Ep 44 - Need a Lift? Lash Lifting and How it Benefits Your Business

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0:00:54.8 Maggie Staszcuk: Hello everyone, and welcome to ASCP Esty Talk, I'm your host today, Maggie Staszcuk. I have been a licensed estheticians since 2006, and I'm the Advanced Modality Specialist here at Associated Skin Care Professionals, where no topic is off limits, we share all kinds of great information on this podcast from ingredients and the science of the skin to business and beauty diversity. We hope you come away having learned more about your career in the industry and maybe even life in general. 

 

0:01:21.0 MS: Today we are joined by Jodi Jolley with My Absolute Beauty. Jodi is the CEO and founder of My Absolute Beauty, her passion for learning and instruction has led her to earn her Masters in Education from the University of Phoenix. Jodi specializes in growing beauty brands internationally, and is responsible for creating marketing strategies, networking and operating as a liaison between brands and distributors. Jodi is a powerful force in the workplace and uses her positive attitude, and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. In her free time, Jodi can be found running, rollerblading and watching murder mysteries. Please welcome Jodi Jolley to the podcast. Hello, Jodi. 

 

0:02:01.4 Jodi Jolley: Hi, how are you Maggie?  

 

0:02:02.7 MS: I am good. Welcome to the show. 

 

0:02:05.3 JJ: Thank you, I appreciate it. Thanks for having me. 

 

0:02:07.0 MS: Absolutely. My Absolute Beauty is a leader in industry for all things lashes and brows, and today we're gonna talk about lash lift. Lash lift has become wildly popular but for those who don't know, tell us a little bit about it, how does it work?  

 

0:02:20.3 JJ: Lash lifts have definitely taken the beauty industry by storm, I would say in the last six years, it's definitely... And what's interesting about lash lifts is when I still go to trade shows before 2020, it was still one of those services people would look at me and say, "What do you mean lash lift?" And so, it would blew my mind right away that still the market is just not tapped, even though I'm in it, I've been in it for about almost seven years that... There's so much room to grow, everybody knows there is a lash lift, but at the same time they don't. And so what a lash lift is it's enhancing your natural beauty, it's something that's given to you by obviously an esthetician that's trained and that takes the product, uses the water soluble glue and then not to go step by step too much, but basically lifts the lashes onto a rod size specifically to your eye shape your eyelash link and then is therefore gone on to there with... The actual treatment can take anywhere depending on the esthetician 30 minutes to an hour, and the brand, especially, it depends on the brand. But lash lifts are amazing. Every time when I tell somebody their eyes just light up and they can't believe what I'm telling them, and they are automatically wanna see it done on them, and then they're sold immediately, so it's a lot of fun. 

 

0:03:42.5 MS: Yeah, it sounds awesome, and it sounds like it'd be a great add-on for just about anyone. What are really the big selling points of this service?  

 

0:03:50.7 JJ: So the biggest selling point I would say is the time and the return. So again, when I'm standing there and talking to somebody, they don't understand that the time that they are taking, and let's say if they're offering lash extensions, that's probably gonna take about two hours, and so a lash lift, like I mentioned before is going to take 30 to 45 minutes maybe an hour depending on what you're offering, but that return on the cost is exactly the same as if you are offering eyelash extensions. So I will have somebody in the middle of nowhere in Idaho offering a lash lift for $150, and that's 30 minutes to an hour of their time, the same cost as if they were charging for eyelash extensions. So again, they're just like... Their mind is blown like, "What? I can save my eyesight and my back and offer lash lifts at the same cost," and my clients just love, love, love the lash lift, and it's something they don't have to upkeep something... And you were telling them this, and they're like, "Are you serious, I don't have to come back every two weeks, I can come back every six to eight weeks? What?" 

 

0:04:56.8 JJ: And so that is just something that they just automatically need to offer, not only that, but it's basically when somebody enhances our natural beauty, they feel so much more confident in life than anything else, it's just so great to see when a woman's whole demeanor lights up as soon as they get a lash lift. 

 

0:05:17.3 MS: Yeah, and I love that, and you have mentioned a couple of times just enhancing natural beauty, and I feel like we're seeing a shift in that in the industry, especially post-2020, moving towards natural beauty, clean beauty. And so it seems like lash lifts really fall into that for sure. So how can lash lifts benefit an esthetician's business, you know somebody who's looking on bringing this on, what are some of the key points there?  

