Yes, haste makes waste but increasing speed at which you do not compromise other qualities, then speed is practical.
For a lash artist, gradually increasing speed in applying eyelash extension is a great advantage for her business and the customer experience she wants to deliver. As much as you want to do magic to as many lashes as possible, if your lashing speed is not improving, then it can be pretty frustrating.
With more practice and slight changes to the working set-up, one can do a good trick in turning up that lashing gear. So here’s some tips to speed up your lash extension application:
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Organize materials ahead of time
What more is a waste of time than having to pause what you’re doing every now and then because you’re missing a tweezer or need more false lashes or because you forgot the hygrometer? Planning and enough preparation will not only save you time, but will also save your resources.
Review your appointment, your client and the service she booked so you can organize in the lash tray all the lash extension products and tools you need even before the client arrives. Save time by avoiding last- minute digging into your unorganized lash kit.
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Prep the lash room
Clean lash studio? Aside from the fact that you wouldn’t want lash clients to be waiting because you’re still cleaning your lash studio and lash bed, you also wouldn't want your second client to witness the mess your first client had left in.
Well lit working area? Not being able to see clearly what you’re working on will not only slow you down but will also hurt your eyes. Having good lighting allows you to have a good look at even small lashes and thus, place eyelash extensions fast and as precisely as possible.
Right temperature and humidity? These will not only affect your lashing speed but most critically, temperature and humidity affects the quality and retention of your lash work. If you’re taking more time drying the glue, then you better check your hygrometer!
Good ventilation? How comfortable you are when working affects your speed and nothing’s so comforting when you and your lash client are soaked in lash extension glue fumes.
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Practice isolation
Isolation is one of the most critical part of the eyelash extension process and literally, the most time- consuming. If you dedicate some of your early training as a lash technician to perfecting your isolation technique, you will get better and faster with time. And the only way to improve is to practice and practice some more!
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Take Advantage of Good Lash Products
Pre-made fans? Hand creating fans can have the best retention but premade fans are good at it too. This can decrease your time in half, which is incredible, especially if you are a novice lash technician. It also alleviates the stress associated with volume sets.
Lash extension glues? As you gain experience, you can level up your lashing game by trying out faster drying glues in the market. Some fast drying glues won’t even give you spare time to reposition your placements so you have to be a master of your craft when using these kinds.
Lastly, aside from nano misters, lash bonders and glue accelerators also aid in the curing of lash adhesives while leaving a good quality of bond between the extensions and the natural lashes for fabulous eyelash curls that last long.
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Client Contribution
Clean lashes? Cleaning lashes and prepping them for the procedure also takes up quite a considerable amount of time especially with stubborn eye make-ups and mascara.
Be clear about your pre-treatment instructions to your clients especially about them showing up to their appointment with clean and make-up free natural lashes. Otherwise, impose an additional fee for adding cleaning lashes to the eyelash extension service.
There are a lot of good lash shampoos in the market that are designed perfectly to cleanse built-up oil and dead skin cells and removes dirt, fine particles and all sorts of cosmetic residues. In addition to natural lash preparation, lash primers also promote better hold of eyelash extensions (individual eyelashes to natural lashes) and will help with eyelash extension glue retention issues.
No chatting? Yes, it’s also important and inevitable to catch up with your lash clients especially when it’s about their recent expensive vacation, their love life and even other people’s lives. So do it at the beginning of the appointment and do it short. When you’re starting the process, offer them the opportunity to have a rejuvenating lash nap because less talk means more focus for you!
Distractions? Eliminate them! Cell phones, TV and other materials of extra activities that cause distractions must be put away or be put on silent mode. The last thing you want during your application is to be interrupted by phone notifications and ringing.
In addition, have your clients go to the bathroom prior to lashing. Advise them to do what needs to be done before the process so that they do not interrupt you during your most focused period.
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Don’t overdo brushing
Fluffing the lashes as they're being put on tends to take too much unnecessary time especially for beginner lash technicians. While brushing is also important, do it at certain time intervals when your hand is not holding a tweezer. As they say, brush with a purpose!
Speed is certainly something to work on especially for services like eyelash extension applications where precision and accuracy are of utmost importance to the overall quality of the output. But, nothing is impossible with practice and experience! Practice is the only way to improve both your speed and your work quality.
Find the best routine for you. Pace yourself. Coming off well-planned and well- prepared give you a good advantage in finishing appointments faster. Wouldn’t it be nicer if you can accommodate more clients in a day? After all, an increase in revenue and customer satisfaction are two goals you strive for as a business owner and a lash expert.
Lash fast and good for a beautiful life, queens!