Master Trainer In The Spotlight – Meet Shelby Jones

Master Trainer In The Spotlight – Meet Shelby Jones

If you would have known me as a little girl, you would never guess in a million years that my career would be in the beauty industry. I was the girl who loved sports – especially gymnastics and competitive tumbling. If you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would always say a nurse or doctor. As I became older, I realized that was a safe answer.

In 2016 and a few months after getting married, I started at The National Institute of Medical Aesthetics to pursue my Master Esthetics license. While in school, I attended multiple advanced courses such as classic lash extensions, professional makeup artistry, airbrush makeup, brow extensions and volume lashes. I had a huge thirst for knowledge and I wanted to find my true passion.

After graduation, I started working at a lash studio and taking clients. Within that same month, my husband enlisted in the United States Navy and would soon leave for his military training. I decided to devote all my time and energy into work and found a real passion for all things lashes. However, as much as I loved doing lash extensions, I knew there had to be a quicker alternative or something different I could offer my lash clients. I started researching and came across the brand Elleebana.

Within a few weeks, I was enrolled in a course and learned the art of lash lifting. From the moment I worked on my first model, I was in love! I knew that this service was going to take over the lash industry and I slowly switched my entire clientele from lash extensions to lash lifts and tints. I was smitten, not only with the service but the brand and products. I knew at this point in time that I wanted to educate other licensed professionals on this product line and service. After gaining more experience, I reached out and was given the opportunity to become a trainer for Elleebana USA.

I started doing trainings every week in Utah as well as holding courses online. A few months later, the Navy was moving us to Connecticut so my husband could finish his training. While in Connecticut, I traveled all over the United States holding trainings for salons as well as setting record numbers for online student enrollments. I was sleeping, eating and breathing lash lifting and I couldn’t be happier! I then was asked if I would like to become one of the Master Trainers at Elleebana USA. I was extremely honored and humbled that they chose me.

With this new position, I was still training but I was also helping bring on new trainers in the USA and working at building Elleebana here in the states. Fast forward and we are going on year 4 of being an Elleebana Master Trainer and year 5 of being an educator. I have never been happier to be representing Elleebana here in the USA and love what Elleebana has done for me and my business. Along with my work life, the last 4 years have brought us to Washington State and my husband and I also had a beautiful, happy and vibrant son who is now 2 years old.

Over this past year, my new roles for Elleebana are working with Elleebana’s Social Media team and helping run the IG account for @elleebanausa, offering support to my team of amazing and talented trainers in the Western States and I help educate and bring knowledge to licensed professionals all over the world who are wanting to learn more about lash lifting, brow henna and now lash and brow lamination. I also am the owner of Elleebana Beauty and one of the USA distributors for the entire Elleebana product range.

Balancing work and my personal life while being a mom to a busy toddler and a wife to a spouse who is deployed half the year has its fair share of challenges. But as my dad says to me often, “what the mind can conceive it can achieve.” When you want something, you figure out how to make it happen. For me, I love my career and I love being a mom and nothing brings me more joy than knowing and believing that I can have both. Elleebana has changed my life in more ways than one and I will forever be grateful to Otto, Zoe and the entire Elleebana Family for all they have done for me and my business. My only advice to other licensed professionals would be to find your passion and run with it — because no one can do it quite like you!

ELLEEBANA’S top 10 Tips for boosting your beauty business using Instagram

ELLEEBANA’S top 10 Tips for boosting your beauty business using Instagram

Are you looking for ways to promote your beauty business through Instagram? Wondering how to get your audience more involved with your content?

Instagram is a really popular social media network that offers your business a trendy and hip platform to communicate with prospective customers and increase brand awareness.

Simply throwing out a picture snapped on your smartphone and posting it isn’t always going to get you very far. You need to work to stand out!

This blog post will give you ELLEEBANA’S top 10 tips to promote your salon business and convert your followers into clients and your clients into income.

1. Be Interactive in your Stories

Instagram Stories can skyrocket your engagement. Though, for that to happen you must observe how different features affect your audience’s engagement.

For example, Instagram Stories allow you to ask questions, host Q&A and even create quizzes. You can use all of them to create authentic content that brings you closer to your followers.

2. Foster personal connection

Commenting, direct messaging and sharing others’ stories or posts are a great way to foster community, but don’t be afraid to take it another level. Compare your engagement online like building a relationship… if you want a commitment, you must be willing to get personal.

