Lash Consultations

What Are They? Why They're Important & What To Include 

Nothing is more rewarding for a lash technician after an appointment than to see that their client is happy with the treatment provided, but on the other hand it's never a nice feeling to know that your client may not be fully satisfied with their lashes. Whilst it's impossible to please everyone all the time, there is one key pre-appointment step to help ensure client satisfaction (almost every time!); lash consultations. In this blog, we will discuss what a lash consultation is, why they are so important for you and your clients, and what you should include in this vital step of any lash appointment.

What is a Lash Consultation?

A 'Lash Consultation' is the first (and arguably most important) step of any lash appointment. When providing any beauty treatment, it is imperative to understand exactly what the client wants to get from their appointment. It is equally as important for you to explain what you are physically able to do/not do, depending on various factors, to manage realistic expectations.A lash consultation allows both the lash technician and client to have a discussion, running through all the different possibilities and wants prior to the treatment, helping to avoid any disappointment following the appointment.

The beauty of a lash consultation is how quick and simple they can be, you can even do them on the same day as the appointment if they are a returning client! For new clients, you may wish to conduct a lash consultation when doing a patch test to save time on the day of your appointment. This may be advisable, as new clients may have sensitive eyes, and discussing this in a consultation at the time of a patch test would allow for you to instead patch test a sensitive adhesive such as our Pink Naked (Clear) or Pink Duchess glues. Check with your insurance and glue manufacturer to see if a patch test is required, to make sure you are covered for any possible allergic reactions a client may experience. It also means you can be prepared for the treatment. For example, if a client wanted a foxy eye you may want to order M curl lashes from your supplier in advance of the appointment. 

Lash consultations can be in person, online or even via a text/system. They can be a conversation or even a tick box questionnaire. They can be done as a separate appointment or just before the treatment. 

We understand that both you and your clients can be very busy, and it may not be feasible for a separate in person lash consultation to be held prior to the appointment. An alternative to consider is an online lash consultation. Using a video call method, discuss all that you would in a face-to-face consultation over the phone. Pinkfishes has partnered with Timely, an online booking system, to simplify all your client booking needs! Timely is an industry-leading booking and scheduling software designed to help you manage your appointments effortlessly, reduce no-shows, and grow your client base with ease. Timely has a feature where you can send consultation forms via SMS and host video consultations online. This system will also allow you to schedule in person consultations,patch tests and more. There are a few drawbacks to online consultations though, as you can't perform in person patch tests or take a good look at your clients natural lashes. You could however ask all the relevant questions to get all their information, explain the treatment and find out what they would like out of the treatment.

Why Are Lash Consultations Important?

You may be thinking as an experienced lash tech, 'what is the significance of a lash consultation? I don't normally do them', or as abeginner you may not know much about them. Lash consultations are arguably one of the most important stages of any lash treatment, but why?

Lash consultations allow for a full, mutual understanding of what is desired, and what can be achieved in a lash appointment. In the brief time it takes for a consultation, you as a lash tech can get to know the exact look and style wanted by the client. This is the perfect space to discuss various options, present what different styles and sets of lashes you can offer, and gain a strong understanding of exactly what is being asked for. Similarly, a lash consultation is the ideal time to explain to your client what won't be possible due to various factors.

Clients can sometimes leave underwhelmed, or even upset with their lashes; this can be the result of a mis-understanding between the client and lash tech. With a lash consultation, this can be so simply avoided, as the communication between you both allows for nothing to come as a surprise! It is also important for medical and insurance purposes, discussing contra-indications, patient medical conditions and implications regarding the treatment is imperative for both you and your clients' health and safety, we will discuss more about this later in this blog. 

Who needs a Lash Consultation? 

It may be obvious why a new client needs to have a consultation; so you can access their natural lashes, get their personal and medical information and find out what style of lash extensions they want etc... However many lash techs don't do consultations for their regular clients, which is a mistake. It is really important to have regular conversations with your clients even before each appointment to make sure they were happy with their last set, if there is anything they would like to change i.e. short lengths or a different curl, ask them if they experienced any problems and offer advice for these. If you don't, you may find that clients drop off and don't rebook again, they may not directly complain but just silently ghost you! Having a little consultation will give your clients the opportunity to address any issues or any wants and desires for their next set! Consultations for an existing client will most likely be quick and easy and can be done before their appointment. For new clients you may have to book out time in your diary as it may take longer. It is also important to ask your clients to contact you if they do have any concerns or if they want something specific for their next appointment. For example, if they want coloured lashes in their next set, they should let you know ahead of time so you can order these and the right colour in! 

