Eyelash stylists, also known as technicians or specialists, are often required to have a license; a cosmetology or aesthetician license, or an eyelash extension specialty license through a lash course. In addition to having a license, state law may require certifications, but that is not always the case.
Becoming an eyelash technician can be a rewarding career. If you have great patience, are eager to learn, have a passion for the beauty industry and have a steady hand, then learning how to apply extensions will probably be a breeze.
Contrary to popular misconceptions, becoming an expert takes many hours of practice. Alongside having the required certifications, working as a professional requires a stylist to attend a lash technician course to learn and master exclusive design techniques like;
- Pre-extension prep
- Custom applications
- Refill process
- Health and safety
- Aftercare
- Removal
What Does a Technician Do?
As an eyelash technician, your job is to apply cosmetic treatments for your client. You may apply an extension, false eyebrows, and more in this role and provide additional skin and facial treatments as necessary.
Unless you work for a salon, you may not focus exclusively on this job—instead, it is more common for this to be one of several treatments you provide to customers at a full-service salon.
You may be asked to educate customers on various retail products, discuss options that are available to individual clients, clean and maintain the work area, and develop personal relationships with customers.
Depending on licensing requirements, you may also need to attend a lash course and continuing education to maintain your aesthetician certificate.
How to Become a Technician
The primary qualifications for becoming a technician include a state esthetician or cosmetology license and one year of experience through a lash course. The requirements for a cosmetology license vary by state but usually involve 1,500 to 2,000 hours of study and practice before taking the exam.
Employers prefer applicants with several months of sales experience and another year of professional experience in a salon environment. Many technicians start in a general role before offering specialized treatments. Fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of this job requires communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
Thinking of starting your business?
If you are thinking of starting your business as a technician, here are simple steps you can follow after completing a lash technician course to make your dream come to pass.
Step 1: Set up your workspace
Determine if you want to work from home or open your salon. If you work out of home, ensure that your space has a clean, professional appearance. If renting a commercial space, consider sharing a space with another independent business owner in the beauty industry (a hairstylist or nail artist) to help with the rent and sharing of clients.
Step 2: Offer monthly deals or a first-time bargain
Getting new clients hooked on your services can come down to offering very low prices initially. The idea is that people will try extensions from a lash technician course once because of the affordable price and then decide it’s a necessity for them.
Step 3: Hand out flyers and business cards
You can put up flyers and leave business cards in neighborhood coffee shops, telephone poles, and art spaces. Chat with the owners of local businesses, tell them about your own business, and ask if they don’t mind taking some of your cards and sharing them with customers.
Step 4: Practice on your friends
Nothing beats word of mouth. Offer to do your friends’ lashes for a low price, and give them a small stack of your business cards. Ask them to give your name anytime they talk to someone looking to get extensions.