3. Strive to create quality followers over quantity of followers

The quality of your followers is going to move the needle in your business, not the quantity. You can have a ton of followers but that does not mean that they are necessarily going to convert.

4. Partner with Influencers 

If you’re just getting started on Instagram, make the most of partnerships and influencer’s marketing to increase your audience. Partnering with influencers can not only help you expand your reach but also your engagement. You don’t need to bring onboard a big celebrity to boost your engagement. Look at your expanded network, find the accounts that have an influence on your followers. Reach micro-influencers who would like to partner with you.

5. Have a content strategy plan

Many people just get up and “wing” Instagram and yes that can work for some, but if you really want to gain followers and have a strategy, then having a strategy plan can help you align your goals and “content” plan so that it has a journey and objective.

Having a plan on keeping your social media time productive is really important, don’t spend hours scrolling in the feed aimlessly, jump on social media to specifically research, get inspired, but keep productive, time is a precious commodity so try to limit the amount of time you spend “not being productive” on socials and keep being productive, this will only benefit you.

For example, by creating one reels per week, before and after twice a week and educational posts every second day that help educate your clients on all sorts of topics, you already have a week worth of content. With this plan in place, you will ultimately become a source of news and education for your clients and followers. People love to stay “in the know” about things that might interest or benefit them.

Importantly socials should not become a stressful chore, with careful planning and a proactive strategy you can stay focused and not get caught up in the small stuff…

6. Take amazing photos

To make Instagram work for your business, you’ve simply got to have great photos, but you don’t need to be a professional photographer to take great photos. Your mobile phone is your best friend when it comes to Instagram photography. Here are some tips to get the best photos when using your phone:

Use natural light. No one looks great with a flash lighting up the oiliest parts of their face and casting weird shadows on their nose and chin. The same is true for product shots. Natural light just makes shadows softer, colours richer, and photos nicer to look at.

Avoid harsh light. Late afternoon is an unbeatable time to take photos. Cloudy days are better than sunny ones for mid-day shooting.

Use the rule of thirds. Your phone camera has a grid built in to help you follow this rule. According to Apple, you should always have the focal point within the centre square of the grid.

Try different angles. Crouch down, stand on a chair–do whatever it takes to get the most interesting version of your shot (as long as it’s safe to do so, of course).

7. Edit your photos like a Pro

No matter how great your photos are, you’ll likely want to edit them before posting to Instagram. Consistent editing is one way to maintain your brand aesthetic and make your images recognizable.

Mobile photo editing apps like Lightroom and VSCOcam, Snapseed provide additional filters or editing options to help you find your unique style. You can import photos that you edit or filter elsewhere into Instagram to post them on your feed.

8. Take advantage of before and after shots

 Before and after photos of treatments will go a long way in establishing truth and credibility. We share and repost before and after photos daily and that is a hit at @elleebana. Lash artists love being acknowledged for being good at what they do. It’s a win-win situation, we praise beauticians by reposting their work and please our followers by posting what they want to see.

9. Show behind the scenes

People love seeing behind the scenes of a business!

Show yourself and your team in action, doing treatments and give people a sneak peek inside your work space. This is a great way to build connection, make your content memorable and stand out from the crowd.

10. Aim for content that can be easily saved

Speaking of content, a post that is ‘save-able’ is of high quality and relevance to your followers. There is a strategy behind content that is easily saved.

The content that you create should make the saving effortless. A good tactic is to make your ‘ask’ very clear. If you want your followers to save your post, say it. Many posts are now encouraging their followers to save the content for later. You can even mention it directly as part of your image.

If your post is actually interesting for your followers then they certainly won’t mind the reminder of saving it for later. Quite the opposite!

   Takeaway

By following the tips we’ve mentioned above, you are working towards building a relationship with your followers. Consistency is the key to your success.

Don’t be afraid to try out new ideas. The more creative you are, the easier it becomes to create engaging content. Keep an eye on the latest Instagram trends. Stay ahead of the curve to stand out with your posts. Test and learn. Experimentation will help you find the best strategy for your business.

Remember, the more time you spend on understanding your followers and their interests, the easier it will become to create content that they’ll want to engage with.

Are you ready to improve your beauty business Instagram and reach new heights?

This blog post has been written by Elleebana Marketing Manager, Sol Menezes.