What to Include in a Lash Consultation

During a lash consultation it is important to get the most out of this time, especially if the consultation is at the start of their appointment. In this section, we have put together a list of potential things to include in your lash consultations;

Key Questions you could ask:

• Have you had lash extensions before?
• What would you like to achieve from your appointment?
• Are you looking for a more natural or dramatic look, and short or long? 
• Do you have any inspiration/reference lash pictures?
• Do you wear glasses/contact lenses?

One thing you definitely want to achieve from the lash consultation is to fully understand the clients wants, and similarly to make sure the client fully understands what is achievable. This is based on various factors including; 

• Natural Lash (Health, Thickness, Length & Texture)
• Eye Shape
• If the Client wears Glasses
• Clients' Hair/Skin/Lash Colour
• Sensitivity/Allergies
• Medical, Contra-Indications and Health & Safety
• Aftercare 
• Deposits
• Appointment Booked - Time

Clients' Natural Lashes

It is quite common for clients to come in with a reference picture when having their lashes done, which can be beneficial as you can get a feel for the style they like. However, it is important to manage expectations, even the same lash map replicated on two different clients can appear as completely different sets! This is commonly due to the clients natural lashes and eye shape. 

When conducting a lash consultation it is a great idea to analyse the natural lashes. For example, if a client asked for a a long thick set of mega volume lashes, but demonstrated signs of damaged, brittle or sparse natural lashes, use your lash consultation to explain to the client their natural lashes wouldn't be able to hold the weight of a larger and longer fan and instead offer alternatives, such as a lighter hybrid set, shorter set and perhaps opt for more light weight lashes, like 0.03s. For severely damaged or sparse lashes, perhaps suggest a lash growth serum such as our Pinkfishes Longer Lengths, explaining to the client how, with consistent use, you may eventually may be able to achieve the desired fuller look.

(Natural Lash Guide)

 Each individual client will have their own unique eyelashes, some straight, some curly, some full and some sparse. So you should be looking at their natural lashes length, texture, health and thickness during the consultation. These factors will help you make decisions as a professional lash technician that your client may not even consider. For example if you notice thata client has extremely curly eyelashes you may opt to use a regular classic lash extensions instead of flat classics due to therhomboid base. Normal classic lashes instead may be a better option as they can be applied to the side or underneath of the natural lash making application easier. You may also consider the length of the extensions you use and the curl as you won't want the extensions to curl back and touch your clients eyelid. Noticing things during the consultation will allow you to provide solutions when there are implications with what the client is asking for - this will help to reassure the client and keep them happy!

Eye Shape & Glasses

Eye shape is an important factor in determining what lash style is best suited to the client, and what is achievable regarding the clients' wants from the appointment. This can be a common implication when a client arrives with a reference photo, as sets can appear very differently depending on the shape of the eye. Here's a guide for which lash styles suit which eye shapes best:

Almond

This eye shape will suit all lash maps/styles. Suggest an open-eye (longer lengths to the centre of the eye) or cat-eye (longer lengths towards the outer corners).

Round

Suggest a cat-eye look to elongate the eye shape and opt for flatter curls, such as a C curl to soften the shape of the eye.

Hooded

Opt for a doll/open eye (longer lengths to the centre of the eye) in a standard curl (C/D). Don't use anything too curly, as this can curl back and irritate your client's eyelid.

Downturned

We suggest using a stronger curl (D curl) on the drooped area of the eye, and a softer curl (C curl) on the inner corner.

Close/Wide-set

For close-set eyes we suggest a cat-eye style, with longer lengths on the outer corners of the eye to draw the eyes outwards.

For wide-set eyes, avoid cat-eye. Instead suggest an open eye or reverse cat-eye style to give the appearance of narrower set eyes.

Deep-set/Protruding

Depending on preference and eye shape, using longer lashes and an open-eye can bring deep-set eyes out of the face more. However you need to be careful you aren't using lengths that are too long for the eye, making them appear droopy and closed.

For protruding eyes, opt for shorter lengths and a softer curl (C Curl) to soften the eye.

(Pinkfishes Styling & Mapping E-Learning Video)

Clients with Glasses

Within the consultation, it can also be beneficial to know if your client typically wears glasses in their day-to-day life, as some lashes can be annoying behind lenses! For glasses-wearing clients you may want to use CC, D or U curl as opposed to flatter curls such as J, B or C to avoid the lashes brushing on the glasses, or suggest opting for a shorter set.

It is also essential that you know if your client wears contact lenses. Contact lenses should not to be worn when getting lash extensions, and can be a huge safety hazard. Lash extension adhesive requires moisture from their air around it to dry/cure. When exposed to contact lenses, the glue can extract moisture from the lens, causing it to dry out in the eye leading to irritation in the eye area and potential damage to the eye itself. There is also the risk of glue/glue fumes seeping beneath the contact lens whilst present in the eye, promoting huge risk to the safety of your client and their vision. Therefore, it is so important to find out this information from your client prior to the treatment, and suggest for them to instead wear glasses to and from the appointment instead.

