Often when we’re shopping for something, we can get “analysis paralysis”. When you’ve seen so many options you either can’t pick because you’re overwhelmed with options…or the opposite, you pick out of desperation to just make a decision already. When it comes to Stanley Cup colors, it’s not the end of the world to order the wrong one, but when you’re choosing a lash course to further your education and career that’s not a promising way to make a decision! In a booming sector of the beauty industry, lash extension training is a dime a dozen, and unfortunately, that can cause lash artists to feel taken advantage of by the end of training.
Here are some helpful tips when choosing a lash course:
Has this person or brand done what you want to accomplish?
There’s a quote that says “When setting out on a journey do not seek advice from someone who never left home”. In other words, make sure the person or brand isn’t just “talk” and has accomplished the things you want to learn from them.
Real-time reviews?
Anyone can make up a testimonial. “This is the best blog I’ve ever read!” – Sarah from Oklahoma See? Take it a step further and don’t be shy to ask for some contact information of former students that have taken the course. Better yet, if you’ve seen on their social media who has taken the course, reach out to them directly and ask what they thought about it and if it was worth it. In this day and age we have ways of reaching out to anyone at any time, so take advantage and reach out to people who you have seen post about taking the training.
What topics are included?
Most trainings have a syllabus of topics you’ll learn during the course. Check out multiple training syllabus lists, and compile one of your own with the top things you want to learn. That way you can weed out any trainings that don’t offer everything you’re looking for.
What’s included?
Make sure you find out if your training comes with a kit and what’s included. Training kits may or may not be important for what topics you’re trying to learn. If you’re a newbie, a kit is going to be pretty high up our your list of “wants” out of a training course. If you’re an established lash artist who’s looking to learn new techniques or business-related topics then that may not matter to you.
Online or In Person?
Make sure to find out if the training is online or in person. Everyone learns differently. Personally, I’m a visual learner so I need in-person training to stay motivated and really take everything in. Some people can learn perfectly fine from online training. If you’re a newbie lash artist, personal training can be highly beneficial so you can ask as many questions as possible, and the trainer can see what you’re doing and make small tweaks that can change the game for you.
How many people are in the class?
If the training is in person it’s always a good idea to find out how many other students will be in class with you, unless it’s a private training. It’s not always helpful to be in training with too many people, and not get enough on one help. On the other hand, sometimes it’s beneficial to have other people learning with you so you can listen to answers to questions you may not have thought to ask. Not to mention the networking opportunities, and being able to make friends with other lash artists that can help support you and vice versa on your journey.
Do you need a model?
Finding out if you need to bring a model to work on is super important! If you can’t find someone for the day of the training sometimes the training coordinators can help find someone for you. This also helps to know if you’re going to be practicing the techniques in person on a live model or not, and if that matters to you. Practicing on a live model where you have a trainer looking over your shoulder can be a nice way to get quick answers to issues that can pop up that you’re unsure how to fix.
Continued Mentorship?
A big selling point to a lot of lash artists can be continued mentorship after the training is finished. Lashing takes much longer to learn than a 1-2 day course could ever teach. It can take a year just to build up the hand strength alone. If you are taking a first-time course continued mentorship will be imperative to building your skills. There will be countless times when you have questions and run into issues. Having someone you can directly reach out to for continued help can be a great benefit to your success.
Trust Your Gut
All in all, don’t forget to use your gut when picking a training program. If something about it seems off to you, trust that instinct. Also, remember that everyone learns differently, so getting feedback from others on courses is imperative but also remember to pick the course that feels right for you.
Don’t fall for phrases like “How to become a six figure lash artist in one year” or the like. I can tell you that answer right now and save you $2500. You become a six figure lash artist by:
- practicing on hundreds of people
- taking every client that will come through the door when you are learning
- making a ton of mistakes
- learning from them
- perfecting your technique and retention
- word of mouth
- genuinely caring about your clients and loving what you do
Everything else will fall into place!
Written by Britany Hawse (Leadership Council Member and Beauty Books Founder)
