The esthetics and cosmetology industry is growing at a rapid pace. What began as an industry that was focused on basic hair, skin, and nail treatments has quickly turned into a booming beauty industry. As an esthetician, you can perform as many or as few hair, skin, and nail treatments as you choose.
For this article, we are going to focus primarily on the eyelash extensions business; more specifically, how to start one.
What are Eyelash Extensions?
Eyelash extensions aren’t a set of fake eyelashes that you can buy at your local drugstore and apply at home with eyelash glue. Eyelash extensions are a beauty process that most states require licensed estheticians or cosmetologists to perform because of the materials and technique that the process requires.
When it comes to volume, there are two ways that eyelash extensions will be applied; in a cluster or as an individual lash. As an eyelash extension business, you may give your clients the choice of how they want their lash extensions to be applied, or you may just learn and offer one technique; the choice is yours.
- Clusters are groups of eyelash extensions (can be as many as 6 extensions in one cluster) that are knotted at the bottom and applied to the base of your eyelash using glue. This style of eyelash extension is common and often a faster and budget-friendly option to offer clients and is also known as lash extension volume.
- Individual extensions are exactly that – individual eyelash extensions that you will apply directly to each eyelash fiber. This process takes longer but will also last longer for the client.
The eyelash extension length and curl are also two areas of the eyelash business you will need to be familiar with.
- Eyelash extension length is measured in millimeters and ranges from 5mm to 18mm with 5mm being the shortest and 18mm being the longest
- Eyelash extension curl is classified into six different categories: B, C, D, CC, L, and L+ with B being the most natural curl and L+ being the most drastic curl
You will need to be familiar with how to do eyelash extensions. If you haven’t already completed your eyelash extension training, you’ll need to enroll in a course that teaches you how to do eyelash extensions.
Why Start an Eyelash Extensions Business?
We live in the greatest time to be an entrepreneur. You can virtually start any business you want with the right planning and preparation, and with so many individuals who want to invest in being their best self, there’s no better time to start an eyelash extension business.
Eyelash extension businesses are successful. There’s no other way to say it. It can be an extremely profitable business model that you can choose, especially if you are or know a talented last artist who loves helping people feel good about the way they look.
How to Start an Eyelash Extensions Business
1. Research, Research, Research
It is often said that if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. If you fail to plan your eyelash extensions business, then you could be inadvertently planning to fail, and we want to make sure that doesn’t happen for you.
You will need to research your state’s requirements for starting an eyelash extensions business to determine what certifications you will need to hold to perform the service legally. Depending on the state in which you live will determine if you need an esthetician license, a cosmetology license, or no license at all. If a license is required, you will need to successfully complete the required course for you to do business in your state. Don’t forget, you will also require a business license to get the salon up and running.
You will also need to do thorough research on various areas throughout your community to see what kind of demographics are in each area. This will help you know which area will be the best for you to establish your eyelash extension business.
One of the best ways to determine where you should locate your eyelash extension business is to research other eyelash extension businesses to see in what areas they are located. This is another way to help you decide which area in your community will be the best for you to locate your eyelash extensions business.
2. Price of Services
You will need to offer services at a price that matches the demographic area where your business will be located. This will help you get a better understanding of how much money you can potentially make each month.
The United States national average for a full set of basic eyelash extensions is $120 with fill-in processes costing approximately $60. A full set of individual eyelash extensions will take about two hours to perform. If your salon is open 8 hours a day, you will only be able to perform a maximum of 4 full sets of eyelash extensions.
If you perform 4 full sets of eyelash extensions at $120 each, you will take in $480 in sales for that day for full sets of eyelash extensions.
The same concept applies to fill-in appointments. Fill-ins take half the time as a full set of lash extensions. If you perform 6 sets of fill-ins at $60 each, you will take in $360 in fill-in sales for that day.
You may be able to increase your price for a full set of extensions and fill-ins if you live in an area with clients who would likely pay more for your services.
Let’s put these numbers into some real-life examples that you can use to determine just how much your eyelash extensions business will make per year.
Let’s say your daily appointments include 2 full sets of eyelash extensions (4 hours at $120 per appointment) and 3 fill-in appointments (3 hours at $60 per appointment), for a total of $420 each day.
- $420 x 5 days a week = $2,100 per week
- $2,100 per week x 50 weeks per year = $109,200
Keep in mind that you won’t bring home $109,200. This is the amount you will gross per year before taxes, supplies, rent, marketing costs, etc. This is to help you get an idea of approximately how much income you have per year to work with when you start your eyelash extensions business.
3. Build a Brand
You will need to put your creativity to work and build a brand that will set you apart from the competition. You will need to set up your eyelash design studio to create an inviting and comfortable place for your clients to enjoy that reflects your business name and business design.
With the right at-home setup, you can create an inviting lash studio at your home without having to rent a commercial space. Creating a studio at home can save you money in rent and utilities as well.
You should create a website for clients to easily look up your prices, locations, and book appointments online. You will also want to create a social media presence to reach more clients and help you build your brand.
4. Set Up Your Studio
Whether you choose a commercial location or an at-home studio, you will need to set up your studio with any furniture and necessary supplies to run your business.
You will want to make sure you have the following furniture, equipment, and supplies to run your business successfully:
- Eyelash application table/reclining bed
- Lash application stand
- Pillow
- LED light
- Hydraulic lash stool
- Eyelash extensions (various lengths and volumes)
- Lash extension glue
- Primer
- Lash extension glue remover
- Eyelash cleaner
- Tweezers
Additionally, you will likely want to create an aesthetically pleasing environment in your studio for your clients to enjoy. This may include music, fountains, and various aromas.
Conclusion
Starting a business is an exciting time, especially when you have the right tools to prepare you for the venture. An eyelash extension business is a great way to make money while also helping people feel good about themselves. You should now have everything you need to know about how to start an eyelash extensions business.
