Do you cleanse your lashes?

You’d be surprised at just how many people don’t cleanse their own (or their clients) lashes.

You’d also be surprised to learn just how many lash artists think it’s a good idea to sell various lash cleansers to their clients. Heck, some even whip up their own branch of DIY lash cleansers that may or may not irritate the skin. And, send you into a whole heap of trouble.

Whether you clean your lashes or not, there’s no denying that finding reputable and trustworthy information on eyelash health is about as tricky as finding a needle in a haystack.

There’s not a whole lot of information out there but there is a lot of misinformation.

If you’re thinking about launching your own lash cleanser line, there’s a lot of things that could go wrong that result in you rocking an orange jumpsuit. Well, maybe it won’t go that far but it will get you in a lot of trouble.

So, I’m going to shed some light on this topic. And, I put an end to some of the age-old myths circulating about the natural health of our lashes and how to preserve them.

{If you want to listen to the podcast episode on this topic, click on the player at the top of the post. Alternatively you can watch the video below, or read on…}

1. Baby shampoo to clean extensions

Once people started to do more research into eyelash health and realized that cleaning your lashes just might be a good idea, the solution was to put some baby shampoo on them and that’s it.

On the bright side, baby shampoo doesn’t have any kind of numbing agent in it. However, it’s not formulated for adult or aging skin. The clue is in the name – it’s baby shampoo!

If you keep using baby shampoo to clean your natural lashes, it’ll actually strip the skin of some essential oils.

These oils are  needed to help preserve the health of the general eye area.

Plus, it can create a type of film over the lashes which makes it seriously difficult for adhesive to adhere as it’s like there’s an invisible barrier in the way.

As a lash artist who genuinely wants to protect our client’s natural eyelashes, let’s leave the baby shampoo for babies, shall we?

 2. DIY shampoo is a major NO NO

Some lash artists out there have grabbed a lab coat and started a lash cleanser manufacturing operation in their basements. Well, I don’t know if that’s true, but it very well could be.

I’ve seen DIY lash cleansers pop up all over the place and not all of them are bad, but many of them are just not at the level they’re supposed to be.

The DIY lash cleanser approach is when you create your own cleanser to then sell to a willing client. To make things worse, some people are taking a product out of its original packaging, pouring it into something else and/or adding additional ingredients to it. Therefore, they become the manufacturer of that product and as a result, are liable for any issues that might emerge with it.

Making your own DIY lash cleanser is a BAD idea. Period.

Do you have manufacturers’ insurance? Probably not.

Are you following FDA regulations? Again, probably not.

If you DIY something like this, the US government sees it as a homemade cosmetic, meaning it falls under some strict FDA regulations.

To release your own product line under FDA regulations, you must not have adulterated a product.

So, if you’re putting a cleanser into a mini shampoo bottle, adding some tap water and selling it to people, you’ve adulterated that product. You don’t know what’s in your tap water. There could be anything in there and since you’re now the sole manufacturer of that product, you’re 100% liable.

If you must start your own product line, you need manufacturers’ insurance. This can cost from $1,500 to $5,000 per year and basically means that you’re covered for any liability that the product would incur.

3. So, what’s the alternative?

Why risk your entire livelihood when you can opt for some safer, better alternatives?

Hilary Brand from My Brand Lashes sells cleanser sachets that are already sealed and labeled properly. Oh, and they sell the pump bottle too with instructions on how to put it together at home in such a way that you won’t need any manufacturing insurance. So, you can simply follow the instructions and sell them to your clients, simple.

They also offer discounts for auto-ship and bulk buying too! To get 10% off your My Brand Lashes Lash Lather Kit, use code LASHP at checkout!

Lash Affair is another great alternative and their three-in-one cleanser is around $16.

But that’s not even the best part. We’ve also worked out a deal to give you 10% off your order with Lash Affair and all you have to do is apply the coupon code Lashp10 at checkout!

Some other great alternative options include Borboleta Beauty, who released some new cleansers that feel like luxury skin care. You can get it for just $14.

Here’s some more great options for you:

• EBL Lashes ($13)
• Sugarlash ($15)
• Bella Lash ($16)

Next up, let’s talk about PRICES.

You know me, I love clearing up things that have got tangled up over the years and knowing the difference between retail price and wholesale price is definitely one of those things!

First, let’s go over the MSRP. MSRP stands for ‘Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price.’ The wholesale price is usually (but not always) half of the MSRP.

Let’s imagine you have a lash cleanser that you sell to your clients for $20. You likely paid $10 for it when you bought it from the manufacturer, who probably got it for around $5 and then upped the wholesale price to cover profit margins.

Selling lash products for around $25 that cost you $15 isn’t the biggest profit margin in the world, but it’s not bad either. It’s still a worthwhile investment because you’re making some extra money for yourself and your business.

I’d love to challenge you to share your top tips on using a lash cleanser in your stories to educate your followers.

Be sure to tag @thelashpreneur in your stories so we can see just how you show up as the lash health expert!

Have a Good One!

Tara Walsh

The Lashpreneur