"Makeup Mandy" (Link to LashX Pro and our website and social media pages at the end of art
“Add-on” Products, Hence, Increased Revenues… But Mainly, Her Passion For the ART!
As mother, wife, celebrity lash artist, lash trainer, industry speaker to beauty retail product developer
And Entrepreneur; “Makeup Mandy” has proven herself to be a major force in the Lash, Makeup, and Beauty Industry.
To add to her armory she is also centrally located in one of the world’s most competitive and
saturated ‘beauty’ markets namely West Hollywood/Beverly Hills, California. When I first met Mandy I immediately felt a deep connection in both an intuitive and business level.
The motivation I hope that you gain from this interview is how a one woman who wears so many hats, like Makeup Mandy, can also successfully run her own product development and distribution business.
I was intrigued by her ‘clean’ beauty philosophy in which I share a mutual interest with my own organic company, Endure Beauty. She is paving the wave for so many lash artists and product developers in the ever-growing lash extension industry! ENJOY!
With Love, Endure in Pink! XX
NH: “Makeup Mandy!” I love it! Let’s just start here, how did your nickname come about?
MM: I found makeup to be a passion at a very young age and started working professionally as a makeup artist at the age of 16. The nickname was just that, my friends would refer to me as Makeup Mandy or MM so when I opened my first salon in 2006 on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, California, Makeup Mandy Eyelash Bar and Makeup Studio was the name I went with.
NH: How long have you been in the industry, and at what point did you know you wanted to expand your brand, which started with you as an artist, to develop your own brand of professional and lash safe aftercare and makeup products? For both wholesale and direct to consumer purchasing…
MM: I am not an entrepreneur at least not a born one. I’m truly an artist at heart, meaning I never had a grand business plan of developing products or expanding for the sake of profits. Quite the opposite. I discovered eyelash extensions in 2004 at an IMATS trade show. Back then they were new. There were no classes yet just a DVD with subtitles and hard pokey loose lashes, but I immediately fell in love with the service. I loved how lashes could change a person’s entire look, yet still appear completely natural. I opened Makeup Mandy Lash Bar in 2006 and started with 13 clients a day 6 days a week. Many of my celebrity clients followed me after working with them on set as a makeup artist. I quickly realized how lacking the lash industry truly was. Every item in the LAshX line solves an actual issue I was experiencing either as a lash consumer myself, salon owner and lash artist. Each new product whether it be for professional use or at home use, I created out of a personal need.
NH: I remember you telling me when we first met that part of your formulations you help create with chemists are due to some personal issues involving allergies and health issues that were very close to your heart. I myself suffer from the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and multiple allergies, and I was intrigued by your thought processes in your LAshX retail products.
Can you share your personal journey to product development?
MM: Allergies are a huge problem in the industry. I had a lot of clients start developing allergies eventually having to stop wearing lashes. When I would call my product manufacturers they told me it was the cyanoacrylate and when I developed the allergy from overexposure, I was told not to wear them anymore. I decided to do more research and speak with actual medical adhesive chemical engineers. What I learned was that there are many grades of cyanoacrylate - industrial to medical. Our allergies were in fact sensitization from toxic VOCS (Volatile Organic Compounds-Fumes). When curing, the adhesives I was using produced formaldehyde. I also learned there were medical cyanoacrylates used in our bodies that were made to not cause allergies or sensitivities. All our LAshX products are “clean” meaning we don’t add any toxins or parabens, surfactants, surfactants, oil or glycol…
NH: What increased revenue averages have you noticed from adding on your lash aftercare and makeup brand?
MM: For me educating clients and selling the proper aftercare is less about short term profits and more about long term results. Yes, we make money off the aftercare, but my clients save time and money by using the proper products. With LAshX, lashes can last 6-8 weeks between fills. This means LAshX pros can charge more per hour, but clients save time and money coming half as often. Their natural lash health improves, and they are more likely to be a client for life. Also, word of mouth travels quickly when your lash extensions last twice as long as the competition. It’s also a way for our partners to differentiate their businesses and not have to compete on price.
NH: Where do we see “Makeup Mandy” in five years?
MM: In five years, I think the lash industry will have come a long way. Clients are already seeking healthier cleaner beauty products and that will affect our industry more and more. I plan to continue to help empower women in their business, improve lash education, develop more quality products, and make huge positive ecological impacts on the lash world. Our international distribution is rapidly growing, and we are developing new innovations daily. This work is my passion!
“Make-up Mandy” has had this industry embedded in her soul since her pre-teen years! If you have interest in attending any of her training classes or are interested in ordering any of her “clean” lashing products, her contact information is below! XX
Nikki Huber
Mandy Jacobellis
CEO
LASHX
ashxlive
310-855-3305 x 701
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