Healthy Lashes after a Lash Lift – What are Elleebana’s hot tips?

Healthy Lashes after a Lash Lift – What are Elleebana’s hot tips?

The tips we would like to share today may seem obvious to some, though many people still forget to add this into their beauty regimen.

1. Be gentle with your eyes

An important step to add to your beauty routine and avoid irritation is to wash your hands before touching your face. Clean hands and soft circular movements prevent transferring bacteria to your face and causing eye irritation. Being gentle avoids developing any condition that inhibit the growth of the lashes.

Oil free makeup remover is essential. Ensure your eyes are clean by removing any excess of oil, dirt or traces of old makeup. Elleebana foaming makeup remover can certainly help cleaning your lashes. This makeup remover will ensure all oils, makeup and dirt are removed properly. Be sure to rinse with water after, then pat dry the lashes.

Available in two different sizes, this powerful yet gentle cleanser produces excellent results!

2. Choose the right mascara

With a huge product variety in the beauty industry we acknowledge finding the perfect mascara is hard, especially when questions pop into your mind after having a lash lift. Since the topic discussed today is how to make your lashes look healthy after a lash lift, there are a few things to take into consideration when it comes to choose the products for your daily care and makeup routine.

Elleebana’s Ellevate mascara partners with a lash lift treatment and is gentle enough to be applied immediately after a lash lift in the salon. Elleevate has been designed as an everyday mascara that can be worn on lashes with or without a lash lift.

It is a wonderful mascara that contains Keratin, biotin and arginine to optimise hydration and infuse nutrients to your lashes to keep them healthy and strong.

3. Another step to a perfect look

Your technique to apply the mascara daily is just as important and can improve any mascara formula.

Take the mascara, swirl the wand around the tube to coat all of the bristles. Do not pump the wand into the tube repeatedly.

Starting at the roots, apply the mascara in a wriggling motion. There should be more volume at the roots so that your lashes do not feel weighed down.

Do the same with the lower lashes.

4. Glam up your Eyes

Apply an eyeshadow of your choice and finish it off by using an eyeliner to line your eyes.

5. Remove your make up before sleeping.

It is imperative to always remove all eye makeup before sleeping. Removing your makeup before bed also ensures that no unnecessary bacteria multiplies in your pores overnight. Our makeup tends to absorb a lot of dust and pollutants throughout the day which can clog the pores leading to larger more visible pores, redness, acne and eczema. These pollutants also affect the complexion of your skin and leaving it on your skin will lead to a dull-looking complexion the next morning. Taking your makeup off ensures the removal of such dusts particles and helps the skin breathe all night.

Removing eye makeup helps your tear ducts stay clear, helps your eyes feel clean and light and stop the growth of bacteria which can cause eye infections and redness. This also helps keep away fine lines around the eye area.

So ladies even if you can barely keep your eyes open, cleanse all that makeup off with Elleebana Make Up Remover.

2021 Beauty Trends

2021 Beauty Trends

After a turbulent year, it’s safe to say that we are all eager to a fresh start. Even our beauty routine was not immune to the effects of 2020 – as salons closed everywhere, we were forced to become our own beautician overnight. But a few DIY sessions later we learned about the power of self care and used it as an excuse to maintain our mental health and help us feel under control.

That is why we are so optimistic for 2021, a year where our beauty regimen and a dedicated time for self-care must be set as a priority.

Let’s play a game and predict a few trends that will emerge this year.

1. Elevated hygiene

Hand soap and sanitizer might not be the most glamorous of beauty categories but let’s face it – where there is necessity there is luxury. Needless to say, high end brands have been highly investing in them.

Since we have been washing our hands more, look out for natural ingredients that nourish, soothe, and heal your skin, such as almond oil, citric acid, coconut, chamomile, cold pressed olive oil, pomegranate, lavender and essential oils.

Surfactants are used in the soap composition. Without them, soap would not mix well with the water which would make the cleaning process more difficult. However, there is a list of natural surfactants derived from many types of plants to look out for. Common sources are coconut or palm, but they can also be derived from other types of fruits and vegetables.

It is a fact sometimes we don’t have soap or a dependable sink. That’s where hand sanitizers sparkle. So, what kind of hand sanitizer should we use? Doctors recommend an alcohol-based sanitizer with 60% ethyl alcohol or higher is the most efficient to kill germs.

