Lash techs in the industry don’t want you to discover the benefits of working with mature clients, who typically have more disposable income and can become some of your most loyal, regular clients. Techs circulate ideas that lashing mature clients is difficult or even near impossible and yet with the right know-how it can be profitable and an enjoyable challenge.
Mature clients can have hooded eyelids which make application of the lashes more difficult. However correct placement of your lash tape to the upper lids to help โliftโ the lid to give better access to the lashes will help with application. Use two thin strips of tape applied vertically from above lash line to brow area, sitting approximately 0.5cm from the inner and outer corners of the eyes to get this lift and improve ease of lash application.
Mature clients may have naturally more sparse or even thinning lashes due to many reasons including hormonal changes brought about by menopause. Using the Russian Volume technique can help to build the appearance of greater lash thickness and disguise any gaps in growth although care should be taken with the size of fan utilised. Stick with 3D lashes, no greater or the effect will not be optimally flattering and will look unnatural. If using pre-made, stick with short root styles or keep the base shorter if creating your own.
Top tip: combining both the classic individual and Russian volume techniques to create a โhybridโ lash look is ideal for mature clients. The individual lashes will give a framework to help give definition and open up the eye area, while fans will help give fullness and youth to the lash line.
Avoid use of D curl lashes which give a very dramatic look, stick with C or CC curls for a flattering look which most mature clients will prefer.
Donโt be tempted to go overboard and apply too many lashes. Select shorter lash lengths to compliment the natural lashes, longer does not mean thicker and using shorter lengths will detract from spareness and avoid over-defining the lash line. Avoid long lash lengths to outer corners too which will make the eyes appear to droop, a few shorter lengths to outer corners will lift the eyes and give a more open-eyed, youthful look. The same goes for lash thickness, using thicker lashes will not create fullness but over-emphasise any gaps.
Top tip: Using a lash that is too thick will be poorly supported by the natural lashes and lead to premature lash loss or even breakage and damage. 0.10mm lashes are usually best for mature clients
Ensure your mature clients, in particular, are rigorous with the lash care. Suggest a lash safe serum to help improve natural lash growth and strength and ensure they return every 2-3 weeks for infills to ensure lashes remain looking their best. Lost lash extensions will only exaggerate any sparsity to lashes so it is key they upkeep their infills.
Expand your skills today with our Fast track, Accredited Courses or benefit from our recognised Online training coursesโฆ
We highly recommend the following courses for those looking to offer lash extension treatments. If you need any advice on the best course for you, give our friendly Advisors a call on 0800 999 2277 or connect through Live Chat now.
With so many new brow treatments launching, it is easy to fall behind in knowing the differences and how best to market your brow services to clients. Our blog this week focuses on whether to highly define or laminate brows…
What are Highly Defined Brows?
Highly defined brows is a treatment involving multiple steps to ensure the optimum brow reshaping and redefining. Starting with a thorough consultation and brow measuring, brows are darkened using brow tinting. Brows are then reshaped using a combination of brow trimming, waxing, threading and use of tweezers. Finally brows are finished using mineral brow make up products to give the perfect finish. Typically highly defined brows leaves brows thinner, with a greater arch and more defined shape and also darker to ensure they really frame the eyes.
What are Laminated Brows?
Laminated brows is all about restoring brows which have previously been poorly reshaped, over plucked or simply where the client wants a fuller, more natural brow look. Brows are brushed into shape by encouraging the existing brow hairs to sit upwards to create a fuller look. Products very similar to those used for lash lift, are then applied to the brow hairs to lift and then set the brow hairs into line and shape to help restore a fuller, natural appearance to the brows. Brows can also be tinted as part of the process to give more definition. The treatment encourages clients to make use of brow products such as castor oil following treatment to encourage the brows to naturally begin enhanced regrowth, particularly where overplucked previously to give more improved appearance over time.
Our quick table below outlines which treatment is best for which clients or desired resultsโฆ
Highly Defined Brows
Removes unwanted, stray hairs to give a better shape and greater definition
Involves use of brow waxing, threading, trimming and tweezers
Brows are tinted to give a darker, more defined look
Usually brows appear thinner, reshaped with an improved arch
Clients are encouraged to have regular treatments to maintain defined look
OR
Brow Lamination
Involves working with the existing brow hairs, taking away only minimal stray hairs
Involves use of techniques to brush hairs up then lift and set in place with products similar to those for lash lifting
Brows are tinted to give a darker but more natural look
Usually brows appear fuller, reshaped to give a restored, more youthful natural look
Clients are encouraged to use brow oils beyond treatment to stimulate regrowth of hairs
Not trained to offer both of these incredible, lucrative brow services yet? Take a look at our fast track courses and start earning up to ยฃ45 per treatmentโฆ
We have lots of students ask us about courses such as Eyelash Extensions, Highly Defined Brows and Lash Lift & Tinting. They are confused as they have seen courses offered by beauty suppliers, branded courses and online courses and they don’t know where to start in regards to what the key differences are. First let’s cover what the term trademark is as this is essential to understanding brand-specific courses…
What is a trademark?
A trademark is a way for a brand, company, producer or other legal entity to identify themselves and the products or services they produce, provide or source. It is a way for someone to recognise one entity (or brand from another) and for consumers to identify the origin of a product or service.ย Trademarks can be registered by the trademark owner and licensed in regards to specific types of usage. By registering a trademark, it can prevent use of the relevant name, logo, phrase or other ‘mark’ to be used without authorised licence from the trademark holder. Such unauthorised use can be considered trademark infringement and can open the person using such up to legal proceedings including prosecution or claims for damages. Brand specific training courses are those offered by such registered trademark owners and they often allow you to then go on to provide treatments using their products, to buy (or resell) their products and to use their logos/brand names within your own advertising.
