Picture this… Your new client opens her eyes, looks in the mirror and lights up with the biggest smile and glow, seeing their new lashes.

They're instantly in love with how they look and feels a rush of confidence at seeing her reflection. She's hooked! Now this is where the real magic happens, you can teach her exactly what she needs to do in order to care for her new, prized investment.  Teaching your clients how to make the most of their new lashes is a source of incredible value, but they need your expertise! 

It all starts with client intake forms...

Get to know their lifestyle.

On your client intake forms you should include some basic questions that give you insight into your clients lifestyle. This can help you give them the best guidance when it comes to their aftercare. 

If your client would describe their lifestyle as “active” including things like sauna sessions, swimming, and high intensity workouts, you want to tailor your suggestions to include post activity cleansing, wearing a sweatband, and even purchasing a travel size lash cleanser for their on the go lifestyle. 

Even occupation can be a factor. Professionals like chefs will be exposed to high heat, this can mean a disaster for keeping their extension curl. Clients who frequently swim can have poor lash extension retention too.  It’s important for you to advise a care plan to help your clients have the best experience possible wearing lash extensions. Getting to know your clients will help you advise them effectively!

Pro Tip: If you’re client is a smoker advise them to wear some shades! Even a pair of clear lens, blue light glasses that protect their eyes while they light up can save their precious lashes from the dreaded singe. Be honest if you see the tips of their lashes burnt! Honesty is the best policy. 

Are your clients all about adventure?

Another great bit of info to know about your client is if they are getting their set and going on vacay! Boat rides, fun in the sun, sunscreen, and even salt water can be a one way ticket to being lashless.

Make sure you’re advising your clients on how they can enjoy their adventures while wearing lash extensions. Washing right after exposure to salt water or chlorine, keeping sunscreens away from their eye area, wearing sunglasses to protect their eyes from wind, and making sure their brushing thoroughly to keep their lashes from tangling + twisting! 

Set your clients up for success.

Putting the right products and tools in your clients hands will set them up for success. Just telling a client to wash their lashes just won’t cut it. Showing a client the cleanser they will need (we love Prolong), teaching them how to use a proper cleansing brush, and how to brush & dry their lashes empowers them to care for their investment. You might even want to consider retailing a mini fan to ensure your clients can enjoy the same great fluff they walked out of your studio with... We sell the cutest fan individually & discounted in packs of 10 to help you out here!

A great way to encourage consistent aftercare is to film short videos that explain what products to use when it comes to lash extension care and how to use them.  You can host these videos on your social media and send the link to new clients.  Walk them through the cleansing + aftercare process thoroughly and ask them if they have any questions. We like to suggest sending a check-in text about a week after seeing a new client to encourage them to keep their post care consistent. 

Pro Tip:  Demonstrate exactly how to use an extension safe makeup remover + lint free wand to gently remove eye makeup prior to cleansing. This is a MUST for clients who are wearing heavy makeup, especially professionally applied makeup!

Even products like a lash growth serum can be key to keeping your clients' lashes healthy.  Lash growth serum can help clients strengthen + nourish their natural lashes while wearing lash extensions.  This is a great opportunity to reinforce just how important natural lash health is to the experience of wearing lash extensions. Don’t forget to show your clients how to properly use their lash serum too!

Discourage bad habits.

It’s very common for clients to fall into habits like picking or pulling their lashes.  If you notice a client struggling with extension retention, broken lashes, or gaps you can start a conversation. You may even encounter clients who smoke and often have burnt lashes.  In cases like this you want to guide your clients towards solutions that will keep their lash extensions (and natural lashes) safe and healthy! It’s up to you to ask the expert.

Pro Tip:  Advise a client who’s struggling with picking their lashes to spend a minute or two cleansing their lash line with foaming cleanser, fluffy brushes, and lots of warm water.  After cleansing they can use a spoolie to brush their lashes as much as they want while fanning.  This can keep them busy and help diffuse the urge to use their fingers and pick! 

Remember to be kind and caring when approaching a sensitive lifestyle subject.  It’s in your best interest as the expert to address the issue professionally and have dialogue to determine if lashes are a healthy option for your client. Remind your clients that wearing lash extensions is a commitment and intended to keep their natural lashes healthy. 

