How to Find the BEST Lash Artist

Eyelash extensions are all the rave these days, and steadily growing more popular. 

They seem to promise a lot of power packed into such a seemingly simple service. 

Yet how many times have you heard talk of the "Dreadful D?"

Lash damage. 

The truth is, lash extensions are anything but damaging to the lashes. 

(To read more about this, check out my article titled The lies You've Been Told About Lashes)

In fact, I would probably argue that they are BENEFICIAL to the eyes. 

They prevent you from rubbing or tugging on that beautiful and delicate skin around the eyes.

So the question you find yourself asking is, "How do I find the BEST lash artist?"

Any beauty service is going to be a personal one. It's an experience and a treat.

You're trusting someone. A LOT.

You're trusting that they will not just listen to you, but understand you.

You're trusting them with your body and your style. After all, our style is a direct way we express who we are.

That's a lot of trust to put into someone you've never met before. 

All beauty services require the provider to be knowledgeable, but lash extensions also require the principle of skill. Mad skill. 

You need to know that they've been trained properly. That they are able to execute your service with not only flawless precision, but with charisma and charm. 

You're going to be in this persons company for a decent amount of time in the future. 

You need to feel comfortable with them and confident in their abilities.

Because that's just what lash artists are...ARTISTS. 

So to help you efficiently find the most BOMB artist in your area, I've put together this checklist for you.  

1. Do some basic research

What would google say?

Research what the going rate for lashes are in your area. A simple zip code change can drop or escalate prices dramatically. 

If the prices seem unusually low...well, like I always say, "Cheap lashes ain't great. Great lashes ain't cheap."

 
 

If they seem to be significantly higher than what is standard, check option 2. 

2. Look for Portfolio Pictures

We've already discussed that lash stylists are ARTISTS, and what does every good artist have?

Professional pictures. 

Check their website for pictures of THEIR work. Not stock photos like you'll see some places. 

3. Or check out their Instagram

This is an even better option because it's in real time. A good lash artist will be posting 1-2 pictures daily. 

That will give you more than a sufficient amount of photo research to work with. 

Check for up close photos of the lashes. Look for how close they attach lashes to the base. 

How full do the lashes look? 

Use your best judgement here. It's not hard to tell quality work apart. Trust your gut. 

4. Get a referral

This is a great place to start if you're at ground zero.

Have a friend who gets them done? Ask who her artist is. 

Or how about that girl at the gym who has the badass lashes? Don't be shy, go ask her where she goes! Ask for her artists name specifically. 

4. Read reviews

After you've found a couple of stylists to check out, go see what other people are saying about them. 

Just like those food pictures might look amazing on a Yelp page, that doesn't mean it actually tasted good. 

What do their clients think of them? What do strangers think of them? 

Yelp and Facebook are great sources. I like to think of these as the "Amazon" of the lash world. 

5. Book a consultation

Eyelash extensions aren't like nails where you can get any variety of nail style with little to no questions asked. 

Avoid any lash artist who promises she can do something with your lashes BEFORE having ever seen you. 

The lashes are the boss here ladies. Their natural thickness, length, and your eye shape are all going to be STRONG determiners of how this service goes down. 

Consultations should be complimentary wherever you go. If they aren't, don't go there. That's just an absurdity. 

A quality lash artist will offer complimentary consultations prior to your lash service, or she will book it into the time of your full set. 

I recommend going in prior to because of the style options for lashes there are these days. You may decide to go for Russian Volume lashes over Classic Extensions, and in that case your appointment will be scheduled for a lengthier amount of time. 

You're going to be spending your hard earned money on this treat, you might as well make sure you're getting EXACTLY what you want. 

6. Ask them an obnoxious amount of questions

Does this girl even know WTF she's talking about? 

Come prepared. Write down everything you've ever heard about lashes and ask her ALL those questions. 

Ask her what product she uses and how to clean the lashes. Ask her where she was trained at and how long she's been in the industry. 

Ask her just about anything you can think of...and if she's good, she'll knock em out of the park. 

Quality lash artists will not only be able to answer all the questions you've come prepared with, but should end up educating you on questions you didn't even realize you should have asked. 

In addition, they should have some guides for you to read about how the process goes, what to expect and how to care for them afterwards and things like that. 

She might even have a blog!

Lashes are fantastic! You should feel excited about having them and confident in who you've decided to go to. 

Whoever you decide on, I hope she is fabuLASH!

Allison Bingham