Our instructor let us open up our lash kits a few weeks before the actual lesson block and allowed us to practice on strip lashes. She wanted us to get a handle on the tools and figure out adhesive usage before we worked on models. It was apparent to her how nerve-wracking it is to apply lashes onto a real-life model after only one day of using lash extension supplies. The first time I ever picked up those lash tweezers, I remember thinking to myself, “I’ll give this a shot because it’s required to learn, but I will never become a lash artist. This is not the reason I’m in esthetics school”.
Let me just tell you this – I was not very enthusiastic about lashing. There were so many girls in my class who were getting the hang of it the first day of practice and I was frustrated beyond belief. The urge to throw those tweezers was high. I remember going home that day, a huge grey cloud of discouragement hanging over my head, and breaking down to my mom. Being successful at lashing wasn’t in my career plan, but I still wanted to at least be good at it like the other girls. I allowed myself to let the dismay settle a little longer before deciding I was going to keep practicing and pushing myself to lash.
Every day after that, I took my lash kit home and would practice for at least an hour. I found lash artist and esthetician support groups on Facebook and would search different hashtags on Instagram. The research brought a lot of optimism and lifted my spirits. I was determined to thrive in every aspect of the esthetics world.
Three weeks of practicing went by and it was finally time to take our lash course. It consisted of two half days of theory and another three half days of working on models. Theory was overwhelming. It was a whole lot of information to unpack within a time span of eight hours. On the first day of model practice, I was surprised at how calm and confident I felt about applying extensions to an actual person. We were given three hours to apply as many extensions as we could. The pressure set in once the timer started.
The final model of the week was the one we were tested on. I was one of the first students to finish. The instructor came over to check my work, filled out my evaluation sheet, then pulled me to the side. I still remember vividly what she said to me: “Amanda, I am very impressed with your progress. I could feel your hesitation about lashing when we practiced on the strips. I understand you may not love lashing, but stay open and give it some time. I see so much potential for you in this field of esthetic work.”
Almost every appointment I received after being put on the spa floor was for lashing. I would be excused from taking appointments when future students took their lash course so I could assist the instructor in reviewing their final model’s work. When I graduated from school, I had five lash clients that followed me to my at-home lashing space.
Fast forward four years, and I am now the Master Lash Artist at Bella Lash. I get to be involved in an industry that I love dearly and have seen evolve tremendously. Bella Lash has given me so many opportunities to grow and continue learning. They allow me to be a mother, a lash artist, a student, a teacher, a beauty industry enthusiast, a guide to others, and so much. My persistence lead me to where I am today and I am so thankful for the girl I was four years ago. Practice leads to progress. Progress leads to growth and happiness. Please don’t ever give up. Keep going. You ultimately get to choose your destiny.
Much love, Amanda
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