2. Clean and transparent skincare

Surveys have indicated that skincare brands pushing ingredient transparency are gaining popularity. Consumers want to know what is in their products. As a result, companies must be more sustainable than ever not only in their formulation but also in their packaging.

3. Lipstick is taking a vacay

Research shows women want products that will stay on throughout the day without having to worry about it coming off on their face mask. As a result, a light gloss or stain are in.

4. Bare skin

No-makeup makeup is back. Combining skincare perhaps a Korean beauty routine and make up is the new glow up.

It’s all about having beautiful skin that looks healthy. Keep your makeup fresh by focusing on clean skin.

5. Plant-based skincare

Plant-based skincare is expected to hit a major surge in 2021. Who would have thought plant-based skincare was considered niche until recently?

6. Eyes are the feature

Coloured eyeshadows brushed up brows to complement the no-makeup makeup look and a thin eyeliner. The best part is that even a beginner can pull it off.

Strawberry’s and chocolate, oysters and champagne, lash lifts and a brow wax and tint – these are all perfectly partnered wonders of our world.

Strawberry’s and chocolate, oysters and champagne, lash lifts and a brow wax and tint – these are all perfectly partnered wonders of our world.

So why do we not partner a brow lamination with a brow henna treatment? And because we love science, especially skin and hair science that’s where our answer will take us friends.

Let’s start with brow lamination products – the products are designed to alter the pH of the hair in order to effect the inner structure of the disulphide bonds within the hair. The pH of the product needs to be high enough in alkalising agents to do this and often that is a pH that is no where near the same natural pH of your skin. Normally products that are designed for skin application are similar in pH or pH neutral so that the skin is not effected negatively by the application. As trained professionals the application of brow lamination products need to be applied with care and caution.  Referencing many contraindications and careful assessment of the skin is what makes a therapist or brow stylist a specialist in their field, they will understand the products, their ingredients and how they act as well as what to look for during the service.

This change in pH of the skin from the brow lamination product can leave the skin in an altered state, potentially more susceptible to reaction, sensitivity of drying out, flaking or peeling.

So now let’s think about brow henna. The wonderful and brilliant facets of henna are such that the specialised ingredients formulated within a henna blend will create a skin staining effect (depending on the colour chosen, skin type and condition and blend used).  This happens from the application of the carefully prepared product painted through the brow and allowed to dry onto the skin. The colour will wrap around the brow hair shafts and stain these also.  The keratinocytes resting on the top layers of our epidermis will attract the chemical composition of the henna and the colour will stain.  This reaction is a chemical one between the henna product and the skin.

If the skins pH has been altered from the brow lamination service, this can leave the skin area feeling more sensitive in the brow area on some clients. Applying henna on to skin that is sensitive may see clients have an unfavourable reaction or further sensitivity.

As tinting with traditional brow tinting products is faster and designed to colour hair, it’s chemical reaction happens on the hair more so and therefore makes tinting a better follow up service for colouring of hair after a brow lamination.

To learn more about brow lamination, brow henna, tinting or anything brows and lashes really, Elleebana and Elleeplex are industry leaders with content and training that is miles above the rest. With hands on training and online training coming soon, watch this space!

Walkabout barber and Walkabout beautiful

Walkabout barber and Walkabout beautiful

As we write this post for you to read the “Walkabout barber” and “Walkabout Beautiful” team are offering haircuts, beauty services such as waxing and lash services and something more to Australian communities in a way this industry hasn’t seen before. Places like Mareeba, Mossman, Kuranda and Atherton in Australia’s Far North Queensland this week will see the Walkabout Barber, Walkabout Beautiful bus arrive for haircuts and healing, waxing and wellbeing, tinting and trauma support.

Yes, you read that correctly – a Bus. A fully fitted out beauty and barber bus, ready to offer a way forward for those in need. When Michele Hetherington, Otto and Zoe’s long time friend in the beauty industry called to ask if we would sponsor a bus to help make people beautiful, Otto said a straight up “Yes” and when he listened more his response was “yes, yes, yes”

Michele explained that the initiative came from a young father, Brian Dowd, with a strong cultural tie to our nations people who had himself experienced trauma, lose and some of life’s worst challenges. Brian hit the reset button on his life some time ago and so he manifested the idea of a beauty bus that connected communities, offers assistance to those who like him have or are suffering while they are made to look amazing!

