FXBG Neighbors Podcast
Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast
FXBG Neighbors Podcast
EP #67 Beyond Beauty: How Lash Extensions Save Time and Build Confidence
Beauty, confidence, and entrepreneurship converge in our conversation with Aida Morales, founder of Aida's Lash Studio. What began as a humble service from her living room on a military base has blossomed into multiple thriving locations in Stafford and Spotsylvania.
Aida takes us through her remarkable journey, revealing how she transformed her passion for lash extensions into the area's first dedicated lash and brow studio. Her story embodies the entrepreneurial spirit - seizing opportunities, adapting to challenges, and growing steadily through reputation and word-of-mouth. "Your work is your walking billboard," she explains, highlighting how quality service naturally generates referrals when clients receive compliments on their lashes.
The conversation demystifies lash extensions, addressing common misconceptions about natural lash damage. Aida explains that we naturally shed 3-5 lashes per eye daily, which is why refills are necessary every 2-3 weeks. Her approach emphasizes natural-looking enhancements that work perfectly for her clientele of military personnel and professionals who need polished yet appropriate looks for workplace settings. Beyond extensions, her studios offer comprehensive services including lash lifts, brow threading, waxing, lamination, and permanent makeup options.
For busy professionals and parents, perhaps the most compelling benefit is time saved. Lash extensions eliminate the need for eye makeup while providing that confidence boost that makes you feel put-together even after a workout or when dressed casually. Aida's efficiency - completing full sets in under 90 minutes when other technicians might take 2-3 hours - further demonstrates her understanding of her clients' valuable time.
Wondering how to connect with Aida's Lash Studio or perhaps explore certification in this growing field? Find them on Instagram @aidaslashstudio or through a simple Google search. Whether you're seeking a beauty service that saves precious morning minutes or considering a career in the beauty industry, this episode delivers valuable insights and practical wisdom.
Aida Morales
Aida's Lash Studio
lashesbyaidallc@yahoo.com
+1 540-318-8028
385 Garrisonville Road, Unit 110A, Stafford, VA, United States, Virginia
This is the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Dori Stewart.
Speaker 02:Welcome back to another episode of the FXBG Neighbors Podcast, where we share the stories of our favorite local brands. I'm excited to introduce you to my guest today. We have Aida Morales joining us today with Aida's Lash Studio. Aida, welcome to the podcast. Thank you. I'm excited to learn all about you and your business. So let's start there. Share with us a little bit about your business.
Speaker 01:So we are a lash studio in Stafford. I also have a second location. It's in Spotsylvania, but we do offer um lash extension services and brow services, different types of lash extension um sets.
Speaker 02:Awesome. Awesome. So I don't know a lot about this, so I'm gonna learn a lot from you today. So uh share with us a little bit about your background, your journey, what led you to start your business?
Speaker 01:So actually, um from what I could remember, um, I first got my first lash set back in 2009, and I remember, oh, this is great. Like I love this having extension on, you know, it boosts your confidence. And it kind of like took me an a minute to dive into the beauty industry and started, and I went to cosmetology school, and I remember I wanted to um do lashes as an add-on service, but then here we are, strictly just doing lashes and not doing hair.
Speaker 02:So, what got you into starting out on your own? Because a lot of people, you know, might stay working for someone else, doing lash services for another salon. What prompted you to start, you know, go out on your own and start your own business?
Speaker 01:Um, it was weird because I did not think of it that it was going to grow like this. Um, I started, I I was a military spouse, and the reason why I'm here, I'm actually, I came here from um Hawaii. And then when I got here, I started, I used to do lashes in my living room on base back when um people could get on base without military ID, and then they changed their policy of getting in on base, so I had to figure out real quick on how to find a place where everybody can just come in and get their lashes done um accessible. I started with a working at a small room in a lash, um, it was a salon suite. And then it was just me and the very first um person that I certified to do lashes. And then we moved over to a chiropractor building on Garrisonville, which just started from the smallest room. In that I took whatever I could and then moved to the medium room and then moved to half of the upstairs room, and then to the point where, like, oops, it's getting smaller again. So now here we are, um, still in Garrisonville, but in a bigger space.
Speaker 02:Congratulations on your growth. That's exciting. So, break down the services. You do um eyelash extensions, and then with eyebrows, like, explain to me what all the different services are. If someone's listening and they they want to get their eyebrows or lashes done, tell them all about it.
