Week of Wellness: Health & Safety in Lashing

This week on social media we have been talking all things wellness, health and safety in the lashing industry. To break it down further for you, we have put together five tips to ensure a safe and healthy working environment, for yourself and your clients! 

1. SANITIZE & ORGANIZE

Thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing your workstation and tools (including one of your most important tools - your hands) is crucial to avoid spreading germs or eye infections to your clients.  At Sugarlash PRO, we apply a method of sanitization that involves using a sterilant on the tools being used in a lashing procedure. Tools are kept in a clean and covered area until it is time for them to be used; and prior to using them "flash" clean your tools to ensure thorough sanitization.

In addition to proper sanitization, there are a few best-practices to keep in mind when setting up your workspace and performing lashing services including:

• Using a bed with removable sheets that can be wiped down, or using disposable paper. Similarly, change the pillow cover or disposable paper covering the pillow between clients. 
• Cover tools, brushes, etc. to protect them from dust and debris. 
• Disposable products go directly from the client to the garbage. 

2. USE A MASK

Lashing is quite a personal service. You are up close and personal with your client, their face, and most importantly their lashes. Wearing a mask over your nose and mouth while performing a lashing treatment protects both you and your client from the spread of germs and viruses, while also protecting you from cyanoacrylate (adhesive) vapours. Additionally, clearly communicate to your client the importance of rescheduling appointments in the event of illness. It is better for everyone if an appointment is rescheduled rather than risk spreading illness between a lash artist and their client.

3. HEALTH & SAFETY REGULATIONS

Each country, state or province, and city will have requirements surrounding sanitization, licensing, and other health and safety regulations. Ensure that you remain well-informed regarding changes to regulations that may impact your services. Clients will appreciate knowing that you are constantly upholding the highest standards related to health and safety. 

4. GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK 

Lashing as a career requires that you spend much of your time in a seated position. This can have short-term and long-term negative impacts on your mental and physical health. Some of the negative impacts of slouching and poor posture include:

• Physiologically, poor posture may worsen depression and increase stress, as your body’s internal processes cannot perform properly. 
• Internally, slouching compresses your internal organs, which can lead to digestive issues. 
• Slouching makes it more difficult for your body to distribute oxygen, as your lungs are compressed. 

There are various ways you can protect the health of your back throughout your lashing career. Take time in-between clients to get up and move around. When you are sitting, ensure you are sitting in a strong posture. Get up and stretch every 30-60 minutes. By adding regular exercise to your routine, you will build your core strength and keep your joints functioning well. To learn more about proper lashing posture, including stretches and lashing stool ergonomics, we have a blog post dedicated entirely to that! 

5. CONTINUE LEARNING 

Invest in yourself and your business by continuously upgrading your certifications, and learning new skills. This can include diversifying the services that you offer to clients, or upgrading the tools and techniques you use in your lashing. With each improvement, take the time to educate your clients on the changes you have made and why. Clear and concise communication will help eliminate negative feedback from even your most-loyal clients. If clients understand that you are working to continuously improve your service with the latest tools and techniques, but that they will reap the benefits, then they are more likely to willingly accept them.   

We want to hear how you incorporate wellness into your lashing services, let us know in the comments section!