Something has been driving me crazy lately. Clients will chat with me about how they were shopping around before choosing my salon and they mention the big box (chain) salons offering their “master” stylist for an upgraded price. While this pricing structure is common in the lash industry, the term “master” is abused by these chain stores.
I call myself a master stylist. However, I didn’t start using the term until a few years ago after lashing full time for over a decade. In that time, I lashed approximately 40 hours a week, took several classes to learn new techniques and advance my skills. I also trained several individuals in the art of lashing to work with me in my salon. I have had every lash situation imaginable, from extremely difficult lashes to super course to super fine lashes. Beautiful eyes to bulging froggy eyes. You name it, I have encountered it and learned through trial and error how to approach these situations. Only those working over a decade in the lash industry with thousands of hours lashing can claim this title. And the title is well deserved. I know personally the challenges I had to face and overcome during this time, many days wanting to cry or scream because the work was so challenging.
That is why it is upsetting to me that salons will use this title when they have an artist that has been lashing 6 months or a year and call them their master stylists. A better term would be intermediate stylists, although I consider intermediate 2-3 years of lash experience. So if you are shopping for a lash salon, ask how many years of experience their “master” stylists has. If they answer less than 10, that salon doesn’t know what they are doing and you will be charged a higher price for average lashes. A true master stylists will charge significantly more for their lashes. However, your lashes will be of outstanding quality and perfection. You will leave the salon absolutely blown away by your new look, not even giving the price much thought. That is the work of a master.