Speaker 01:So, we actually also um do lash lift, like lash lift and think thing. If you want something more natural, um, we can work with whatever you have on your natural lashes, which is lash berming, it's similar to lash berming. So that's what lash lifts are, and then for our lash extension services, it varies on how natural you want them to how full you want them. Um, how we do lash extension here at the studio, we do not do um super dramatic long lashes, we do more of a natural, even if you get a volume fuller look, it still looks natural and presentable. Um, within the Stafford area, we service a lot of um professional individuals like military or like um somebody who can't really have anything dramatic for the for work. And then for brows, we actually do brow waxing, brow threading, denting, lamination, and um we started offering brow um powder, which is like a permanent makeup. Oh, interesting. So um, if I'm not mistaking, I could be wrong, but um, I think I am the first one in Stafford area to offer like a lash studio where we strictly just servicing um lash services and brow services. Because I know yeah, I think a lot of people, you know, they do it at a med spa, a spa, or like a hair salon, but we're pretty much the first one to offer extension, lash extension, and um brow services.
Speaker 02:I think I think you're right. I think you are. Congratulations on that. You're a you're a trailblazer in the staff area.
Speaker 01:Yeah, I also have um, but it's quite busier on this side. I have one in Spotsy, it's in Lees Hill Shopping Center, but this one is more busier and more here than on the other side.
Speaker 02:Gotcha, gotcha. Yeah, interesting. So let me ask you this. If someone listening right now is thinking about opening their own business and and might be a little nervous about taking that leap and going out on their own, what advice would you give them?
Speaker 01:Um, everything takes time. You know, a lot of people, like, I know a lot of people would want to come in and get certified to do lashes, thinking that, oh, like she's grown so much, this and that. But you have to put the work in. You know, it requires a lot of work and patience for you to get wherever you need to be. And a lot of people like take that leap of fate, and then they they they get discouraged and not wanting to do it. So it takes a lot of patience, it takes a lot of patience to do and run a business.
unknown:Yeah.
Speaker 01:And another thing, um your work is your walking billboard, is what I would always say is the reason why I think we have grown so much because I do a somebody's lash extension and then somebody sees them on the street, you know, or like at the store. Most um prime example is when a lot of people go to um Ulta, like if one of my clients go to Ulta and then somebody sees them and they ask them where to get the lashes done, it's like they already know where they get their lashes done. Like, yeah, um, I I just lashed two years down the street. So it's your work is basically your advertisement.
Speaker 02:It's the best compliment ever. Yeah. Yes. I bet uh I bet that you know you get so excited when you hear that someone comes in and says, Oh, I saw someone, they had beautiful lashes, and now I've got to come and visit you. Yeah, yeah, definitely.
Speaker 01:Because and I I'll tell you this also, I guess um customer service, right? Customer service is very important because I do have my clients from when I started lashing in my lips until now still get their lashes done. And that's almost eight years. Oh wow. Still getting their lashes done for me. So that's another thing too, where like, you know, I guess clients like commitments with me, so yeah.
Speaker 02:Yeah, that's a that's a big testament to your customer service, but also the quality of your work that they can comment back. I love that. What is something that you wish the listeners knew about your business?
Speaker 01:That I guess if we're talking about like misconceptions, right? Um, a lot of people think that getting your lashes done causes your natural lashes to like damage it causes for for them to fall out. But people need to know that it's a semi-permanent, just like hair we shed, and that's why people keep coming back in to get their refills done because we shed three to five lashes per eye daily, and naturally we have 100 to 150 um natural lashes per eye. So in in two weeks you lose about 30 lashes, so you have to come back, you know, and that's one good thing about owning this business. You will have turnover where like they're gonna have to keep coming back every two to three weeks. So that's you know, that's interesting. The thing about business, yeah, yeah. So with proper application and with proper care with the clients, it won't cause damage to your natural lashes.
Speaker 02:Interesting. Yeah, I did not realize that. I didn't realize that you naturally shed your eyelashes that much.
Speaker 01:Like just like hair, we shed 100 hair strands a day and we don't notice it. You know what I mean? It's the same thing with with extension. Um, more so like you now notice it because we attach one lash extension to per one um natural lashes. So when they shed, you'll see it here and there. And sometimes people start freaking out because how much extension is what's causing for my natural lashes to fall out when in reality it should shed.
