My Responsibilities as a Lash Tech
There are so many different opinions about this topic, but one thing I think we all need to remember is that no matter the level you're at, we are professionals. Clients come to you for your expertise and that needs to show throughout your service. I know a lot of lash techs that do this as a side business, and that's great, but you cannot take things for granted and only give half of your effort. That includes hygiene, customer service, customer care, and just being an ethical person.
Hygiene
As lashing has become so popular and common that everyone and their mother has them, we sometimes let the core rules slip away and that cannot happen. We all want to get the most clients and have a full day of lashing because let's face it, that's money we all NEED. But don't let the idea of a great cash flow distract you from what really matters, QUALITY.
Providing lash extensions isn't like applying makeup (I'm also a makeup artist) it's not like applying lipstick and blush, it's messing with people’s eyes and having a very vulnerable part of them in your hands! Does that sound weird to you? It shouldn't. When you were going through your certification, your trainer should have been stressing the importance of hygiene and a well-kept area!
Our clients come to us because they trust us and we need to give them a reason to. It's about showing them you care, and not just by giving them great lashes (although that's a must), but by also showing them you take the time to sanitize your area and refresh it just for them. You need to make sure they are coming into a clean environment every time. That, in my opinion, is a HUGE responsibility of a lash tech.
Customer Service
I've had at least 20 clients tell me something was wrong with their lashes, they were falling off, they were irritating them, they couldn't take them anymore, etc. To me, the customer is always right. This is something a lot of lash techs don't live by. I understand that it is your time and your money, but how do you think places like Sephora survive? They have AMAZING customer service. Is this what you meant to write? Foundation back and they hand you your money no questions asked. I'm not telling you to give away your services for free, but if a client comes back and tells me her lashes are gone within a week, I blame myself! Maybe I didn't use enough best eyelash extension glue, maybe I didn't prime, maybe I should have washed her lashes first, and maybe I didn't give her enough detail about retention. At the end of the day, she paid me a pretty penny to do this for her and there's no way she would go out of her way to have them fall off in just a week.
Are there people out there that may do something like that? Damn right there are, but you never really know, and at the end of the day, it's my name written all over her eyes and I will do anything to hold it up high, even if that means I have to give her a new set free of charge. I know that may sound crazy to a lot of you, but I have had to do it a couple of times and I have had those same clients coming back to me every month for the past 3 years! Sometimes you have to sacrifice the right now for a long term benefit. This is something I strongly believe because I have seen it work!
Customer Care
I think this is an easy one, and it should honestly go without saying. You need to educate your clients! You need to be the one to tell them what to do at the end of their session. If a client comes back in a week and says they all fell out, well that's probably on you as a lash tech.
When I say it's your responsibility I don't just mean you giving them a speech at the end and sending them off, I mean you need to take it upon yourself and have something written with all the info on it, it could be a card you had printed (I recommend this) or even a text you send them. This will go a long way for both of you. I also recommend you send them a quick check-in text maybe 2-3 days after their session just to see how they are doing, especially after that period of them not getting them wet. That way if you know you've done all you can, you can better indicate what may have gone wrong if they come back to you and tell you they aren't lasting.
Also, doing this takes the blame off of you in a big way. We as lash techs need to follow through from pre-appointment message to post-appointment message. This is what creates client loyalty and really shows how much you care! Clients appreciate that more than you know!
Keep on lashing lash loves and make sure you are setting your own rules and responsibilities as a lash tech for you to follow. Keep yourself and your business as genuine and ethical as possible and you will see yourself striving in the best way possible!