Today we’d like to introduce you to Sylvia Lucas.
Sylvia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started in April 2018 when I first sparked an interest in eyelash extensions. I was working a 9-5, and I hated it! I’ve always been interested in fashion and beauty, so those were hobbies that I had to release my creativity. When I used to do my makeup, I always thought that eyelashes completed the look and became obsessed with strip lashes from that point. My goal was to make my lashes look as natural as possible.I heard about celebrities exclusively getting eyelash extensions but I had no clue what it was so I wanted to try them for myself. At the time I was living in Hattiesburg, Ms. and spas and salons were few, far and between. I finally found a spa that offered lash extensions, and I went to check it out. The spa/salon was nice and I asked the receptionist how much eyelash extensions would cost, and she told me $350. I was definitely not about to pay that price and she kind of brushed me off when I wanted to ask more questions. That day I went home and researched YouTube and Google, because I wanted to know this process since it was so expensive. So, I basically engulfed myself in research, and at that time, there weren’t many videos of how to do eyelash extensions like there is now, but I soaked up as much information as I could. I was so inspired that I created a logo, business cards, an Instagram, and bought myself a kit from amazon to practice with. I basically taught myself from the YouTube videos, and I was finally ready to use an actual model instead of a practice mannequin. My co-worker(by the grace of God) let me practice on her, and it literally took me 8 hours to get finish with her. I felt so bad because she was there for so long. She loved them, and the next day we went to work, and another co-worker noticed her lashes, and she wanted to get to try them too. I was so grateful because my clientele built from word of mouth and my work. From there, my clientele started to build from people seeing my work, promoting on Instagram and by word of mouth. I gained a steady clientele over a year, and by the 2nd year, I was considering not taking any more clients because I was only one person and could only handle so much. I had so much success in Hattiesburg and appreciated each and every one of my clients, but I knew I wanted more for my business, so I decide to move to Houston. Houston has more opportunities, and I wanted to see my business flourish here, like in Mississippi. Now that I’m here, I’m excited to see my career take heights I didn’t know it could reach.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There are obstacles and challenges in anything that you do, and everything started smooth and easy for me. As time went by, I struggled with the norms of the lash industry, such as retaining a steady clientele, trying new products, allergic reactions, lash retention, making clients feel comfortable, satisfying clients. All of those are fears and obstacles you have to overcome in this industry, as well as to balance work life and personal life. Taking care of your mind, body, and spirit while also taking care of your client’s needs as well. One of the biggest struggles for me is this transition from Mississippi to Houston, from having a very steady clientele to having to rebuild that in a new state. It’s way more competition, and I love that because it challenges me and my business, but it’s not easy starting over. I have faith that as time goes by and the more I reach out, the more feedback I will receive. This is just a stepping stone in the process, and if you can get through all the other obstacles mentioned above, I know this one will be conquered too.
SLS Lashes – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
SLS Lashes is a solely based eyelash extensions company. In the future, we plan on expanding and adding more services. SLS Lashes stands for Sylvia’s Luxury Studio of Lashes, and the name came about from the exclusive well renowned SLS Hotel in Vegas. The concept behind it was luxurious, exclusive, services like the SLS Hotel. They have different entities within the hotel that provides you with experiences you’ll never forget and that was the concept behind the name. SLS Lashes goal is to provide you with a comforting, relaxing environment where you can decompress and escape from your everyday life. It’s home based, so I try to make my clients feel as comfortable as possible and bring a sense of ease and comfort during the service. We are most known for our variety of styles that we provide for each client. Our most popular set is the Wispy Hybrid and Volume Wispy. It’s a fun set to do, and clients usually recommend it. The thing I’m most proud of is making my clients feel special and unique, just like their eyelashes. I love enhancing the beauty they already have and building a genuine connection. My goal is to leave them with a unique lash style that fits them because no one lash is alike. I pride myself on providing them with variety to be able to choose what best fits them.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I define success by perseverance, dedication, discipline, and sharing it with others. I think those are the key ingredients to becoming successful. In addition to always willing to improve, because there is always room for improvement in any area of your business.
Pricing:
- Classic Set $80
- Hybrid Set $100
- Volume Set $120
- Mega Volume Set $150
- Classic Refill $50
- Hybrid Refill $70
- Volume Refill $85
- Mega Volume Refill $95
Contact Info:
- Address: 7000 Cook Road, Houston TX, 77072
- Website: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=17006112&ig_ix=true
- Phone: 9017364062
- Email: slslashstudio@gmail.com
- Instagram: @SLSLashes
- Facebook: SLS Lashes
Image Credit:
@slslashes
@_shalynk
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