When Otto explained the concept to Zoe she immediately pictured just how much this idea hit home. Lash Stylists, hairdressers and beauty salons the world over are offering unqualified counselling to their clients at every appointment. Those moments, where a kind ear listens to your life’s troubles, you can leave your appointment not only with a lash lift but a weight lifted also. The idea was genius and the word Elleebana is an indigenous word for peace, tranquillity and beauty, knowing our sponsorship towards this initiative might bring Australians some inner peace and tranquillity while making them beautiful sat perfectly with us.

To follow more of what Brian has devoted a large portion of both his time and his heart into – follow him on Facebook and lets help him brighten our nations future and faces. https://www.facebook.com/walkaboutbarber

Master Course Collective

Master Course Collective

The Master Course Collective.

What is the Master Course Collective?

It is a collaboration of the industry’s finest and most sought after educators and business minds coming together to give you a curriculum that delivers secrets to their business success that they have NEVER shared before to their networks. This is exclusive course content and you now have the opportunity to be the first to access this game changing training program.

The Master Course Collective line up comprises of industry thought leaders:

• Jill Heijligers – Peloquin  – Owner of Lash FX and multi award winning educator and industry mentor
• Martino Kallos –  Award winning educator and CEO and founder of Kallos Academy
• Michelle Nguyen  – Director of Paris Lash Academy and entrepreneur
• Claire Hooper –  Industry leader, business coach and entrepreneur
• Hilaree Brand  – Award winning educator, Industry mentor and trend setter

Last but not least! Our Otto Mitter, Multi award winning educator, cosmetic chemist, entrepreneur and Managing Director of Elleebana

This collaboration is something that doesn’t happen every day in our industry, the course content that is being put together is designed for the up coming entrepreneur who is dedicated in building their brand and company to achieve global level success.

This online curriculum is available worldwide and if you a ready to take your career and business to the next level then – SIGN UP NOW!

Early action takers will get access on World Lash Day 23rd October, receive BONUS course content and extended viewing until February 28th, 2021! The Master Course Collective goes live October 31st, 2020.

TO VIEW OTTO’S VIDEO CLICK BELOW

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How your leadership style can grow your business

How your leadership style can grow your business

If running a business isn’t hard enough, managing and leading a team is another challenge all small beauty and business operators face.

There are many underlying levels of motivation and levels of achievement team members are seeking in their careers, how to bring out their best capabilities is what leadership is all about. So, what defines a leader you ask?

Well leaders can be classed into one of the 6 following styles, and it is common to have more than one style and for your leadership style to change over time. You also will approach one leadership style for one team member, and another style for another – depending on their level of skill, maturity and position within the business.

Democratic Style – is one of the most effective leadership styles because it allows team members to be involved in decisions and have some autonomy in their roles to exercise their own authority which helps them grow into future roles.

Autocratic Style – is essentially where the leader makes decisions without taking input from anyone in the team. This can hinder team performance by not involving others ideas and knowledge.

Authoritative Style – hasn’t been popular since the 80’s and isn’t a leadership style any employee is seeking in a future employer. Only useful in small doses.

Transformational Style – most leader in this category are always “transforming” and improving the business and pushing team members out of their comfort zone to aid growth and development.

Coaching Style – just like in sport, coaching individual employees’ strengths and working through their weakness to enable the team to perform better.

Laissez-Faire Style – the French term literally translates to “let them do,” and leaders who embrace this style give nearly all authority to their employees. This can be limiting if team members do not hold themselves responsible or accountable for their workload.

Being able to identify your leadership style can be tricky so you can seek out tests that will highlight your styles, but it is also an idea to ask the team in an open setting for a 360-degree feedback session.

With that feedback in mind and remember not all the feedback you receive you will like to hear – especially if you perceive yourself differently from how your team members are characterising you. There is also the opportunity to make changes and focus on a leadership style that you think can support your business and the current team in place.

Being able to motivate the team starts with leading the team effectively, successful leadership can only achieve goals and empower the team to do the best work for your business and clients.

There are many of us in the industry boasting their own successful unique leadership style –including Otto and Zoe Mitter, who work together tirelessly and complement each other completely.

Embrace your leadership style, seek out your own personal development and what will work best for you and your team, and ultimately your business. #leadership

Taking Education to New Heights in the Connecticut Beauty World

Taking Education to New Heights in the Connecticut Beauty World

The Nutmeg state is moving ahead with the times and Connecticut is fast becoming the epicentre of the beauty world as regulations for esthetician licences were just passed. Merissa Waston is leading the way with training by fulfilling the epicentre with her advanced Education Centre.