Makeup + Lash Extensions = ?

The best lash clients wear minimal makeup! Educate your clients on how excessive makeup can accumulate on lash extensions and impact lash health.  Being the lash expert means having the hard conversations to help your clients develop habits to care for the lash extensions they love. Demonstrate the kinds of makeup that are lash extension safe while also showing them how to safely remove makeup without damaging their lash extensions. You have to make it clear that wearing a lot of eye makeup can really affect their lash extension retention. It also will affect the time you, as the lash artist has during their appointment for actual application versus removing makeup buildup. Reinforce just how important natural lash + eye health is to maintaining lash extensions! 

Double Pro Tip: 

1. If a client returns with excessive makeup or buildup, take an up close photo of their lash line and show it to them while having the candid conversation. This helps them see what you see! From here the choice is theirs. 

2. We've all had that client that just CAN'T get away from eyeliner... Consider making another video of how to safely use & remove eyeliner! We love using eyeshadow mixed with a teeny bit of water or setting spray to get that perf cat eye while avoiding liquid liners that can clump up those gorg lashes!

Don't forget to book your fills.

Booking their fills is probably the most impactful way to make the lash look they love last! Educate your client on the importance of properly timed touchups to empower them to pre-book. Setting them up on a standing appointment basis can really help establish consistency in their lash extension maintenance. We all have had clients that like to push the limit and book fills last minute, but this doesn’t help them keep their lashes looking their best (or their healthiest). Let your clients know that to maintain optimal fullness and design they need fills consistently for the best results. 

Nighttime Routine.

Another huge part of the lash life is the evening routine! Showing clients what skincare products to avoid and how to safely apply them avoiding the eye are can make a major impact on their lash retention. Products like oil cleansers, balms, or eye creams are all emollient rich and can coat their lashes in oil if used improperly, which is a big no-no for great extension retention. Here’s our 5 step safe cleansing + aftercare checklist:

Step One:  Oil Cleanser or cleansing balm to remove face makeup.  Apply product to a dry face to avoid product migration, massage thoroughly.  Keep the cleanser at least two fingers widths away from the eye on all sides. To remove, use a damp cloth to gently wipe away the product.

Step Two:  Use a gel or foaming cleanser to wash.  Cream cleansers are safe if kept away from the eye area entirely. Massage thoroughly and remove with a damp cloth. 

Step Three:  Usemicellar water to remove any makeup on or around the eye area including brows. Avoid using any cotton pads or q tips. We love a reusable, eco-friendlybamboo pad! Lint free wands are always great for getting deep into the lash line to remove eyeliner. If you client doesn’t wear eye makeup then they can skip this step!

Step Four:  Cleanse the entire eye area thoroughly including the lash line with an approved foaming lash cleansing using asynthetic brush. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Step Five:  Using a spoolie, brush while using a fan to dry and fluffy the lashes up! This is an important step to remove any excess water in the lashes.

After completing these steps they can safely proceed with their normal skincare routine! The extra TLC to their lash extensions will greatly enhance their lash life.

Along with their evening skincare routine explain how your clients' sleep style can really affect lash retention too! It’s a nightmare to wake up with a pillow covered in lash extensions after a rough night of tossing and turning. Always let clients know that sleep position is so important to keeping lash extensions in tip top shape! Back sleeping is ideal, whereas side sleepers will always tend to lose the outer corners of their lashes first. And stomach sleepers will really need to do their best to adjust because lashes + their face buried in the pillow is a recipe for lash disaster. 

Pro Tip: If your clients a back or side sleeper suggest asatin sleep mask designed for lash extension wearers.  This can be a soft, silky solution to rough sleepers.

Don’t be afraid to be the expert and give your clients the tips and tools they need to love their lash extensions. Empower your clients to make all right choices to keep their lashes healthy and happy! Remember that caring for lash extensions is a routine so helping your clients establish consistent, healthy lash extension care habits will make sure they love their lashes long-term and stay a loyal lash lovin’ client! 

We hope you enjoyed this blog! 🤗 We’ll see you in our next… ✌🏻 Until then make sure you're following us on: