A Guide to Educating Clients
As lash artists, we are all highly knowledgeable and confident in the products that we use, the courses we have taken, the information regarding lashing that we have, and the skills that we possess. But our clients do not. When a client first steps through your door, they are there for one thing: to leave feeling beautiful and with more confidence than they had when they came in. However, that is not all that they should leave with. When your clients leave they should feel a boosted sense of confidence, self-love, and respect for their enhanced natural beauty, however, they should also leave with the education required to care for their new lashes, as well as feel confident in your skills as an artist. But how do you go about explaining all that goes on when the client’s eyes are closed, in a way that doesn’t overwhelm them? That is what we are going to discuss today. Let’s get into it.
When a client first walks in the door, they should already feel that they are in good hands. First impressions are so important, and that doesn’t just mean that you are friendly and are dressed & carry yourself in a professional manner, but also that your salon or lash room is clean, organized, sanitary, and welcoming. I also highly recommend that you have your course certificates on clear display as well as any trophies, awards, or accolades from throughout your lash career to show that you are educated (and to give you an opportunity for a subtle brag, you go girls & guys!)
The next step is providing your client with an intake/consultation form. This is just another example of demonstrating your professionalism and that you care about the client. You are interested in their past experiences with lash extensions or lack of experience; this also allows you to know in how much detail you should be educating your client on their new experience with you, or for you to note how much you have to re-teach in terms of innovations and advancements that have been made in the industry. I also like to go over the intake form briefly with the client and answer any questions they may have coming into the appointment. This may include, why do we ask questions such as: have you recently had Lasik surgery? Or, have you gotten permanent makeup done in the past couple of weeks? The client is then getting some background on the safety aspects of lash extensions, as well as allowing them to see that you are educated on the contraindications that may prevent you from completing the service on them, and other elements on your intake forms.
Now that the client is in your chair, this is a great opportunity to educate them on their eye shape, lash health, and the various lash styles that may be best suited for them and their lifestyle. I like to make my own observations and then hand the client a mirror. I show them what I am seeing and explain why I recommend a specific lash set (ie. volume) and style (ie. cat eye) that will best suit their eyes (ie. round). I also inform them of the longest length that I feel comfortable using on them based on the length of their natural lashes, and why it is so important to use the correct lengths in order to ensure the health of their natural lashes. Explain why this is your recommendation and ask them what they were thinking in regard to the result of their set. Pictures are so so vital at this stage in the lashing process. You can show your client their natural lashes from your angle, compare the lengths to an extension, show examples of your work in various styles, and more. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so save your breath and show the client exactly what you are seeing.
As you begin to lash your client, and especially for new clients, explain what you are doing each step of the way, and WHY the steps are important. As you begin to tape down their bottom lashes, explain that this step is required so that you are only lashing their top lashes and to keep those pesky little baby lashes out of the way! As you write out your lash map on the pads explain that this is done in order to plan out the set and to guarantee that the set is perfectly symmetrical from one eye to the next. This is especially great for clients that are new to getting lash extensions as it can be very awkward and uncomfortable for some people to have a total stranger touching their face, let alone their eyelids and eyes! Informing the client of what you are doing makes them feel much more comfortable being in your lash chair.
Throughout the service, you can also go into detail about the products or techniques that you use in order to provide the best service possible. For example, you could say: “here at BLANK salon we use only the best of the best adhesive to ensure you have the best retention possible. Plus, our lashes are ultra dark, synthetic mink, made from PBT, to give you the softest, most gorgeous black, fluffy lash set!” or “I am using a Russian volume technique called crystallizing on your fans today. Unlike American volume, this Russian technique ensures that the fans stay perfectly symmetrically open for the entire length of time that they are on your natural lashes and that they have a stronger attachment!” Girl, talk yourself up! You have spent so much money to have the knowledge that you do, so share it with your client in a way that only further solidifies the idea that they have chosen the right lash artist for the job.
The end of the service is where the most important step of educating your client comes into play! When informing your client of what is required of them to take care of their new fabulous lashes when they leave the salon, I recommend explaining to your client auditorily, and visually, and also providing them with an aftercare card to refer back to. Go through each of the aftercare requirements while holding up your aftercare card so that the client can see them written out, while you also explain in more detail. For example, the card might say “lash extensions must be washed daily” and you might say “please ensure that you are washing your lashes daily to keep them clean and to avoid potential infection or lash loss due to build-up of makeup and/or dead skin.” I then also like to grab a bottle of cleanser and demonstrate how much cleanser they should use, what kind of brush or spoolie to use on their lashes while cleaning, and exactly how they should be properly washing. By explaining these aftercare steps to the client in an auditory, written, and visual way, they are way more likely to fully understand and remember how to correctly follow the steps, while also giving them all of the tools that they need to succeed. Another example could be if you are informing your client that they should avoid direct heat on their lashes (ie. BBQ’s, or hot ovens), you could show them a picture of what singed lashes look like, and that if their lashes were singed that they would need to be removed and they would then require a new full set (depending on the extent of the damage). Your client will then be ready to leave the salon with all of the knowledge that they need to take good care of their lashes and to feel that they were well taken care of for the entirety of their appointment.
Now that I have given you some tips on how to educate your client before, during, and after their lash appointment, you have all the tools that you need to have the most well-educated clients around. So what are you waiting for?