Hair/Skin Colour

Some clients may be unsure of what lashes would actually suit them, so it's good to know what lashes to recommend based on the clients' physical features.

For clients with fair skin, light hair or brown eyes, you could suggest offering brown lashes as they will be a closer shade to their natural lashes or compliment their features. Pinkfishes offers both medium and dark brown lashes so you can find a shade that compliments your client. Coloured lashes such as red and burgundy suit clients with red hair and blue/green eyes.

Allergies and Sensitivity

A lash consultation is the perfect time to discuss things like sensitivity and allergies with your client. Whilst this is more relevant for new clients, it is still possible for existing clients to develop new sensitivity or allergies, due to a number of factors including hormones. Whilst it may be slightly awkward to ask your client if they're pregnant for example, it is worth mentioning pregnancy as an implicating factor for allergies/reactions. We strongly recommend against offering lash lifts to people that are pregnant or breastfeeding. Due to the change in hormones at this time, they can be a lot more susceptible to reactions at any stage which makes this treatment unsafe. Especially as pregnant people cannot take certain medications if a reaction occurs.

Medical, Contra-Indications and Health & Safety

An important part of any lash consultation is discussing the clients' medical background to discover any potential contra-indications, and overall health and safety for both the lash tech and client. Some conditions may effect the success or outcome of the treatment, or prevent the treatment from taking place at all. Some insurance policies require such information to be discussed and recorded prior to the treatment, so it's always good to make sure this is a part of your consultation! Some potential contra-indications that could prevent the treatment from happening maybe, but are not limited to:

• Skin allergies, or a positive reaction to a patch test

• Watery and sensitive eyes (hay fever)

• Fever at the time of treatment

• Contagious or infectious diseases (conjunctivitis)

• Swelling, cuts, bruises and abrasions

• Conditions that make closing the eyes difficult

• Diseases or disorders causing shaking or erratic movement of the eyes

• Eyes, eyelid or under eye surgery (medical consent to be given)

• Contact lenses (are not to be worn throughout treatment)

• Hormonal imbalance (medication, as well as pregnancy or breastfeeding)

• Alopecia (hair loss)

• Medication of any type (extensions may not last due to the medication in your clients system)

• Chemotherapy (medical consent to be given)

• Folliculitis (swollen follicle)

• Trichotillomania (plucking of the lashes)

• Extremely oily skin and hair (natural oils or oils added in products will effect retention)

• Chemical eye treatments (eyelash perming, lash lifts means no extensions for 6-8 weeks)

• Hypersensitive skin

• Psoriasis

• Dermatitis

• Dry eye syndrome (could be using eye drops regularly)

• Damaged eyelashes
   

Aftercare

A lash consultation is also the perfect time to discuss aftercare with your clients, especially if they are new to lash extensions. It's so important for your clients to understand all the necessary steps to look after their lashes post-appointment, as this not only will aid retention, but will make your life easier at their infill appointment! During the consultation its great to let your clients know that lash extensions should be washed and brushed every day/other day and will need to be infilled in 2-3 weeks time, because if this is too much maintenance for your client you could recommend an alternative like lash lifts.

Why not also use this time to retail some of Pinkfishes' aftercare kits? These kits can be purchased individually or in multi-packs for a discounted price, and are the perfect way of ensuring your clients are cleaning and taking care of their lashes. You can purchase these and retail them onto clients for extra income. Each kit includes: 1 x Sensitive Foaming Cleanser Sachet,10 x Disposable Mascara Brushes,1 x Pink Lash Brush and 1 x Foam Pump Bottle 

(Pinkfishes Aftercare Kit)

Deposits

A lash consultation is also a valuable time to discuss treatment costs, deposits (if you ask for one) and policies. Highlighting the entire treatment cost and when amounts are due will make sure you are paid on time. This is especially important for new clients as they might not know your service costs. They may originally be booking in for Classic lashes but after your consultation realise they actually want Russians so its good to let them know if there is a price difference in case this effects their decision. It is also a great time to let clients know your policies, for example cancellation policies - how in advance a client can cancel without paying a rebooking/cancellation fee, if you charge one. 

Appointment Booked

A lash consultation is also perfect for letting your client know the normal schedule of the appointment, such as how early to turn up - lots of lash techs won't want clients turning up too early as they may be booked back to back with no waiting area. It also allows your client to book out the correct amount of time in their diary as full sets of lash extensions can take several hours, and you don't want clients to start rushing you to finish a set! You can explain the whole process from them arriving to make sure they arrive makeup free - NO MASACARA! To how they will be laying down on a bed/chair etc and that they will leave with a spoolie for maintenance etc.

 How to Record Client Consultations