 

0:05:44.4 JJ: So I know some actual lash and brow salons they actually turn their whole salon into a lash lift bar, and so they thought, "You know what, once upon a time in 2008, when eyelash extensions basically blew up that they had to just do that." Well, now they're all turning the tables of going to lash lifts. I know plenty of people that didn't know the power of a lash lift until now, and so they have all their estheticians trained, they're all doing extremely well. And again, the return is so great for everybody that it just definitely benefits everybody's business in that way, and not only that is you have competitors all around you, and you wanna make sure that your salon is offering the best brand, the best ingredients, and making sure that the lash lift that they're offering that somebody is at least capable of doing it in their salon because there's nothing like going to a salon... I don't know how you feel with going to a salon and have any experience in asking "Can I get a lash lift?", "Well, no, we have one girl and you know what, she's just really doing it." 

 

0:06:50.1 JJ: And that's just so... I don't know, just so disappointing, because you want to make sure that everybody in your salon can do a proper lash lift and be trained well, and that's something that your business has to have nowadays, I just feel like it's not a maybe it's a must, and I see so many girls that leave their esthetician school that told me, and this breaks my heart that they were showing it for, I don't know, 10 minutes and then the day was over for them with lash lifts. And so we do offer even to students before they leave that training, because we don't want them to be... Not a menace to society in a way of aesthetics, but we want them to know you can offer this immediately right out of the gate once you are granted your license, we don't want them to feel like they can't do that. And like I said, lash lifts can be a standalone treatment, it doesn't have to be just you have to offer microblading or any of the other service, you could just do lash lifts and make a decent income, for sure. 

 

0:07:52.3 MS: It's a great money maker. Yeah, that's awesome. And I love what you're saying that they can learn this procedure and immediately go out and start making money, start building their business. So that's awesome. And I hear a lot about lash extensions specifically coming with very specific after care, but what about lash lifts? Are there ever side effects or possibility of allergic reaction or infection?  

 

0:08:16.0 S1: Yes, so we do what we carry InLei is a lash lift brand here, it's actually out of Italy and we're the US distributor for them, and so we carry a brand called Fashion Lash, which is a clear mascara to be used daily on the lashes. It's similar to using a lotion on the skin, this helps to nourish and protect the lashes, so Fashion Lash clear mascara improves the hair, so what I'm saying is it's basically moisturising, it's amollying properties of aloe, castor oil and panthanol. It also can be used even after brow lamination on the brows to help the direction of the brows go in one direction. So it's something I use daily, you can use it twice a day, like I said it's clear, it's very nourishing, it's not gonna goop up or anything like that, that's a huge retail item for people to offer. Definitely want to offer a patch test, if you have somebody that's coming in, especially for the first time, you only need to do it once, is offer a patch test, they're gonna put it on their arm, the solution, it's called fixed one, you put it on the arm for about 15 minutes, you let it set and then you wipe it off, then you put a band-aid over it, and in 48 hours, they can tell right away if they're gonna be allergic to this lash lift, and that's key. 

 

0:09:34.0 JJ: And I know a lot of people don't wanna take the time to do that, but that's covering you in your insurance and your liability for sure to do those steps. And again, it's only one time, but not many people, I would say are allergic, but you don't want to take it out just because you don't have time, you wanna do that extra step, especially if they just come in, that's a great time, if they're just asking about lash lift, "Oh, let's take this time now and just do a patch test, since you're already here," and then later on they can come in, so that's something definitely, definitely important. 

 

0:10:05.3 MS: Yeah, I agree with you doing that patch test is huge, you don't wanna have that client come in without the patch test, and then next thing you know, their eyes are swollen and you've got yourself in a pickle. You mentioned retail as well. Retail is huge, regardless of the services you're offering, but when it comes to lash lifting, you've mentioned one product in particular, but what other options does an esthetician have to retail in addition to the lash lift treatment?  

 

0:10:33.0 JJ: So there is the Fashion Lash clear mascara, we also have the Frida, which is the black mascara, and that is also gonna be carrying the Keratin and all the vital ingredients, that gonna help the lashes be nourish, and those are products they can actually use immediately after the lash lifts, so they don't have to wait in order to... Other mascaras, you can't put a mascara. If your lash lift esthetician knows any better and they're trained properly, you can't just throw on make-up right away, you have to wait at least that 48-72-hour period, so it doesn't drop the lift. 

