The treatment of eyelash extensions is much more than just “plopping on a few fake lashes”. Good lash artists are highly skilled therapists, who have invested into excellent training which they have followed up by hours and hours of training.

Lash artists work on the eye area with super sharp needle like tweezers and strong glues (similar to superglue), in the wrong hands this treatment can cause serious if not permanent damage. For this reason, it is paramount that you select the correct training, not only to ensure that you have made a wise investment but that you do not cause serious injury to someone by improper/poor training.

The increase in popularity of eyelash extensions over the years, has meant the increase in people offering training in this subject. However, sadly not all trainers are good, many simply jump on the training bandwagon with the idea of it being a great way to make money and have very little passion for training the subject correctly or providing their students with the service they paid for.

Below I have included some top tips to assist you in what to look for in a lash training course.

Research who the person is that will train you. Many lash trainings are done by “Beauty schools” which mean they outsource the training to various trainers. Most of these trainers understand only the basics of the treatment (because they do not specialise in the treatment) and instead will train multiple different treatments to the very basic level only. To learn how to do eyelash extensions correctly, you need to seek out a lash specialist. This means they will have dedicated their time solely to this subject and be able to teach you the most advanced and up to date techniques which will quickly excel you within the lash industry.

Many “big” lash companies that live off their reputation continue to teach outdated techniques because they do not keep up to date. The lash industry moves forwards very quickly; therefore it is impossible for non-lash specialists to constantly keep up to date with the new advancements. A simple google search of your trainer should bring up some search results, if you can find nothing on them, then be a little dubious.

Good lash trainers will usually appear on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, tik tok etc. This is a place they use to share their skills, show brand authenticity and be accessible to others. Again, if you cannot find them on these platforms then this is a good indication that they are not a specialist at what they do. Ask to see examples of their work. You need to see for yourself that this trainer can perform the treatment to a high standard.

We all love a bargain don’t we but if a course is cheap, then there is usually a reason for it. Good training costs money, you are being taught to a high standard and being set up to start your own business – this comes at a price. Lash specialists will never sell you their skills for cheap, why would they? They have invested thousands into learning their craft, spent years perfecting it.

It costs money to be a trainer: trainer course, teaching insurance, venue costs, creating manuals, the learning material, products, aftercare support etc. Be prepared to pay several hundred pounds at least for a good course, any cheaper then you will get what you pay for. Do not just choose the cheapest and closest course, instead do lots of research and be prepared to travel. Train poor, train twice.

Depending on where you live in the world, you will find that there will be different regulations/requirements for lash courses. In the UK we require our lash courses to be accredited, which means they have been assessed by a company to ensure they meet a criteria and who will then provide insurance to students who successfully complete the lash course. Without insurance, lash artists cannot legally work in the UK.

However, just because a lash course has been accredited doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. Most accrediting bodies are not lash specialists, instead they accredit and insure multiple beauty treatments. Therefore, they only require the basic criteria to be met and the content taught is limited and poor. This is why again you need to also research who your trainer will be.

A good course will list what is covered, and there should be a lot to it. If you cannot see what is covered then ask and compare the content against multiple courses.

A Beginners lash courses should be a minimum of 2 days, it is impossible to teach this subject in less time due to all the content that needs to be taught. Advanced courses are usually 1 day.

Is this included with the course price? Many courses may add this on as extra, charge you for the assessment, certification etc.

Ask about the class size. Good trainers will keep class sizes small, with 4-5 max per one lash trainer. Any more than this then be concerned. It is impossible for 1 trainer to get around a large class, it is also dangerous due to lack of teacher supervision.

Is this included or additional?

You will require ongoing support so ask about this.

Reviews and recommendation, student work, can you see evidence of this?

Seek out lash specialists only, be prepared to invest into yourself and you will set yourself up to excel. I sadly retrain so many students who fell victim to poor training, either through taking the course closest to them, taking a cheap course or just not doing their research. Train poor, train twice. So please take your time to do lots of research when looking for the best lash course.

Hopefully now you will know what to look for in a lash training course.