as your glue will have cured too quickly. Meaning, your glue droplets will dry up much quicker, this can lead to poor placement, bad attachment and bad retention. 

Opposite to this, too little humidity in the air will slow everything down. If the humidity is lower than the ideal level, the cyanoacrylate in your glue will not have enough water vapour to help it cure. This can cause issues like bad placement, and higher exposure to cyanoacrylate, which could then cause an allergic reaction from the lash glue. If you are unsure on the humidity of your Lash Dolls U.K. glue then these are stated on the product descriptions. 

When it comes to the temperature, this can affect the viscosity of the lash glue. If it’s too cold, the glue gets harder than it should, and will take the glue longer to dry. If it’s too hot, the glue will overheat and become more stringy, meaning your glue will dry much quicker due to the hot temperature. If you are working in a hot temperature, it is important to change your glue every 10 minutes. At Lash Dolls U.K. all of our lash adhesives are recommended to store at around room temperature (21-26C): 

Magicbond & Megabond - Perfect temperature 21-22C

Masterbond - Perfect temperature 22-26C

It is important that you understand your lash glues perfect temperature and humidity before use to guarantee the best retention from your glue. If one of these elements are off, then you’re at risk of your work not being at its full potential. 

When selecting your glue, it is mostly down to personal preference as only you can decide what works best for you. You may work very quickly and have clients back to back, so a quick drying glue is a must! Or maybe you prefer to have a few extra seconds to make adjustments, even though you could work faster. Whatever it is, understanding the differences in the glues drying speeds and how this can be affected by your work environment is key. This is why at Lash Dolls U.K. we have 3 lash adhesives perfect for everyone. 

If you would like to shop our range of lash adhesives, click here.

Written by: Lucy Askham

When creating a set of lash extensions, lash mapping is super important! Outlining your lash lengths and segments on an eye pad before you begin lashing allows you to consider the shape and features of each eye individually, and therefore create the perfect shape to suit your clients. Yes, you are able to do a similar type of lash map for each client, but no one's eyes are identical so each map may have to be tweaked slightly. 

Why do we lash map?

One of the main benefits of lash mapping is that it helps to maintain symmetry between both eyes. There is nothing worse than perfecting a look on one eye, and then struggling to mirror it on the second eye, it can be really time consuming and frustrating trying to achieve symmetry so eyelash mapping really helps with this. Also, when you lash map, it makes working with layers so much easier, and with everything you want to do planned out in front of you, it cuts down treatment time too.

When choosing the right lash map, it is vital to determine what shape eye your client has. If you use the wrong lash map this may not suit your clients eye shape, and will not show your work to its best potential, and most importantly your client may not be happy with their lashes. There are six main eye shapes that your client may have; round, hooded, monolid, downturned, upturned and almond. It is important to understand these different eye shapes, and what eye shape your clients have so you can map to compliment them. 

How to lash map:

To begin lash mapping, all you need is some eye pads and a pen. If you are new to lash mapping, it’s a great idea to get your client to send you a picture of their eyes, that way you can look at their eye shape beforehand. Once you have decided on the eye shape of your client, you can then choose your lash style. However, always check this with your client as they may have a desired look they want to achieve. 

There are loads of different lash styles:

There's the natural look - where you are imitating your clients natural lashes, just a mm or 2 longer.

The "Squirrel" where the longer length is just past the pupil, towards the outer corner, and then goes down short again. This produces a natural looking style where the longest lashes are applied under the arch of the eyebrow.

The “Cat” - This look creates the illusion of more feline eyes, where you would use the longest lashes towards the outer corer of the eyes.

Then there’s, “Doll” - Where the longer lengths are in the middle of the lashes, to create the appearance of more large & open eyes. Hence the name “Doll” / “Dolly” eyes. 

At Lash Dolls U.K. our signature lash looks are our “Wispy” lashes. This is why founder Grete created The Ultimate Wispy Lash Maps manual! The manual contains 20 pages of tips and tricks along with 3 different wispy lash looks for you to try, learn and create. 

We have created a step by step guide into lash mapping below, using a “Doll” eye look as an example:

Pro tip * Make sure when lash mapping, you use all lengths for a more natural look.

1. Mark on your client’s lid where their pupil is. Ensure this mark sits closer to the eyebrow so you don’t lose it when cleansing the lashes.

2. Prep your client as normal and put on under-eye pads.

3. Taking the pupil mark (from step 1), mark where your longest lash will go, this will be the middle for the “Doll" eye look - but remember this will vary depending on the style of lash map you are creating.

4. Split the under-eye pad into sections graduating to both inner and outer corners.

5. Isolate a lash within the longest length in the middle. Then take your lash extension (with no adhesive) and measure it against your clients natural lash until you have the most similar length.

6. This then allows you to see what length lash extensions you should be using. We recommend using around one third longer than the clients natural lash. However always consult with your client first, as they may prefer shorter lashes, or longer lashes. But for example, if the natural lash measured 9mm, the longest lash extension you should use would be 12mm. Take the lash extensions (12mm in this example) and measure this, with the application gap, to see if it is the correct length.

7. You now have your middle length for your lash map. Write this number (e.g. 12) in the middle section.

8. Now write your inner corner length,  this could be a 6, 7 or 8 etc..

9. Graduate the lengths in between the inner corner and middle lengths and do the same going back to the outer corners.

10. Repeat on the other eye.

If you would like a more in-depth guide to lash mapping, and would like to learn how to achieve the Lash Dolls U.K. signature wispy lash then you can shop The Ultimate Wispy Lash Maps manual here!

Written by Lucy Askham