Can You Do Eyelashes Out of Your House?
Home-Based Lash Extension Artist Biz Tips
The answer? Doing so may seem convenient, but you may actually be breaking the law by doing so. To start - nearly all states require a lash artist to have a cosmetology or esthetician license in order to apply lash extensions. The best way to find out the regulations in your state is to contact your state board of cosmetology. Getting licensed and educated before becoming a professional lash artist is beneficial so that you adhere to proper safety measures and follow occupational health practices that protect your clients.
If licensure is required to practice lash artistry, it's likely that there will also be regulations about where you're able to work. For example, in Arizona, licensees can practice lash artistry outside a licensed salon when the artist is requested by the customer to go somewhere else, and the licensee comes from the salon, or when the client is unable to visit the salon because of disability or infirmity, in which case the artist can do work in a healthcare facility, nursing home, hospital, etc. Put simply: home visits and appointments at the client's location is okay with special circumstances. Otherwise, artists are not able to have a home salon that is unregulated by the board of cosmetology. The best way to stay safe and legal is to do your research with your state board before starting a home lash business that could potentially be illegal.
COMMON LASH ARTISTRY LOCATION REQUIREMENTS
If you're still set on working out of your home, there are some extra factors you'll have to consider about your space. In most cases, here are some location features that are required by most boards of cosmetology in order to apply lash extensions:
Private Entrance
Clients should walk directly from the outside of the location into the salon. They should not have to walk through a living area to access the service.
Private Bathroom
The bathroom in the salon must be designated for salon space only. It cannot be used for any other household use.
Proper Sanitizing Station
Eyelash extension supplies must be stored in their own designated area. There must be a sanitizing station set up that follows board regulations.
Even if you can meet all these requirements in a home, you can see that the extra costs associated with integrating them and the time it takes to set up these features may negate any potential savings anyway.
Other Salon Features that Increase Client Comfort
In addition to any requirements your state board mandates from lash artists, there are other reasons why working outside a home and in a salon environment makes sense for lash artists:
- In a salon, there aren't kids, pets or other people taking up space or distracting from the service.
- The salon space's use is solely for beauty, health and wellness treatments. In a home, there might be food, toys or other items lying around that would make a client aware that the space has multiple uses.
- Supplies like lash extension adhesive or lash glue require optimal conditions to stay in perfect working condition. Working in a salon gives artists the ability to properly store supplies in a controlled environment.
- A salon venue has safe, designated parking. If a client's vehicle is damaged or stolen while at your home, that opens up a whole host of other legal issues.
For these reasons, a salon increases client comfort and service cleanliness. It's also easier to integrate retail into your lash business since a salon has space and a setting primed for sales of products that will help your clients. Client retention and referrals are essential for lash artists. Even if you're legally able to offer services from your home, consider the professionalism of the environment and how that affects your clients' comfort before setting up a home salon.
Let's be clear - we're not against home studios, we just want artists to be informed and properly licensed by the state to avoid any legal issues and liability! Many artists have successfully converted spaces in their home to work independently and have created professional, aesthetic home studios. You could be one of those artists, just make sure you're taking the proper steps first!
Want to shop our lash extension supplies for your studio? Check out our collection here.
Need more tips for your lash artist career? Read our other blogs for all the deets.
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