How much do eyelash extensions cost?
Spoiler: Decent lash extensions don’t come cheap.
How much do eyelash extensions typically cost?
There's no one set cost, especially because it varies from city to city, but if you do some research, you will probably come up with the range somewhere between £35 to £300.
We are not talking about Groupon deals. When it comes to your eyes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
So, lash extensions prices vary quite a bit, depending on a few factors – where you live, where a lash artist works, what kind of materials they use, and what qualifications they hold. How would these aspects affect the price of your extensions and why could it be expensive?
Where the Artist Works
Extensions can be applied by a home-based lash artist, at dedicated lash studios or at larger beauty salons. Whatever you choose, make sure you’ve done your research before you make the appointment.
Read reviews and check out the place through their websites and on Instagram to see what their place looks like. It might look cosy enough, but more importantly it should be thoroughly clean, should have proper couch beds (not just an armchair), lash artists should wear masks, use pillow covers, as well as sanitise their tools appropriately.
While you might think that’s too much to consider, we will give some examples of why every detail matters:
- If the area isn’t completely sanitary, you’d risk getting cross-infections.
- If there is no proper light at the working station, the artist won’t see all the baby lashes and won’t be able to isolate them.
Baby lashes would be caught in adhesion with other extensions and would be pulled off at some point together with artificial lashes.
So, it’s worth paying a little more to make sure that your lashes are applied at a reputable place.
The Brand of the Lashes
The artificial lashes соmе in a variety of lengths, thiсknеѕѕ and curls. While there are a lot of lash suppliers from all over the world, a lash artist who considers the client first will choose materials carefully and will usually work with the most trustable, luxury brands.
Working with well-known brands ensures smoother, faster work for a lash artist - the lashes are easier to fan, never stick together at the top, quicker to apply and to remove, easier to create a texturised look.
From the customer point of view - they are black (don’t have greyish, bluish or greenish shade) and solid; they aren’t fuzzy and they are nice to look at.
The better the quality of materials can determine how long eyelash extensions last.
The Type of Materials
Professional products for eyelash extensions come from different sources and, therefore, their quality varies. Reputable businesses would not buy glues and tools on AliExpress to save on cost, as they would look for the highest quality products to ensure the safety of their clients and stable work results.
The highest quality would mean that the product is tested and approved by EU standards, all the ingredients are listed and the conditions to work with are known. Their professional eyelash extension kit should have all the information needed if they are unsure.
Ask your lash artist about the materials and the ingredients they work with. In fact, they SHOULD be talking about the kind of products they use. A good lash artist should know what’s inside the bottle – for example, rubber is sometimes added to the eyelash extension glue to make it more flexible.
Allergies to latex are very common, so your lash artist should offer latex-free adhesive if required. In general, allergies are really common nowadays and your artist has to know everything about what kind of ingredients are in their products, to prevent a reaction from happening.
Also, keep in mind that when using any type of adhesive, the studio should book you for a patch test prior to the lash appointment. Remember, glue should never be put on your skin (your wrist or behind the ear) - it should be tested on your lash line!
Experience of the Lash Artist
Again, seek out the reviews on the previous work from your potential lash artist. Go through their Instagram to see the qualifications. Here, we are not looking for many years of experience (though, it’d be only beneficial), but we want to see that the master has been properly trained, as well as she/he invests in their further education, keeps on track with industry trends and (extra points!) and even participates in competitions and other lash industry events.
Make sure they have taken adequate eyelash extension courses, from reputable trainers such as Flawless Lashes by Loreta. It’s all well and good having a certificate but if it’s from an online course or an academy that hasn't provided sufficient training, you could have disastrous results.
The latter would mean that the artist is passionate about lash extensions and takes pride in their work.
This job requires a lot of skill to create the individual look for each client. A good lash artist will take into consideration your face shape and your natural lashes condition when deciding on your lash style. If your lash artist has been in the industry for a while, they will understandably take a higher fee.
Training, certification, competitions and awards – everything contributes to the experience and also affects the price you pay.
Where You Live
As with any beauty services, the price tag for lash extensions will differ across the country. Generally, it’s more expensive in big cities – in London on average you’d be looking at anywhere from £130 for a full set of Classic Extensions and £160 for Volume Extensions. The price could be up to £300 for Extra Volume or Wedding Sets.
So, the cost of your extensions depends on a few variables. In general, our advice would be to not settle for the cheapest price. Take your time to choose your lash artist carefully, just like you would with a hairstylist. Though a good stylist isn’t cheap, the price of effortless beauty will be worth it.
Author Bio
Julija Baltulioniene