Starting a lash and brow business is a lot like your first ever lash set: exciting, a little wobbly, and you will absolutely mess something up before you get it right. 💅
We asked some of our Lash V pros what they'd tell their "just started out and terrified" selves, and honestly? We're taking notes too. Here's the good stuff.
1. Comparison is the thief of confidence (and your clientele)
Every single one of our pros said some version of this, so let's just get it out of the way: stop stalking the artist with 400k followers and 12 years of experience and comparing your Week 3 sets to her Year 12 sets.
We all start with zero clients and shaky hands. That artist you're comparing yourself to? She once glued her own fingers together too. Everyone starts somewhere — the only difference is she's had longer to hide the evidence.
Your job right now isn't to be the best in the industry. It's to be better than you were last week.
2. Your "perfect salon" can wait. Your policies cannot.
Here's a hot take: nobody has ever cancelled a booking because your salon didn't have a feature wall.
What clients actually remember is how you treated them, how good the work was, and whether you showed up looking like you knew what you were doing. So stop white-knuckling your business launch waiting for the "right" space — start where you are.
What you shouldn't wait on? Your policies. Deposits are non-negotiable from day one. Chasing a client for a last-minute cancellation fee is a special kind of soul-crushing that deposits conveniently make disappear. Set the boundary early, hold the boundary always, and let an online booking system do the awkward "please pay a deposit" conversation for you. It also just makes you look legit, which — let's be honest — matters when you're trying to convince people to let you near their eyeballs with a tweezer.
3. "I finished my course" is not the finish line
Plot twist: getting certified doesn't mean you're done learning. It means you're now qualified to start.
Keep taking courses — free ones, paid ones, the ones that terrify you a little because they're above your current skill level. The industry moves fast, techniques evolve, and the artists who stay booked out are the ones who never let their skills go stale. And please, don't be afraid to ask questions. The "silly question" you're too embarrassed to ask is usually the one everyone else in the room is also too embarrassed to ask.
4. Every dodgy set is a professional development day
Had a lash set that didn't quite sit right? Congratulations, you just got a free lesson that no course could've taught you as well. Every artist — yes, even the ones you were comparing yourself to in point one — has a folder of "we don't talk about this" photos.
The pros aren't the ones who never mess up. They're the ones who figure out why it went sideways and fix it next time. Be hard on the mistake, not on yourself.
5. Work with products you love and trust
Your kit is your business partner. If you don't trust what's in it, that hesitation shows up in your work — and your clients can feel it.
Find products that actually perform, stick with them, and get so familiar with them that using them becomes second nature. Consistency builds confidence, and confidence is what keeps clients coming back.
(And yes, we're a little biased here — Lash V is obviously our favourite. But you get to pick yours. Just pick one you trust. 😉)
The short version: stop comparing, start charging (with deposits, thank you very much), don't wait for the dream salon, never stop learning, let your mistakes make you better, and build your kit around products you actually trust. Your future clientele is out there — go get 'em. 🤍
And a little reminder from all of us at Lash V: we're here to support our artists and our clients. Don't be afraid to ask questions — the more we help each other learn, the stronger this whole industry gets. Supporting other businesses will never hurt yours.