The Beauty Academy Courses
All courses offered within our training centres are non-brand specific courses which teach you the fundamental knowledge and practical skills to deliver lash extension, lash lift or brow shaping and defining treatments. We teach the generic skills of these classic and in-demand beauty treatments. You achieve our in-house diploma certificate which is accredited by ABT and allows you to gain insurance to begin offering your treatments to clients. The beauty of our courses are that they are professional courses covering the core knowledge and skills for these treatments, they are accredited but they are much more affordable (starting from only ยฃ99) than many of the brand specific courses. They do not tie you in to any specific brand or supplier before youโre fully familiar and practised with the treatment. Many students find they complete brand specific training (which often require you to purchase their costly branded kits to attend the course) but once they begin offering their treatments on a regular basis and start speaking with clients, they find they prefer working with a different brand or clients are asking about other brand names. Often this requirement to purchase kits means half of the kit contents is also used up on the training day(s) themselves also leaving little product to go on to practice with. At The Beauty Academy, we provide all products and tools required to attend our courses at the centre on the day(s) at no additional cost. The only exception to this is where a patch test is required for which we keep the cost minimal.
Branded Courses
There are many brand names for specific treatments such as lash lift, lash extensions, and highly defined brows treatments. We donโt need to list them since you will have heard of most of them along the way when searching for a training course. These courses are usually significantly more expensive but this additional cost is attributed to the fact that you will be able to advertise using their brand names, as a brand specific trained therapist. This may be advantageous for salons who benefit from large shop front window displays using the recognisable brand logos and who can command much higher treatment prices to reclaim the cost; but the additional cost is not usually viable for mobile therapists, those just starting out in beauty (and so who donโt know what brand they prefer yet) or necessary for those who are already very established therapists with an existing client base.
The pros of a non-brand specific course such as The Beauty Academy courses:
Much lower initial course cost (from only ยฃ99 for courses with The Beauty Academy)
The Beauty Academy face to face courses are all accredited with ABT & online courses recognised by Radius insurance
No starter kits are required to attend our training day(s) unlike most brand specific courses
No commitment to any specific brand, get qualified, get experienced & then decide whatโs right for you once you understand the treatment and your clientโs needs
Great, quick and affordable way to learn something new, try out a new treatment service & see if itโs for you and your client base.
The cons of a non-brand specific course:
You canโt use any trademark protected brand names to describe or advertise your treatment services, however you can use a wide range of treatment related non-brand specific terms. If you later wish to utilise brand names, a simple conversion course can assist with this (see more about this below).
You might not be able to purchase branded products directly from the brand themselves, however you will be insured to use any brand of products to deliver your treatments. Similar professional (and cost effective) products can be purchased from large beauty wholesalers like Beauty Express.
OR
The pros of a brand specific course:
You can advertise your treatments using their brand name / trade mark / brand logos
In some areas you may be able to charge a small premium on โbrandedโ treatments but often applicable only to salons or established therapists. Generally treatment price ranges are reasonably fixed by treatment type and area regardless of brand of products used as you must remain competitive to attract new, and maintain regular clients.
The cons of a brand specific course:
Much higher course cost with branded training providers (usually from around ยฃ399 per 1 day course)
Often requires commitment to purchase an expensive brand specific kit to attend the course (as they want to โtie you inโ to their brand)
Much of the kit is used on the training day itself & when starting out, rarely are students optimally economical with product so makes initial practice costly also
You may begin offering branded treatments with little knowledge of your clientโs needs or preferences. You may then find yourself tied to that specific brand with additional cost to retrain within an alternative brand to buy different products or indeed be insured to use other brands as many brand specific courses are not accredited.
Conversion Courses
Remember that once you have completed a generic, accredited training course such as those offered by The Beauty Academy and are insured within those treatments, you will be able to purchase professional products from most leading beauty wholesalers including Beauty Express (just not always direct from the specific product brand). You always have the option to complete a shorter โconversionโ course with most leading branded course providers from only ยฃ99 (depending on the brand), if you later wish to become brand specific and to use their brand name as part of your advertising. These courses also help you refresh and occasionally advance your skills once you have had some time within the industry providing treatments and once youโve gained insight into the available brands and identified the one best for your budget and clientโs needs through experience of the industry. Most quality branded providers offer these courses to attract your business to purchasing their products, build their community of brand qualified therapists and raise their brand profile.
Generic Terms for Advertising Treatments
Many successful salons and independent therapists have huge success in promoting and offering their treatment services including lash extensions, lash lift and brow treatments charging the โgoing rateโ for their location and type of offering e.g. mobile, home based or in-salon. Anyone can describe and advertise using generic terms to promote your services (or indeed be creative with the naming of your treatments to stand out from the crowd). Just take care not to infringe upon existing registered trademarks and brand names unless you are brand trained or otherwise authorised by the brand to do so. Doing so can open you personally as a therapist or indeed your salon/business up to legal action from the trademark owner or brand which is bad for business and could be expensive. Generic terms for treatments as follows, are great ways to promote your services:
Eyelash Extensions โ Classic Lashes, Semi-Permanent Eyelash Extensions, Volume Lashes, Russian Volume Lashes, Celebrity Lashes, Volumised Lashes, Eyelash Extensions, Lash Extensions, American Lashes, American Volume Lashes, Lash Enhancement etc.
Brow Treatments โ Highly Defined Brows, Defined Brows, Ultimate Brows, Enhanced Brows, Brow Shape & Tint, Brow Redefining etc.
If you have any questions about brand names, your course or certification or how best to advertise your treatment services, please donโt hesitate to contact our Support team at [email protected] and they will be happy to help!
