Let’s imagine a scenario – A new client comes in for a full set (yay!) You prep your station and get everything ready to go. You get started and begin to spend the next few hours working hard to perfectly place every. single. lash. After removing the gel pads and handing them the mirror for the grand reveal, your client looks at their lashes and thinks, “meh” — as a lash artist expecting this to be a big wow-factor moment, you feel instant heartbreak. There is nothing worse than trying your absolute best on a set of lashes, just to see an underwhelmed (or even unhappy) client. One of the most important parts of both creating and keeping a happy client is giving them the lashes they want. There are 4 simple steps you can take as an artist to prevent this situation, and make sure that every single client leaves with lashes they love . Let’s break it down.
- Consult –
The first step in giving a client what they want is understanding what their lash goals are. Something I personally like to do with clients is review several photos and break down what they like and what they don’t like. I have a few go-to photos ready in an album on my phone, from the most dramatic lashes to the most natural lashes and everything in between. As well as having a portfolio of different lash styles, being sure to point out which style I believe would suit their eyes + face. This brings us to our next step.
- Expectation Management –
Making sure that clients have a clear understanding of what styles are actually possible with their natural lashes & features, is extremely important! As a lash artist, it’s our job to successfully give them the look they’re going for, while also making sure not to disturb the health of their natural lashes or compromise their eye + face shape. We have to make sure we balance the client’s wants with our professional opinion. Let’s say a client with very small eyes wants to make their eyes appear larger, and also wants a “cat eye look”. However, as artists, we know that this style can actually make the eye appear even smaller and more drawn out. So what do we do? We compromise.
- Compromise –
How do we compromise with the client in this scenario? Simply walk the client through why we believe this style would be counterproductive with their lash goals, and suggest an alternative style that would better suit their eyes, while still meeting in the middle. Because, let’s be real – sometimes clients think they know what they want, but in reality, they may not have a clue as to what would actually suit them. In this situation, I would suggest that we do a “kitten eye” style instead. With this style, we’re still able to give our client the winged-out look they want, while also creating a lifted effect at the brow bone. This compromise solves a few possible issues – not making the eye appear even smaller + not creating a doopy effect that could potentially create an unhappy client. At the end of the day we’re still giving our client the overall “look” that they want.
- Execution –
Now that we’ve done a thorough consultation and broken down our lash goals, we’re ready to start our set. After prepping our station and getting all of our product ready to go, an essential step while creating a full set (or even switching up styles between fills) is lash mapping. After placing down your gel pads and making sure your client has squeaky clean lashes, grab a mapping pen and carefully write out your lash map onto the gel pads. This will help keep your set looking consistent on both eyes and will keep you on track while going back and forth between each eye while lashing. After completing your set and removing the gel pads, be sure to check the lashes before handing your client the mirror. Walk around and check the lashes from the front with their eyes open. That way, you’re able to catch any lashes that may be out of place, or areas that may need to be fixed or re-assessed. Finally, after thoroughly making sure everything is perfect, you’re now ready to hand your client the mirror. While they’re admiring their new lashes, be sure to explain to them what you’ve done to go the extra mile and make their lashes 100% custom. For example – “So we ended up doing this style, because with your particular eye shape it would be best to…” Telling a client that their set is completely customized to their liking as well as their features, makes your service feel that much more luxurious and professional.
Next time you’re taking in a new client, or wanting to switch up a style, be sure to walk through these 4 steps. You’ll notice that by being more open and communicative with our clients, we’re more capable of understanding how to give them the lashes they really want. The process of discussing our clients’ wants and needs, while also incorporating our professional opinion is a surefire way to create the perfect set.
Need more info on what lash maps would work best for your clients? Check out our lash mapping blog & download our free lash map guide.
Giselle Franco
