Questions To Ask Your Lash Tech
So... That's it. You have decided. You want Eyelash Extensions. You have had a look and found a place to get them done. Next step is just making the booking right?
Wrong. So let me stop your right there.
The next step would be looking into who actually will be giving you your gorgeous lashes.
Why you might ask? Well, you wouldn't just let anyone work on your eyes would you? They bless you with sight and someone is going to go near them with sharp tweezers and adhesive. You wouldn't settle for a surgeon with a YouTube education (or would you?) so don't take that chance with your eyes. Do your research, because a poorly trained lash tech may cause damage to your natural lashes.
Any reputable business has an online platform of some sort, it being a website or social media. This makes doing your research a lot easier. Don't however shy away of asking these questions before making an appointment or during your lash consultation.
- Look at pictures of their work
- What products do they use?
- Where did they train?
- Are they insured?
- What other treatments do they offer?
- Do they offer a consultation appointment and/or patch test?
- What other treatments do they offer?
- Look at their reviews
- What do they charge?
Pictures of a Lash Tech's Work
They say that pictures say more than a 1000 words and in this case, it is definitely true. If you like what you see in their pictures you can be assured of what the end result may look like. I am using the word 'may' as what kind of set a Lash Tech can give you also depends on your own natural lashes & eye shape. If your natural lashes are sparse, thin and short they may not be a suitable foundation for a heavier set of eyelash extensions for instance and likewise, the famous cat eye effect can be a little bit heavy on some clients and make the eye droop. A good lash tech will be able to tailor the lash extensions to your specific requirements. One does not fit all. Also, be cautious as it's not unheard of certain people to use pictures of other lash professionals work and showing it off as their own. When people do this, one can assume that their own work is not up to the standard that they are trying to portray and you may get disappointed.
Products & Tools Nowadays, lash products are readily available, even if you are not certified as a lash tech. Just have a browse on eBay and you will know what I mean. You can buy everything on there to get you started and I even know some lash tech's who buy their lashes in such a way.
In itself you could argue that it doesn't matter where the lashes & other products come from as long as they do the job. I disagree. You see, I believe that if you are a reputable lash tech who loves what she does, that you do not cut back on the cost of your lashes/tweezers/adhesive. If you buy from a proper supplier, you have the advantage of having a decent aftercare service which is something you just do not have when buying cheap Chinese lashes from a random website/bidding site. You will be able to trust the products you use and if there is a problem with your adhesive or with your lashes, you can contact them and discuss. They know how their products perform the best and are there to give advice etc. It is essential that you have this support behind you as it makes you a much better lash tech and also keeps you up to date with the latest products available on the market.
Training
Did you know you can 'learn' how to apply lash extensions on YouTube? (There is not much you can't find online nowadays!) No, but seriously, there are many different providers who teach in all sort of formats: From online courses to one day courses etc. But watching online videos or attending a one day course in eyelash extensions does not make you a Lash Pro.
It requires so much knowledge & practice which is just not something you can learn without having a proper trainer, ongoing support, keeping up to date in the industry and even more continuous learning. Any reputable lash tech will have the required certificates showing what training was undertaken. It would be my advise to ask your lash tech if any practical work or case studies had to be undertaken in order to gain the certificate(s).
Insurance Without going to deep into this, as a lash tech we have a duty of care to our lovely clients and therefore it is vital that your potential future lash tech has Public Liability Insurance as well as Product Liability just in case of an accidental bodily injury or faulty product etc. Also always remember: No Certificate, No Insurance.
Consultation & Patch Test
Does your future lash tech offers a Consultation Appointment & Patch Test? If they don't I would definitely think again & let me explain why. During a Consultation Appointment your potential future lash tech will check if there are any contraindicators present which may prevent you from having eyelash extensions. Furthermore she will find out what you expectations are & what style you prefer. Additionally she will have a look at your natural lashes and advise you whether she can make your expectations into a reality.
The most important part of the Consultation Appointment is the Patch Test however. During a Patch Pest your lash tech will try a little amount of all the products she would be using during the actual treatment to rule out (as much as possible) that you are not allergic to them. Not only is this a legal requirement for insurance purposes (Yes, that's right - your lash tech insurance will be VOID if a patch test was not carried out!), it is also the right thing to do from an ethical point of view. It's true, it does not often happen that someone develops a reaction, but if it does... just imagine how sore and unsightly it may be.
Other Treatments
Does your potential lash tech just provide lash treatments or does she provide other treatments as well? Which ones does she specialise in? Someone who's bread and butter are for instance nail treatments, may not have the same knowledge/experience/etc as someone who is solely dedicated to lashes.
Reviews
There are so many places people can leave Reviews nowadays, from the likes of Facebook, to Yell.com to Google Maps etc. The consumer has so much power when it comes to their opinion of a brand or company, so use it! And in turn, if you have a positive experience somewhere, leave a review & spread the word. It truly makes a little business owners day, I can vouch for that.
Prices Prices very much depend on where you live in the UK/World so try a few techs to see what the average prices are in your area. Perhaps check out salon prices but also mobile and home based lash techs as their prices may differ slightly as well. Question the lash tech's with the mega cheap prices, because there must be a reason. Do they use cheap products? Have they invested in their training and do they have the knowledge required? Do they invest in their tools? Are they having problems attracting clients and hence offer dead cheap prices? If they are having problems attracting clients, why is this? Are they insured? In other words, they may be cutting corners. And do you want someone who cuts corners to work on your lashes/eyes? Don't however assume that expensive is necessary better. For instance, a salon based lash tech may have to charge more compared to a lash tech working from home just because the latter doesn't have the extra expense of having to pay for premises, etc.
Conclusion
If you get answers to the points above you will have a very good picture of your potential lash tech. I do really think what it comes down to is that you want to find a lash tech who has a passion for lashes & takes pride in what she does. If you can find someone like that, you should be in good hands.
As for myself, I have been trained by the amazingly talented Amy Dommett from No 1 Lash & Brow Studio in Cullompton and use the EU regulated products by Flirties. Additionally, I am fully insured by Salon Gold and I just love Eyelash Extensions!
Note: I have been referring to the potential lash tech as a 'she'. I just wanted to point out that 'she' could also be a 'he'!
Feel free to let me know your thoughts on this post. I am all ears!
