What to look for when choosing a lash artist in California

Back in 2008, I took my very first class to learn how to apply eyelash extensions. At the time, lash extensions were primarily worn by celebrities in the United States however the average, everyday woman didn’t know this service existed. If you were lucky enough to find a lash artist that applied semi permanent eyelash extensions, it was highly unlikely that they applied lash extensions on a regular basis. Instead, they were primary a hairstylist or an esthetician and offered lash extensions on the side.

Fast forward a little over a decade later, lash extensions have become an extremely popular service and it’s rare to come across someone who doesn’t know of the service. With that, these days you can practically find a lash artist on every corner in nearly every major city. On one hand, that’s great news because it gives you plenty of options to choose from. On the other hand however, it’s not always clear to know what you should look for when choosing a lash artist… especially if you’ve never had them applied before.

So, in this article, I’ll share what you should look for when choosing a lash artist in hopes to help you find the perfect lash artist.

I’d like to start by saying that not all lash artists are created equal. Although there are hundreds or even thousands of lash artists to choose from, they are all different in terms of experience and kill. Even if you come across two artists with similar experience and skill, they can vary greatly in how they design lash extensions. You’ll find some artists specialize in long and dramatic lash extensions while others specialize in designing lash extensions that look natural and timeless.

With this in mind, the first thing you’ll want to do is find a lash artist that designs lash extensions that fit your style and what you’re after. If you want long and dramatic lash extensions that make a statement, find a lash artist that designs bold and dramatic lash extensions. If you want a subtle, more timeless look, work with a lash artist that specializes in a more natural look.

Next, you’ll want to look at the years of experience an artist has. And by years of experience, I’m not referring to how long they’ve had their certification. I’m referring to the amount of time the artist has been consistently working with clients and offering lash extensions. For example, an artist can be certified for a full year but if they’ve only worked with 2 clients, they don’t have much experience as someone that’s been certified for 6 months and does lashes 5 days a week. An experienced lash artist will tell you that it takes a lot of practice hours to confidently apply lash extensions. It’s definitely not as easy as it looks. So, look at how long a lash artist has been certified and don’t be afraid to ask how often the artist applies lash extensions. Knowing this information will tell you how much experience an artist has and it will help you decide if the artist you’re considering is the right fit for you.

Once you have found an artist that offers the style you want and you know how much experience they have, it’s time to check out reviews. When looking at reviews, don’t get caught up with the number of reviews an artist has. Instead, look at the quality of the reviews and the reviewers. As an example, you could come across an artist that has thousands of 5 star reviews and while that is impressive, if you’re a woman in her 50’s and the reviews are mainly from people in their early 20’s, thats a sign that the artist might not have a lot of experience working with people that are like you. And if they don’t have that experience working with clients that are similar to you, there’s a risk that you might not view your experience as 5 star worthy. So as a general rule, I don’t look at the number of positive reviews a business has. Instead, I dig a little more and read the details of the review to make sure the reviewer has similar views to mine before making a decision.

In addition to this, many businesses will offer clients incentives like free gifts or discounts in exchange for reviews. Naturally, if a person is receiving something in exchange for a review, the review will likely positive and not 100% truthful. Another thing to keep in mind is when you see a lot of reviews for a lash artist, they typically serve a younger clientele. I’ve found that mature clients don’t usually have profiles on many popular review sites like Yelp so don’t be alarmed if you come across an artist that doesn’t have hundreds of reviews. Again, quality is more important.

These are the first 3 things you’ll want to look for when choosing a lash artist however it doesn’t stop here. In California, there are specific legal requirements lash artists must adhere to in order to apply lash extensions that many clients aren’t aware of.

Here’s what you should know.

In the state of California, only licensed estheticians and cosmetologists can legally apply semi permanent eyelash extensions. As of this article, it is not legal for makeup artists,, permanent makeup artists or manicurists to provide this service.

Licensed estheticians and cosmetologists are required by the California State Board of Cosmetology to have their license posted at or near their workstation at all times. In addition to having the license posted, the state requires all legal establishments such as a beauty studio, spa or salon to have consumer rights posted so that you know who to contact if you need to file a complaint.

It’s not just about talent. There are many talented artists however if they aren’t licensed, it’s difficult to hold them accountable with the appropriate governing board within the state. So always make sure your lash artist has their license posted where you can see it and check the expiration date to ensure it’s a valid license. You can also always check if an artist is licensed by looking up their name or business name here.

Also in the state of California, mobile lashing where an artist comes to your home, sets up their table in your home and works on your lashes isn’t permitted. To offer mobile service, the artist must have a mobile unit where you come out of your home and enter the mobile unit to receive your service. The business must also have a physical location. Mobile services are limited to clients that are unable to come into the physical location due to being disabled, elderly, etc. Also, the mobile unit must have a license in every city where it operates. I’m personally not aware of any mobile units that meet these requirements so it’s important that you’re aware of it. Many lash artists offer mobile services however if they are coming into your home and don’t meet all of the other strict requirements set forth by the state, they aren’t operating legally.

This leads me to another legal issue regarding offering lash services that many clients aren’t aware of. There are very specific requirements for artists that work from home within the state of California. A few of the requirements are as follows:

• The room of the home where services are provided must have it’s own separate entrance and restroom that’s not used for any personal reasons

• The business must have appropriate licensing for an establishment within the city it’s operating out of

• Professional license must be posted at the workstation at all times

As you can see, there’s so much that goes into being a lash artist. From skill to experience to meeting legal requirements set forth by the state. This article was written to empower you as the client so you can find the perfect lash artist for you.

Did you learn something new today? If so, leave a comment and let me know below.

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