Where did I begin?
Let’s take it back to when I was about 15 or 16 years old. My auntie was just getting into the lash industry and she needed a model to practice on. Of course I volunteered because well…who doesn’t love lashes? To be fair, I didn’t have a clue what they were really. But I tell ye I got HOOKED after that first set! I use to go into school with a full set of lashes and my friends were like ‘what are those’ and I proudly showed them off!
This was the start of my addiction and once 2017 came I had finished my leaving certificate and applied for a job. About 5 days after I had gotten a job. I knew I didn’t want to go to college. I don’t think the college scene suited me so I just decided to take the year to work.
Little did I know, that it was the beginning of my journey to where I am today.
My employer at the time asked me what I would like to learn in the salon so that I could advance in the treatment side of things. I was the receptionist at the time so I thought it would be fun to maybe dive into the lash side of things. I went on my first course in 2017, I think it was either September or October and I absolutely loved it. I remember my tutor at the time said ‘you’re a natural Leah’ and I felt all good about myself lol.
I then went on to do my volume course in October 2017. From then on I was thrown into the deep end I was booked up 3 weeks in advance because that was the year that lashes started to take off in Wexford, the little town I work in now.
Of course there were a lot of lessons to be learned about lashes and I feel as though all of my down days have built me up to the confidence that I have today. ‘With every new level comes new devils‘. I loved every single minute of it and still to this day I go into work every single day with a smile on my face knowing that I get to do the thing I love every day!
So fast forward 2 years in 2019, I decided to open my own business in August 2019. I was excited, nervous and ecstatic. LOTS of emotions went through my mind but the biggest one was happiness. Finally I was becoming my own boss and the entrepreneur I always knew I would become.
I did my research, looked for a premises (I rented at the time in one place for about 2 months until I found my baby which is now located on 2 Slaney Street Wexford town) and made sure I had all of my finances and tax in order as well as my receipts. It was embedded into me at the beginning to keep track of everything and make sure you are doing everything correctly!
I’ve been in my little salon for just over a year now and I am now hiring my first employee. I always make sure I look after my clients and each month we do a little raffle with prizes worth 100-150 euro as a celebration of all my lovely clients.
As a business owner it’s important to take care of your clients and make sure that they are well looked after. After all, they are the heart and soul of my business. But I don’t want to be that business owner that never acknowledges their clients dedication to you. So I make sure I always interact with my clients and make them feel like they are part of the business because let’s face it, THEY ARE!
Anyone that knows me will know that I can sense when someone isn’t satisfied and hey that just could be a miscommunication from the two of us! Honesty is always appreciated and this is so important to me.
I am forever grateful of those who trust me with their eyes! Always providing a top quality service so that the client feels like a QUEEN afterwards with her sexy fluttery eyes!
That is my story about how I became a lash artist and it’s not the end. I am blessed to be able to do what I love every day, meet new people and make ladies feel like a bad ass babe every time they walk out of my salon!
Go for your dreams, block out those that put you down. They are the universes way of testing you to see how resilient you can be! Just go for it, you won’t regret it.