Whether you’re seeking education on waxing, makeup, spray tans, lash extensions and lash lifts – Merissa has all your training needs covered. As a highly specialised esthetician and trainer on all skin treatments, hair removal and the like Merissa launched her own Training Academy and Beauty School.

Merissa is the proud owner of Face & Body institute of New England and by the sounds of it, was her ultimate calling after progressing herself through various courses herself and working for well-known global brands and popular day spas.

As a hands-on training professional, Merissa is passionate about advancing education for all practising beauty therapists – no matter what their craft or speciality. Born and raised in Connecticut, she is humbled by how the beauty industry has transformed in her hometown and impressed with the skilled talent to date.

Many who have worked and trained with Merissa comment and highlight what a trailblazer she is in the industry. Pioneering beauty professional careers is the heart of what she does, and she is a big advocate of students continuing their knowledge and staying up to date with the latest innovation and education.

Regularly educating herself so she can share with her students is what sets her apart from the rest and often it results in booked out classes and long wait lists just to get in. Merissa keeps up with the demand by offering more classes and workshops and yet still has time to dedicate to students a one-on-one learning environment – in a group setting.

2020 has been a challenging year for some, but Merissa takes that all in her stride and didn’t let anything stop her for opening up for own training institute and flourishing with countless enrolments and raving reviews to date. Creating an ultimate learning environment, she is not just focused on training students, but supporting them afterwards as they leap into the beauty world.

Merissa is inspired by other beauty entrepreneurs in the industry and has become a creator of her own unique business model. Without her desire to be a best in class trainer, her success story would not be what it is today. She lives by her own inspirational quote ‘always believe in yourself, you are capable of more than you can imagine’ and attributes her journey to success through this belief.

If you are in the area, and looking to up-skill, retrain or start your beauty journey – checkout Merissa course details on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Face-Body-Institute-of-New-England-100664211565109

HP Setting Lotion

HP Setting Lotion

We have made some exciting improvements with our Elleebana Lash Lift system to stay up to date with innovation and world-wide compliance in cosmetics.

Over the last 12 months, we have been testing and updating the formula of our setting lotion (step 2) in the Elleebana lash lift system. We have replaced an ingredient – ‘sodium bromate’ with ‘hydrogen peroxide’ as it is classed as a safer alternative and also provides more benefits to the lashes and the treatment process.

Learn more about these changes and download the following FACT SHEET

The ultimate convenience… fast beauty treatments with effective results

The ultimate convenience… fast beauty treatments with effective results

Choosing a lash lift, lash extensions or even just investing in a good mascara are things all our clients consider. What really makes them choose a lash lift? Well ultimately consumer behaviour and research play a pivot role in how humans make their purchasing and selection decisions, but it is increasingly evident that clients prefer convenience over anything when it comes to deciding on beauty treatments.

With that in mind, the convenience aspect needs to be the USP (unique selling proposition) with all your marketing offers. If a client is opting for a lash lift, it is because it is quick, easy, convenient and affordable. These women value their time, and thus are seeking a low maintenance yet realistic and effective result with their lashes.

Using this to your advantage by understanding your clients’ needs in detail can only help your solution offering. Giving the client what they want is what will set your business apart from the others and build that customer loyalty. We are in the industry of providing not just beauty services, but beauty solutions – and that’s why they love us.

Everyone wants that natural yet glamourous look with their lashes, and for those who have never tried it and eventually realise how convenient it is, will soon be hooked on a lash lift. As beauty professionals in the industry, we really should be promoting and celebrating the benefits of the famous Elleebana lash lift and the essential convenience it offers.

It is a win-win, who wouldn’t want the convenience of this treatment and glamour result in return. There’s an untapped market out there just waiting to be told of the quickest and convenient methods for maintaining that glam. Women are known as complicated beings, but not when it comes to beauty treatments. If it is quick, convenient, makes us look better and makes us feel better about ourselves with minimal effort – we’ll sign on the dotted line.

More recently, we have seen an increase in lash lifts in salons, due to many customers wanting a quick treatment – no one wants to be in the chair for hours and many are now conscious of covid spreading so the quicker the treatment, the better. With the easy to use hygienic single use sachets that client’s value, your lash lift service portrayed in this new light can only increase business and bookings.