 

0:11:07.9 JJ: With the Fashion Lash clear mascara or the Frida mascara, the black one, you can use immediately so that is a huge, huge retail. I have ladies that actually carry tons of mascaras black and clear, and they just immediately actually carry in the cost of the service. So if they're saying, "Hey, just to get my time worth," I'm gonna charge $6... $80 plus I'm gonna throw in that Fashion Lash, so this is gonna cost the client about $120, $130, and they pay it because they want that lift and they want the conditioner right away, people don't wanna guess like, "Well, what can I do?" they don't wanna think, they want to be just told what to do, "Go home, this is how you take care of it, this is how you extend your natural lashes and when I see you again in the next two months," and again, they're happy with you and they could throw it on their eyebrows as well to clear. So it's a win-win for everybody. It's just, again, one of those must-haves, and it's something you should definitely, definitely look into if you're offering lash lifts right now. 

 

0:12:10.3 MS: You mentioned training a little bit already, but how does someone look for training in the service and how do they know what product line they should carry to do this service as well as to retail?  

 

0:12:21.2 JJ: So at My Absolute Beauty, we offer the best in the market, like I mentioned before, obviously I'm gonna be bias, it's called InLei lash lifts and so we're the USA hotline, I like to call it, where you call us, you emails, we're gonna answer any and every question you have to get trained properly. We don't wanna embarrass the brand, we don't wanna embarrass you, we wanna make sure everybody's on the same page of how to do it properly. Of course, there's gonna be directions in every single application, but we wanna make sure if you need to talk to somebody, don't be afraid to do so and to reach out to our headquarters, we're here in Utah, we have... I don't know, I can do this or not but Utah per capita has the most estheticians in the country. 

 

0:12:58.8 MS: I did know that. Yeah, it's crazy. 

 

0:13:02.0 JJ: Just we are definitely the capital of aesthetics, in meaning, we have to keep our standards extremely high. And because of the need and the demand, My Absolute Beauty, we definitely have come up to the occasion of, "Hey, you know what, we have so many estheticians in the area, we're gonna have to meet all these demands and look, that's why we have... Make sure we're always available via phone or like I said, even on social media. But yeah, it's definitely something that we wanna offer to people so they don't get intimidated and say, "Oh, I got this." And I'm like, "No, you don't got this." And I can't tell you how many times people just will pick up the product which they can do if they have a license. And then they're like, "You know what, I just don't have it." And I don't want to say they damage the lashes, but you don't wanna go there. So they... The estheticians think immediately when they pick up a kit and they go after it, and they pick up their client, and they start doing it, immediately they... I can't tell you how many times they've called our USA office and told us, "Oh, I thought I'd be okay and I'm just not okay." 

 

0:14:01.4 JJ: And you know what, that's the best time to do is immediately call us at our headquarters on My Absolute Beauty and we'll be happy to help you with the InLei products. If you're carrying another brand, you must must talk to them as well because we don't want to injure or hurt in any way somebody's natural lashes. Because as we all know, the cycle does take a bit and we don't want to have to make them endure that pain, that agony of saying, "Okay, I guess you have to go out and find a strip of lashes until these grow back." 

 

0:14:30.4 MS: Yeah, and that would be terrible for the client to have to go through. 

 

0:14:34.4 JJ: Yeah. 

 

0:14:34.7 MS: How long is training?  

 

0:14:37.3 JJ: Training is all... It's one day to two days depending on each and every person and how many are in the class. Sizes always matter, at least no more than two days. And then you actually are going to go out into your field, into your salon, do three case studies, it could be family friends, it could be actual clients saying, "Hey, I'm just gonna be doing this model and showing off." And then you return it to us for the certification. 

 

0:15:03.8 MS: Okay, that's great. So the esthetician they've been trained, they found their products line, they're ready to add this into their business. What is the best way to really build that lash business and grow the client base?  

 

0:15:16.3 JJ: I love this question because we actually get it a lot. So it's super important to get your work out there. I would say the biggest talk among everything is going to be pictures. So your befores and afters are just massive, it's everything. It basically is your portfolio, you're showing off what you've done. You don't even have to talk about what you do. I know girls that have taken their work, put it in, it's called a chat book or a cute little binder portfolio of all their befores and afters, put it on a coffee table at their salon where everybody's just sitting and they just pick it up while they're waiting for another service, and they're like, "What is this? Oh my gosh, this is amazing. This is something that I would wanna do. Why haven't I already done this?" And it's all these gorgeous lashes of natural beauty and they actually ask, "All these are extensions." And you're like, "No, they're actually lifts. It's actually enhancing your own natural beauty." 