Speaker 02:Right, and it's just more noticeable because there's an extension attached. Yes. Got it. That makes sense. Yes. So what does that uh process entail?
Speaker 01:So with extension, the very first um, first time you get them done will require more time. So it could take up to two hours, one and a half to two hours for a full set. So what we do is we basically apply one extension per one natural lashes, and then um we you like we do our part with the application, proper um application, and then you do have to take care of it. A lot of people, a lot of ladies come in thinking that they come in, get their lashes done, and that's it. And then they get told, okay, well, you can't get them white for the first 24 hours, you can't sleep on your side, you can't rob them, you can't do this, you can't do that, and they'll be like, What? Like I can just get them done and not have to do anything, but you know, you they also have to take care of it in order for them to retain longer.
Speaker 02:And then in two to three weeks, they come back and for a refill. For a refill. Yeah.
Speaker 01:Interesting. A lot of a lot of people come in every two weeks, a lot of people come in every three weeks. And I must say one good thing about the studio, um, especially me, um, I do get this a lot as a compliment where um a lot of people go to other places and they take like two to three hours to get a full set. I can get them done in less than one and a half hour, and then sometimes for a vivo, 45 to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Um I feel like that works like we get a lot of um business is because not a lot of us have time, you know. Business people, busy people, busy moms don't have time, don't have two hours, three hours to get their lashes done. They need to get in and out. Like I cannot like for myself, I hate getting my lashes done because I hate to just lay there um for two hours or three hours, you know?
Speaker 02:So yeah, that's a long time. Yeah. Interesting. Is there uh anything else that you want to share with the audience?
Speaker 01:For um, I can say that with lash extension, it does help out a lot of people, um, especially like moms, where sometimes we don't have time to do self-care for ourselves. So lash extension pretty much helps you out, or like, you know, getting your eyebrows done, getting them tinted or waxing or anything like that. It pretty much cuts down your time of getting ready. And for somebody who likes to do makeup when they start getting their lashes done, it feels like you don't need anything else but just a lash extension. Um, I have noticed that like you could be working out, and you know how we feel about after working out, right? Like we don't want anybody to see us, but with lash extension, it makes you just like, yeah, like even though I just worked out, I still look good. You know what I mean? So that's one thing about lash extension. Not only it boosts your confidence, but it helps you out um with time. Because not a lot of us have time.
Speaker 02:Yeah, you don't have to do your eye makeup in the morning.
Speaker 01:Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, a lot of people just do um tented moisturizer and they're ready to go. Your hair could be messy and everything else could be messy. You could be wearing, you know, sweats, but if your lashes people notice everything with lashes.
Speaker 02:Yeah, yeah, yeah. Interesting. Thank you for sharing that. Of course. So if the listeners want to connect with you or visit you, where can they find you?
Speaker 01:Um, we are you can find us on Instagram, um Aida's Lash Studio. Um, our link is in by um in our bio, or you can look for us on Google. We can actually find us on Google. And um also not only do we do offer lash extension services and browser services, but I actually do um certify. I do um certification for lashes if anyone is interested. And my advice right now is if you have a daughter who's in high school, I would advise for you to um have her do cosmetology in high school. It is free, it's cheaper. I paid 20 grand for it. And if they do take it in in high school, um, they can get their license for cosmetology and then they can go and get certified lashes. Like it's easier, you know, if you go to college or if they go to college, they can do lashes on the side while in college. Like instead of working at a retail shop or like a restaurant, which is more stressful while studying, like you're you doing one one client, two clients can you can make money off of that instead of stressing your uh yourself out with working and then trying to work and trying to study at the same time.
Speaker 02:Yeah, that's such great advice to take advantage of that. That's such a great opportunity that they offer in our high schools.
Speaker 01:Definitely, because I'm from Hawaii and we do not have that in Hawaii. You know, it's something like a lot of trading um classes that they can take in high school, which they should take, have it as a um a plan B. You know what I mean? Just in case what if college don't work? Right. If you're gonna do beauty industry, then here you go. You have your cosmetology, and even if you don't learn everything in high school, you can take classes to enhance your um your experience.
Speaker 02:Yeah, learn a skill. I love it. That's such great advice. Thank you for sharing that. Thank you. Well, Aida, thank you so much for joining me on the podcast today and sharing your business with us. Thank you for having me. It was nice meeting you. So lovely meeting you.
Speaker 00:Thank you for listening to the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to FXBG Neighbors Podcast.com.