How to Become a Lash Technician (Plus Relevant Skills)

Updated 30 September 2022

A lash technician is an eyelash specialist in the beauty industry who applies semi-permanent eyelash extensions on top of a client's natural lashes to make them appear longer and to add more volume. A career as a lash technician can be enjoyable if you like working with people and you have an interest in the beauty industry. Knowing how to become a lash technician and what the job involves can help you decide if it's a career you have an interest in. In this article, we discuss what an eyelash technician is, show you how to become one, explain some of their common daily duties and list beneficial skills.

What is an eyelash technician?

An eyelash technician, otherwise known as a lash stylist, is someone who applies cosmetic eyelash treatments to their clients. These treatments can include adding semi-permanent eyelash extensions onto existing lashes, completing a lash lift or tinting clients' natural lashes. Clients often seek these treatments to help make their eyelashes appear longer and fuller without wearing mascara.

It's common for lash technicians to also offer eyebrow services, including eyebrow waxing and tinting. They generally provide consultations to their clients to understand what they're seeking and to help determine the best colour to opt for when applying lash extensions or tint to a client's natural eyelashes.

How to become a lash technician

The step-by-step guide below gives you some insight into how to become a lash technician:

1. Complete a lash course

To become competent in applying eyelash extensions, you can complete a training course to become a certified lash technician. These courses generally cover all the knowledge you require to be successful in this role. Some skills you may learn include providing effective consultations and applying and removing eyelash extensions. These courses often begin with adding lash extensions onto mannequins and towards the completion of the course, adding lash extensions onto live models.

Becoming a certified lash technician can equip you with knowledge surrounding health and safety standards in the beauty industry and teach you how to deliver aftercare advice and recommendations. There are many courses available for you to enrol in. It can be a good idea to search online to find the most suitable course available near you delivered by a provider you feel comfortable with. The courses typically range anywhere from five days to five weeks in duration and the costs often vary depending on the provider.

2. Purchase your lash supplies

Next, you can purchase any supplies you require. You're likely to require a massage bed for your clients to lie on, a pillow and blankets to make your clients comfortable. You're also likely to require lash tweezers, eyelash extensions, eyelash adhesive and a lamp to provide you with the best natural light when working with clients. There are different ‌products available. Which ones are best for you can depend on how confident you are in applying lashes: fast-drying adhesive for more experienced technicians and slow drying for new technicians.

Choosing what brand of products to use can be a challenging process, as there are many brands available to choose from. Paying a higher price may not always guarantee you a better product. It can be a good idea to seek advice from someone with experience in the field to understand the difference in brands and prices. There are also lots of online articles you can read to source the most suitable products. Some companies may opt to send you free samples of their lashes to try before you place a large order, which can be helpful to know you are investing in quality products.

3. Set up your lash business

The next step in becoming a lash technician is to set up a business. You may choose to contract your services to an established beauty salon that seeking a lash technician to join their team, or you may choose to set up your own business and be your own boss. If you decide to contract with an existing company, you can search for jobs online within your local area. It can be helpful to update your resume with your relevant work experience before you send it to any potential employers.

If you prefer to set up your own business, you may consider offering your services from home if you have a suitable space to work from. If you prefer to work away from home, you can look for a space to rent. Once you find your designated work area, you can choose a name for the business and create a logo to help attract customers. It can also be beneficial to make your space look inviting by decorating it and personalising it to suit your target clientele. An inviting lash space can be a good way to help clients feel welcome and encourage them to return in the future.

4. Obtain any relevant licences or insurances

There are currently no licensing requirements to be a lash technician, but there are requirements for operating out of your home. If you plan to create a business at home, you may be required to apply for a special permit or licence to comply with regulations. These regulations are set by your state, territory and local governments. Some states also require you to display certain signage and adopt specific health and safety standards to comply with their regulations. It's helpful to contact your local government agency to see what permits or licences you require before starting a business at home.

If you're a self-employed lash technician, you may get public liability and any other relevant insurance to ensure you have coverage in the case of injury or incident. You can request quotes from insurance companies to find the most suitable insurance policy for you.

5. Start marketing your services

Once the business is ready to operate, you can start marketing your services to attract clients. There are many ways you can do this, including posting flyers into local mailboxes or using social media to create a business page and paying for advertisements to promote it. You may also want to consider offering new clients a discount to encourage them to use and get to know your services.

Marketing your services can be a great way to attract new clients and build up a solid client base. Consider collecting mobile numbers and email addresses from all of your clients to maintain a client database. You can then send out any lash promotions or new products that you launch to entice clients to come back and access your services in the future.

Common daily duties for eyelash technicians

The list below details some of the daily duties you can expect to undertake as a lash technician:

meeting with clients to understand their eyelash extension requirements
completing consultations to find the most suitable colour and length of eyelash extensions for clients
making bookings for eyelash extension appointments
completing other eyelash cosmetic treatments, including eyelash tints and lifts
educating yourself on current eyelash extension techniques and products
recommending appropriate aftercare and maintenance products for clients
purchasing stock including eyelashes, adhesive and cleaning products

Beneficial skills for an eyelash technician

Below, you can find some of the general skills that may be useful in a career as a successful lash technician:

Patience

Applying a full set of eyelash extensions can take anywhere between one hour and three hours, depending on your level of experience. Patience can help ensure you don't feel inclined to rush your work. This allows you to take the time required to make sure your clients leave with a set of lashes that they're happy with. You can improve your patience by practising mindfulness and learning to be present.

Concentration

High-level concentration skills can be helpful to have as a lash technician to help you apply lashes correctly. If you lapse in concentration during an appointment you can cause mistakes that can make your appointment run for longer than expected. You can improve your concentration skills by playing music to help you focus and playing brain games in your spare time.

Customer service

One of the major focuses of a career as a lash technician is customer service, as you're likely to meet lots of new people each day. Talking with your clients during their appointments can allow them to feel more comfortable and make their overall experience more enjoyable. You can enhance your customer service skills by asking for client feedback following appointments.

Creativity

Each client has a different eye shape and end goals for their lash treatment. Having a creative flair and looking for unique ways to apply ashes can make your job more enjoyable and leave your clients feeling confident and happy with their lash extensions. You can build on your creativity by creating new lash designs in your spare time and asking for models to try out your new designs for free.