Elleebana does offer an online lash lift course for those who are looking to upskill and reap the benefits of this convenience our clients are now seeking.

Visit the Elleebana website for more details www.elleebana.com.au

Work, home life and everything in between… Are we giving ourselves enough credit?

Work, home life and everything in between… Are we giving ourselves enough credit?

It is one thing to be excited for the future and the opportunities that await, but it’s time to celebrate and recognize the past achievements that have brought us all to where we are today and who we are today. I have recently learned that one of our Elleebana Trainers has had an interesting career prior to dominating the lash world that truly has made her who she is today, and her remarkable story is something we can all be inspired by.

Chanbo, based in Seattle was previously in a Regional Director role performing countless strategic negotiations for the sale and delivery of commercial military aircraft for a well-known aviation company – which is a highly sought after and unique skill set. Working in a highly paid industry definitely has its perks, however Chanbo felt a calling to connect and empower women through our own inner beauty and decided to pursue her beauty license, something she always wanted to do. Chanbo continued to work full-time in the corporate world while attending beauty school part-time and immediately after beauty school decided to complete Grad school too. The demanding role was challenging with finding that balance of also being a mum. Her daughter was only in Kindergarten where Chanbo recognized that she was missing out on so much of her daughter’s early life that she decided to quit the corporate world and pursue her career goals to work full-time in the beauty industry.

Chanbo says ‘It was a change of pace for me and everything I had known’, but she liked that she could control her hours worked and spend time with her daughter. Working mothers don’t give themselves enough credit for all the sacrifices they make for their career and their family and deciding whether to slow down or change pace is not an easy decision. It is hard to find balance and it is a never-ending juggling act Chanbo adds. Her advice is; ‘if you feel overwhelmed, uncertain and just sometimes exhausted we hear you, it is important to reflect where you’ve come from and where you’re planning to go in the future, even if you aren’t thinking that far ahead.’ As the famous quote says; it doesn’t matter where you come from, all that matters is where you’re going.

Everyone has a story, and as women we need to be more accepting and supportive of one another. Chanbo insights are that we really don’t know the battles others are facing on a daily basis and how if someone is stepping back, not as active or disappears for a minute, we should think of them and be mindful of what they may be going through.

Whether we find that others want to share or not, we can only advocate just being kind and understanding. We shouldn’t expect someone to share their personal battles, but just letting them know we are there and that we care about them is all that is needed. Working mothers in general having careers and trying to navigate time management with family and work can be a stressful task, but we all need to remember to give ourselves credit for how amazing we really are.

Wise words, from a wise lady, we salute Chanbo and all the other inspiring women out there pursuing their career goals and raising a family.

Lockdown with your lashes…

Lockdown with your lashes…

While 2020 hasn’t been the most productive year, lockdowns, border closures and clients canceling appointments can be demotivating. Well, it is time to PIVOT and realign your business strategy to new and improved ways of doing client lashes post Covid.

Here are 5 Elleebana TIPS for navigating lockdown with your lashes with minimal disruption to your day to day operations.

1. COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE!

The first thing we can hope to achieve is staying in regular contact with our clients and maintain consistent communication. Whether that be phone calls, SMS or emails. Your clients not only want to hear from you but expect to hear from you. Don’t be shy, a simple hello and check-in phone call or message can make all the difference to clients who are struggling in the current environment also.

2. ACCOMMODATE CLIENTS NEEDS

We can at times think we are accommodating our clients and offering the best possible service. But are we really? Have a think about how you can alter your booking conditions, appointment times and offer that flexibility that a busy mum, student or worker bee needs. Building customer loyalty is centered around serving your client’s needs – think of new strategic ways how you can be further accommodating in these unprecedented times.

3. CONTINUE TO UPSKILL, RESKILL AND RETRAIN YOURSELF

Given the world has somewhat come to a standstill – we’ve had more time than ever before to reflect, realign and focus on our personal and professional goals. Many of us are using our downtime to concentrate on how we can upskill and undertake further training. Elleebana’s Online Lash Lift Course has been the most popular course to date and has the added benefit of enjoying an e-learning environment from the comfort of your own home. To find more information or to enrol in a course visit Elleebana.com

4. FOCUS ON YOUR 2021 BUSINESS PLANNING

For small business owners, whether you love it or hate it, there always comes an occasion to dedicate some resources and time to future planning and future-proofing for your business. Where do you see yourself and your business in 2021? What challenges do you anticipate ahead? What goals do you hope to achieve? In our moment of downtime, it is key to forward plan and think ahead and even face some hard truths on what you can expect and anticipate – good and bad. Not just in terms of the following year and the 12 months ahead of you, but even 5 years into the future. Remember those wise words from Benjamin Franklin; failing to plan is planning to fail.

