How Much Money Can You Make As A Lash Artist And What Does It Take To Be Successful?

Today, award winning lash artist and Co-Owner of Lash Line - Cara Kapler - is dishing all the deets about our in-person training.

She answers all your burning questions like - is Lash Training really worth it, and how much money can you make as a lash artist?

She’ll share advice for new artists just starting out and so much more!

Without further adieu, here’s our Q+A with Cara!

 

What made you choose the lash industry? What drew you in?

I was a professional makeup artist who was also working at a construction company and I felt like those two worlds just didn’t align. I had an idea to start offering eyelash extensions because I loved the idea of clients returning every 3-4 weeks! I knew that with that type of a recurring service, I could eventually work to build my client list to be full time. That type of consistency made me feel more confident to work on my own as a full-time lash artist.

Another draw to the industry came when I researched thriving industries during economic depressions or downturns. I didn’t want to invest my time & effort into a dying industry - so I did my research on the potential eyelash extensions had in the beauty industry. With each economic downturn, the beauty industry has consistently grown. That track record gave me the confidence that it wasn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.

 

Why did you choose Lash Line for your training?

I chose Lash Line for my training because Jessi was actually the first person to ever give me lash extensions! Her work was always so beautiful and she had grown her lash business from 1 room by herself to an 8-bed brick and mortar salon! I knew she was the right educator for me, because that was the same path, I was interested in. I took my Classic Course with Jessi and I LOVED IT. I did well in class and Jess actually offered me a job after! I passed on the opportunity to work for her so I could work for myself. Then a couple years later, we were business partners and best friends.

A couple things to take away from that story: 

1. I thought I was just taking an Eyelash Course…. never would I think all these years later that we’d Co-Own Lash Line together! LIKE WHAT?!?! It’s an incredible life lesson for me that sometimes you have NO IDEA what life has in store for you when you step outside your comfort zone.
2. Lash Line is a company that can turn a student into a business owner - I know that first hand, because it did it for me. Now Jess and I are both passionate about helping people take control of their own income and career!
3. The support I had from Lash Line and Jessi was a huge factor in my success. Truthfully, I don’t think I would have had the same opportunities if I took my training elsewhere. 

 

What did you learn in your training that you still go back to even now as an award-winning artist?

There are basic lashing rules that I’ve been taught that still stay with me. 

1. Make sure the lashes are clean or all your hard work will be for nothing. Extensions cannot stick to dirty lashes.
2. Lash Line taught me all the steps I needed to get my lash sets to last for 6-8+ weeks, which helped me build my credibility for my clients. NO ONE will keep paying you for lashes when they don’t last!! This is something Lash Line is really big on teaching. Not just the HOW of doing lashes… but all those small steps we can take to make them last as long as possible for the clients.
3. Customer Experience is everything. GO ABOVE AND BEYOND to add value and your clients will stay loyal to you! 

 

What is one piece of advice you would give to a student who is just starting their lash career?

If you don’t use it - you lose it.

Lashing is a tactile skill (connected with the sense of touch.) You need to build the muscle memory in your hands through micromovements in your fingers.
Together, Jessi and I have taught hundreds of students. The one thing that we have consistently noticed over the years is the students who leave and begin practicing and taking clients/models have a much MUCH higher success rate.
You will not get fast or consistent with your quality if you don’t do it often. You should be taking 3-5 clients minimum each week to keep your skills up at the beginning. Lash Line goes over all of this in our business portion! 

 

Is Lash training worth it?

Absolutely. I think my experience shows you that anything is possible in this industry. How far you go will also depend on you + your drive. You will be in control of your schedule and you will run your business the way you’d like. If this is something that appeals to you - this is the right place to be!

 A few reasons it’s worth it for me: 

- Great hourly wage ($50+/hour)

- Flexible schedule

- Work from home

- I personally feel more comfortable having female clientele - so this was something that I really appreciated.

- I find the act of lashing very relaxing. It’s great to throw on an audiobook while your client has a nap, and listen to a book while you just do your thing. I love that!

- I’m a people person! I enjoy all the incredible clients I have had the privilege of getting to know over the years! Some of my clients have been with me for 5+ years and those relationships are so special!

 

 

How much money can actually be made as a lash artist and what does it take to be successful?

Let me say this: how successful you will be (at anything) depends on you and the amount of hard work you're willing to put in. I knew I wanted bigger things for myself long term, so I worked my tail off and saved as much money as I could along the way. 

Here is a transparent look at what I've earned on average over the last 5+ years of being a Lash Artist*.

My average full day as a lash artist: 4-6 clients: $400-$600 + tips in 1 day

My Best Day:  $1,000 + tips in 1 day (I took 7 clients and thought I was going to die lol). Truthfully, I don't recommend it, but I was leaving on vacation and needed to fit everyone in ):

I’m not promising that this is what you will earn as a Lash Artist - but it’s possible if you work hard for it! 

How did you know you were ready to leave your full-time job and work for yourself as a lash artist?
For me, it came down to which job paid me the most! I took the wage I was earning every 2 weeks at my office job and divided that by my appointment price. 

Example:
To supplement $1,400 every 2 weeks at an office job, you could offer 14 fills at $100. That means you would need to take 1 person a day to cover your wage. Now if you can take more than 1 a day? Now you’re earning EXTRA INCOME!!  Once I knew I had that covered, I began booking 1 month in advance - then I gave 2 weeks notice! It took about 6 months of hard work in the evenings and weekends but I did it! I gave my 2 weeks notice in 2015 and I haven’t looked back since.

If there’s ever anything we can do to offer support or guidance, ask us! The great part about Lash Line is we’ve been in this industry and we’ve made all these moves. We’re a great resource for helping guide our students towards success. I hope you’ll be one of them!

* (Based in Alberta, Canada. Pricing will vary depending on your area)