We’ve all seen the viral “news” on Tik Tok- “The Lash Industry is Dying!” Lash artists, none of you need to panic. Here are our thoughts on why this is trending right now, and reasons that you don’t need to be scared if your heart is still fully aligned with providing this service for your clients.
With the ever-increasing gap between wages and the growing cost of living, particularly in America, it is true that some services are no longer as affordable for the average person as they once were. We’ve all felt the defeat in filling up our gas tanks or bringing home just a few items from the grocery store, and looking at the receipt like, “how in the hell did that just cost me $150?” When looking at the beauty service industry, a lot of these services provided are considered luxury services. While many of them, including nails, hair, lashes, and permanent makeup, aren’t necessities, they can add value to one’s life simply for the increased ease of getting ready in the morning, which to some is well worth the price tag. That being said, eyelash extensions have always been, and will always be, a luxury service.
It may be harsh to say, but… there are aspects of the lash industry that need to die. There, I said it. This is not a service where clients are trading money only to receive the outcome of terrible reactions to adhesive, damaged natural lashes, or any other negative side effect that can come when eyelash extensions are done poorly. These are people’s eyes that we are working with!
when someone asks us if there is still a need for true lash artists.
Unfortunately, with the boom of the lash industry in the last 15 years, this brought out an opportunity for people to earn money in an “easy” or “fast” way. Just have a look at the large handful of people that are looked up to in this industry, boasting about how they started a “six figure beauty business” in such a short time. Marketing any service, especially a luxury one, to service providers as a “quick and easy way” to make six figures is just… not good. For many reasons.
There are many people, licensed beauty professionals or not, who fell victim to buying into this belief that they could learn a service such as eyelash extensions, for as little of an up front investment as possible. They then would gather products at the lowest overhead they could, and plan to capitalize on that newly acquired skill set to bring in thousands of dollars- without ever taking the time to master the art of the trade. This is around the time that people also decided they wanted to remove themselves from the service provider chair, and realized their hourly rate would expand greatly if they became educators- without having even invested a real chunk of their time into performing the service themselves.
Cue the next few years of madness in the lash industry. This became a problem for two reasons. 1) Not everyone is meant to do this service, let alone do it well. 2) Not everyone is meant to be an educator, particularly for a service that can have a really negative impact on clients if it isn’t taken seriously and performed meticulously. Eyelash extensions seem simple at first, but the truth is, there is just so much to this- and it is an art that many have taken seriously to perfect.
To those lash artists who have invested so much time and money, as well as hands on hours into mastering this art- we see you. YOU are the providers we need in this industry. You give your clients so much more than just walking out of your salon looking pretty. You’re gifting them your time, energy, and a long-lasting form of art that they can wear proudly every day.
Not all Educators are Created Equally.
To those who took one class and decided to throw together a business model as a fast track to “six figures” without a care in the world of your future client’s eye and lash health, or the importance of the level of education you’re providing to your students- we see you too. Not cute.
Lash artists with a strong clientele and years of invested time into this career, we hope that you know that this industry is not dying. If anything, now is the perfect time for you to separate yourself from those just looking to make a quick buck. Your clients come to you for your heart, your skills, and the care that you pour into every appointment, and as long as they are able to budget you into their life, you’re not going anywhere. We promise.
Another reason that “the lash industry is dying” is that there has been a huge influx of “DIY” lash extension kits sold worldwide. All that has really happened here is the accessibility to better quality temporary lashes, in other words, the strip lash industry has evolved. Anyone who has worn truly wonderful eyelash extensions and have been properly educated by their providers on natural lash health, certainly will not confuse the at-home lashes with the quality service that is provided in a professional setting.
So, because of the state of our economy, will everyone be able to afford the kind of quality that you provide? No. But will you soon be obsolete? Also no. This is your opportunity to provide a greater level of care to your clients, to make their hard earned money easy to spend with you. The clients that are meant for you will stand by your side and truly see your value. And as an artist with 9 years dedicated to this craft, who still loves it immensely, I see you. Keep going, and don’t let the Tik Tok buzzwords scare you away from your true passion.
Bold Beauty Company was founded with the intention to create community in an ever competitive and sometimes yucky industry- and we’ve done just that. Whether you’re looking to expand your education in the world of lash extensions, buy products from a women owned and ran company focusing on quality, or simply need some encouraging advice - we’ve got you, and we’d love the opportunity to be a part of your business.
For the misfits and the outcasts: you have a home here.
Written by Lanna of Bold Beauty Company