7.1 Lash lift & tint process end to end

At the very beginning of this course, we introduced you to the lash service process. Back then, it may not have made complete sense, but by now, you should understand the steps you need to take in each part of the process:

Client consultation

Aside from the initial booking, the client consultation process is the first real opportunity you will have to get to know your client and discuss their lash goals. It is also an opportunity to share your knowledge of the eyes, eyelashes, lash service options and the latest trends. When you have new clients visiting you for the first time, some of them may be a little nervous. Perms and lash lifts have had a bit of a bad press, so clearly explaining the process in a way that is easy to understand is important to put your clients at ease but also gives them an understanding of why you do things a certain way. To make sure your clients don’t get confused, words like lifting solution or neutraliser should be simplified to ‘step 1’ and ‘step 2’.

Even if clients have had professional lash services before, never assume that they have received a thorough education. Unfortunately, there are some dodgy lash artists in the industry that skip past the education side of things and jump straight into the service. As you have seen previously, there are even lash artists who skip tinting the lower lashes completely! Client consultation is also the best way to maximise revenue for your business. The overall lash look is dependent on your skill and the client’s natural lashes. If a client has lash health or growth concerns, then you can help recommend tried and tested products that work.

Every client must fill out and sign the client consultation form. This is not only a great way to document the treatment requirements and protect your business, but it will also help you to start building your database and marketing abilities for rebooking. Client consultation forms enable you to recognise any contra-indications that may prevent or restrict certain treatments or potential contra-actions. During your consultation, at a minimum, you will need to discuss:

Your client’s lash goals
Service and outcomes, and show the client the products you will be using
Treatment sequence
Contraindications and contra-actions
A patch test (if needed)
Cost and timeframe
Factors that may restrict treatment
Aftercare requirements (specific advice for the lash services performed)

During the consultation, you will discuss any worries and concerns that the client has, and this is an excellent opportunity to work out which lash lift is desired and the lash colour that will suit your client to make sure they leave feeling happy and confident with their treatment. Questions that are an absolute must during the consultation include:

So, is this lash service for a special occasion?
What lash products and skincare products have you used before?
What have you liked or disliked about previous lash services you have had?
Have you ever had an allergic reaction to cosmetics or hair dyes in the past?
Do you have any known allergies or skin sensitivities?

The more information you receive from your client during the consultation, the better the appointment will be. By asking questions and sharing your knowledge, it will make you stand out from your competition in offering professional lash services, and it demonstrates that you have an interest in their results. This open exchange of information will build rapport and trust with your client, which will likely result in repeat business and referrals.

After every appointment, take detailed notes relating to the products you used and how the appointment went. This way, you don’t have to re-hash any lash concerns, and future appointments can focus on another flawless lash service! So you don’t forget to discuss anything, use your client consultation form to guide you through the discussion. Once you have completed 10 or so consultations, you will know your ‘script’ by heart! Remember, your consultation form is also a legal document and forms part of the contract between you and your client. Ensure that you complete every section and get your client to sign and date it.

Managing client expectations and dealing with difficult clients

Another really important component of the consultation process is managing your client’s expectations. The outcomes of the service rely heavily on a person’s natural lashes, and, as lash artists, we cannot create something out of nothing. If you offer services such as lash extensions and brow laminations, you may have further scope to achieve your client’s lash and brow dreams. If you only perform lash lifts and tints, our job is to educate our clients, so they don’t have unrealistic expectations.

Sometimes, clients can come to us with unrealistic expectations because what they see being advertised can be heavily edited and filtered. Sadly, it’s actually lash artists and photographers that are to blame because when we fill our Instagram feeds and social media pages with only our very best lashes and filtered images, we are actually fooling the everyday client into thinking they can have the same. As you begin your career as a lash artist, you will soon realise that most people don’t want to see the reality; they want to see the fantasy. That fantasy is what drives them to visit us in the quest for amazing, long and lifted lash looks – so if we promote the fantasy, then education is a must!

Provide the service

Once your client consultation is complete and the consultation form is signed, then you can then begin setting up your treatment field with the specific products you need for your service. When you are scheduling your appointments, always make sure that you leave enough time in between so that you can ensure your work area is cleaned, sanitised, and stocked before the next client arrives. Messy and disorganised workspaces will not leave a good impression!

Once your treatment field is ready, your client is in a comfortable position, and you are in a comfortable position, you are ready to get started. As a recap, for a client who wants a lash lift and tint, you will follow an order similar to this:

Throughout the appointment, it is important that your client stays still. If they begin to move around or fidget, take a short break. In addition to this, we strongly advise that you tell the client not to talk throughout the appointment. While you may want to get to know your client, a lash lift and tint is not like the hairdressers! Because you are so close to their eyes using blunt instruments, chemicals, and tints, one accidental slip could cause significant damage.

Service completion tasks

Once you have carefully evaluated your lash services and have completed any touch-ups, you can then reveal your masterpiece to your client! Always have a mirror on hand so that your client can carefully inspect their lashes and provide you with feedback. If your client is not happy with something, try your best to get it rectified quickly and with no fuss. However, if you have conducted a thorough consultation and then your client decides that the look they asked for is not actually what they wanted, you may need to book another appointment depending on your schedule.

Before a client leaves, you will want to stress the importance of aftercare, particularly ensuring that lashes stay completely dry for the next 24 hours. Strongly warn them of the consequences of getting them wet and maybe even show them some pictures of frizzy lashes as a cautionary warning. The end of a service is an excellent opportunity for you to build rapport with your client, and you want to leave a lasting impression. During the service, you may have been quietly concentrating, so let your inner chatty Kathy out at the end of the appointment! This will leave your client with a good impression, and it will also give them an opportunity to ask any additional questions they may have.

Prior to your next client arriving, you will then need to:

Clean service area and surfaces, non-disposable equipment and tools
Restock equipment and products in preparation for the next treatment
Safely dispose of general and contaminated waste to minimise negative environmental impacts

Sanitation is critical for keeping you and your clients safe, so don’t skip your cleaning tasks! Clients will always remember a dirty salon, and aside from chemical burns or lash lifts that fail, it can be a major factor for clients not coming back. Additionally, if you start getting poor online reviews that mention unhygienic practices, it will be difficult to attract new clients, and it may also lead to a health inspector visit!

Remember, to help prevent injuring yourself physically, make sure you do some light stretching throughout the day and keep checking your posture and body position. To maintain all other areas of health, make time for your self-care strategies and look after yourself. As a recap, your service completion tasks will include:

Evaluate service with client and record outcomes of the lash service on the client treatment plan or consultation form
Provide aftercare advice and recommend products (if required)
Clean treatment work area
Clean and disinfect equipment according to manufacturer instructions.
Replenish products and stock in preparation for the next service
Dispose of general waste to minimise negative environmental impacts

Fun fact: Estee Lauder was said to have “accidentally” dropped a bottle of her perfume on the floor of a department store so women would smell it and demand to know what it was, therefore creating a customer base for her products.