 

0:16:13.0 JJ: And then again, they're just like, "When can I get in next? Who's offering it? I wanna do it immediately." So those are called look books. Those are super, super important to have. Another way is to tag people on Instagram, obviously through social media. People always wanna know, and that's again just so alarming to me that there's not many lash lifters out there that you can tag. And so that's why again, now is the time, more than any time to get going on the lash lift industry if you haven't done it already. Another way is through mom circles. I personally know people that have donated their services to the schools in their area through the PTA, and the PTA will offer it, and then they're like, "Well, what is this lash lift anyway?" And then of course moms talk, as you know, and so then they get going and then it's on fire. So those are some ideas. 

 

0:17:03.0 MS: The service speaks for itself. Absolutely, I love that look book idea. 

 

0:17:07.4 JJ: Right. 

 

0:17:08.1 MS: And you're right too about social media that you don't have people taking advantage of that like they should. Because everyone, even right now, especially scrolling on the internet and looking at pictures, and it's the best way to sell yourself really. So do you have any added advice for estheticians and students who are thinking about training in lash and brow services?  

 

0:17:29.7 JJ: Yes, I would say again, I'm gonna be biased about our brand, but it's super, super critical to look after yourself. Meaning you have friends that are in the industry, but please do your own homework. Meaning, look into brands out there, do your homework. Look into researching and what's the best for your clients. Don't just assume because Suzie down the street is offering this brand, you should. You definitely need to look into what is the best at cost, time, ingredients. What will your clients most likely be still impressed with? InLei has a volumizing, thickening agent. That's the last step, step three, that it actually thickens the lashes by 24%. And so you just wanna make sure you're dressed to impress your clients constantly. That you're always upping the game, that you're not settling for what everybody else is doing. I tend to see that when I hear people at shows talk about what they already use, if they do lash lifts. I just kinda wonder if they're ever open-minded, and then when they see the actual products working, they think, "Oh, well that's awesome. I wish I would've known about this earlier." 

 

0:18:37.7 JJ: And so it's just not... It's not a service. Lash lifts again, are not a service to be slided of like, "I'll get to it when I can." It's more... Like I said, some people are just lash lift bars, so you must must look into offering some type of lash lift that will benefit your whole salon and get to everybody. I would honestly have everybody hands on deck to offer lash lifts because it's just so alarming, like I said, when people are in a salon and they're not properly trained or doing it at all, they could have had all these clients coming to them and having cute posters and cute postcards and the look book and showing off, "We offer lash lifts." And people are like, "Oh, I really want one, I really want to get this, I just didn't know where. And now I know where." And so you wanna be the flagship in your area for sure, for what's the best of the best, and that's what you always wanna offer. But I've been confident in saying that InLei at My Absolute Beauty is the best, that's of course. 

 

0:19:34.1 MS: Well and I love hearing to be the flagship in your area, and dress to impress, like you said too. Don't just follow what everyone else is doing, set yourself apart, that is so important. Absolutely. Well, Jodi it has been such a pleasure chatting with you today and thank you for sharing your expertise with all of us. Can you share a little about where we can find you in everything that you're doing?  

 

0:19:57.2 JJ: Yes. So you can go to myabsolutebeauty.com. We have a warehouse in actually St. George, Utah, Southern Utah and... Or you could go to inlei.com. I-N-L-E-I.com. We have all of our phone numbers and social media accounts, and you can look at us on Instagram at myabsolutebeauty or myabsolutebeautyusa. We actually have several accounts, but I like to stay active, that's how I learned to stretch my arms even further to the lash lift industry and people in the country. We have a lot of work to do. There's a lot of people that... That's why I'm so excited to be on here, to spread our wings and let people know. Your industry has so much room to grow, and I hope you take advantage of the lash lift industry right now. 

 

0:20:39.5 MS: Thank you so much for joining me, Jodi, and thank you everyone to listening in. Have a great day and talk to you next time. 

 

0:20:46.6 S1: Thanks for joining us today. If you like what you hear and you want more, subscribe. If you wanna belong to the only all inclusive association for estheticians, that includes professional liability insurance, education, industry insights and an opportunity to spotlight your sick skills, join at ascpskincare.com. Only $2.59 per year for all this goodness. ASCP knows, it's all about you.