WHY CONSULTATIONS?

For some people, scheduling a consultation is a great thing. For others, it’s a great big inconvenience.  I mean, if you know what you want, then what’s the point of having a consultation? Why not just schedule the appointment you want, come in and have your fresh set of lash extensions applied?

Before I answer that question, I want to share an experience with you that I recently had.

My daughter, Cadence has been really into nail art for the past year or so. It’s to the point where she is in her room, working on her nails every other day. I have grown used to the sound of a nail drill every time I walk past her room.

If I’m being honest, I have grown tired of seeing her constantly working on her nails because I feel like if she invested the time into actually learning how to do her nails right one time, there wouldn’t be a need to spend so much time working on her nails. And not only that, as a licensed cosmetologist, I’ve seen the downside of shredding down natural nails over time. And trust me, it isn’t pretty.

So rather than her always drilling on her nails, I took her to a local nail shop so she could have her nails professionally done. The first time she had them done, the design wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea but hey, at least they were applied correctly and I knew they would last.

My daughter on the other hand, wasn’t happy with the new nails at all. They weren’t the shape she wanted or the design but she too was happy knowing they would last beyond a few days.

So three weeks later, we go back to the same nail shop so she could get a fill but this time, I would stay and instruct the technician on how to design her nails because my daughter isn’t at the level of confidence where she will speak up for herself. She has this thing where she doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Instead, she’ll walk away disappointed.

So we get there and the only person who can work on my daughters nails is the owner because she’s the only person that knows the technique. Since we walked in, she was working on another client and told us to come back in about an hour. So we go back an hour later and I show the owner of the place a picture of the kind of nails my daughter wants only for the owner to tell me that what my daughter wants isn’t possible. She goes on to tell me all the reasons why it’s not possible and in that moment, I could see my daughter processing everything in her mind. She really wanted her nails done that day and had planned for it all week. But based on what the owner was telling her, getting the nails she wanted wasn’t going to happen.

So I said to my daughter in a tone of disapproval, “Sweetie, she’s telling you that what you want is not going to happen here today or ever. With this in mind, I know you really want your nails done but are you ok with paying for nails knowing you won’t be completely happy?” And then I followed up with, “ultimately, it’s your call and I’m here to support you either way.” And I said that to let her know that I’m ok if she decides she doesn’t want to move forward.

She looked at the owner and then she looked at me and said, “it’s ok. I don’t want to do it.” And we left, found a nail artist that could give her exactly what she wanted without making up a bunch of lies as to why her request was impossible to achieve, and now, my daughter has a new, amazing nail artist.

Alright so what does this have to do with why I require consultations?

Using my daughter’s experience, I know firsthand that there is nothing more disappointing than looking forward to something only to get there and find out you can’t have it and have to settle for something else. Had the owner taken the time to look at the picture before telling us to come back in an hour, she would have known right then and there that she was incapable of giving my daughter what she wanted. Would that have prevented the long list of lies she told about it being impossible? Maybe. Maybe not. But at least my daughter would have left with realistic expectations so she could make an educated decision on how to move forward.

So the reason why consultations are now required for all new clients is because it’s really important to me that we have time to discuss your lifestyle and your needs so we can work together to create a plan that gives you the results you want. And if for some reason, you want something that’s outside of my area of expertise or something I’m not comfortable doing, I can be honest and let you know that at your consultation without feeling the pressure to do something that I’m not completely confident with and you leaving disappointed. If you’re new to lash extensions and unsure of which set is right for you, at the consultation, you’ll learn exactly which set I offer that’s right for you.

I’ve been fortunate in that my clients are happy with the work I do and have stuck with me for a long time but I’ve also had situations where a new client comes in with severely damaged natural lashes due to improper application from another artist and they want to go big, but don’t have the lashes to support what they want. My goal is to avoid the mis-match in expectations so you leave happy and I feel good about the work I’m doing.

Speaking of lash health, my priority is to elevate and enhance your beauty safely. So I never apply lash extensions that are longer or thicker than what your natural lashes can safely support while growing out between touch ups. Having a consultation give me the opportunity to assess the health of your natural lashes and to determine which set your lashes can safely support.

While assessing the condition of your lashes, I also apply a handful of lash extensions on each eye as a patch test to make sure you don’t have an adverse or allergic reaction. Allergies can happen and by applying a handful of extensions, we’ll know within 48 hours if you may have a sensitivity to any of the products I use.

Now I know this likely isn’t you but I have to say it… Many times I’ve found that clients will schedule an Everyday Set knowing what they really want is Posh or Luxe Volume. Problem is, they don’t want to actually pay for the volume set. So they book the most reasonable set I offer and it ends up not looking anything like what they wanted, so they are disappointed in the results.

This is something I’d rather avoid. I’d rather have a consultation, get a clear idea of what you want and your budget so I can present you with options and then you make a decision from there.

It’s not always about what people can afford either. I’ve learned that natural has different meanings to everyone. For most of my clients, natural means lashes that appear to be your own, only better. But I’ve had clients come in with lash extensions on that were applied by another artist that are touching their eyebrows and to them, this is a natural look.

So it’s important that we’re on the same page and I clearly understand your language and what you feel looks natural so I can present you with the best options.

Last but not least, a consultation is required for all new clients to make sure we’re the right fit for one another. When you choose a lash artist, it’s a commitment. You may think this is a one off event but lash extensions are addictive. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve worked with a bride to be to apply her lash extensions for her wedding as a one off and they end up loving their lashes so much along with the convenience of them that they keep coming back for years.

Considering this will likely be a long term relationship, I want to make sure I’m the right artist for you and you’re the right client for me so we have a pleasant experience working together moving forward.

One of the most common questions I get about consultations is, “Can I schedule a consultation and full set on the same day?”

And the answer to that is no.

The reason for this is because to complete your patch test and make sure there’s no allergic reaction, after applying a handful of extensions to each eye, we need to wait a full 48 hours to confirm. Once that 48 hour window is complete, as long as you haven’t experienced any irritation or an allergic reaction, we can move forward with scheduling your appointment.

I really hope this explains why consultations are now required for all new clients but if you have any questions, feel free to contact me and let me know. I’m happy to help!

And if you’re ready to schedule a consultation, click the button below to get started!