5. STAY POSITIVE

A negative mindset can set you back in your business goals, training aspirations as well as stunting your creative approach to your work. It is imperative to adopt a ‘Growth Mindset’ to be able to stay positive in tough times. Self-care is needed, so ensure you are taking time out for exercise, eating healthy and doing activities and hobbies you enjoy. Life can’t all be work and no play. So, watch one of your favourite all-time classic movies, treat yourself to a delicious home-cooked meal that you won’t regret eating and go for a brisk walk outside and enjoy nature. Really feel the universe and the positive energy calling you. It is not just a mindset, but behaviour that will endorse your positivity.

When everything feels like it’s becoming harder, it’s probably because it is. Just remember it means good things are coming. Look after yourself and your clients and keep paying it forward – embracing the new way of doing business you will truly reap the benefits. Seize your lashes in lockdown moments and learn from the experience and share with others. We are all in this together.

Visit Elleebanna.com for more information.

It all starts with education

It all starts with education

When a student arrives to a class prepared to sponge up all of a trainer’s knowledge, everything the brand has to offer and has the mindset of client’s satisfaction first and foremost, as a trainer, you know it’s going to be a good day. But it’s an even better day when you see that same student only three short years later come in the top three in the world for Elleebana’s Great Lash Wrap Challenge Instagram competition.

Melissa Constantino – Elleebana Educator from Delaware USA trained Trish in the skill of lash lifting and recalls “she was a perfectionist and on the top of her game”. We stayed late so I could offer her a lash lift after the class as she was keen to show her clients this amazing new service she had learnt and wanted to sport the results of a lash lift herself, it is walking marketing after all. We spent time talking about the benefits and results and shared our passion for the brand. At that time, in my area, lash lifting was almost unknown, so I was really happy to chat all things Elleebana. I have been following Trish for the past three years, watching her beautiful lash lifts, and knowing she was amazing because of her dedication to being a committed student first and then investing in her clients satisfaction with her perfectionism nature. I feel privileged to be a spark in her journey in becoming an incredible lash lift artist, she really deserves all the recognition and accolades.

Melissa also adds that “I love to stay personal with my students, it’s very nerve-wrecking to spend money on education, especially these days. People want return on their investment understandably, extending myself as a trainer and forming a relationship with my students helps them to see that you are investing in them also.”

This personal approach to our students, being prepared to continually share feedback and guidance fosters a mindset for the student’s education where they can grow and improve, they can understand and recognise their own achievements.

The Elleebana Great Lash Wrap Challenge competition is the first of four categories spanning through the remaining half of 2020 and this particular category had over 500 entries from around the globe. Here are the winning three lash wraps:

1^st place @Terytorium_piekna 

2^nd place @pretty_eyes_by_kellieanne 

3^rd place @browbarxbeautybytrish 

Combining treatments! Lash lifting and Eyelash Extensions.

Combining treatments! Lash lifting and Eyelash Extensions.

A super-hot topic for the lash and beauty industry is combining treatments – who doesn’t love being able to maximise their time and profit? We live in a modern world where so many of us are time poor, we all have those clients that love being able to walk in and walk out of the salon as quick as humanly possible.  Some treatments combined are a match made in heaven, so when our very own managing director and cosmetic chemist, Otto Mitter, delivered a recent presentation he decided to tackle the very relevant question “Can I perform a lash lift before attaching eyelash extensions?”

The short answer here is yes you can, but I am pretty sure you clicked on this blog because you want more than just a short answer, so…

The first thing to know is that there is a chemical reaction that takes place between Cyanoacrylate (eyelash extensions adhesives) and the permanent wave lotions used in the lash lifting process.  When these two products come into contact the reaction is called heat evolution.

When performing an Elleebana Lash Lift, you need to rinse the lashes to remove the lotions, which in turn, reduces the chance of these two products coming into contact, if you choose to apply lash extensions after a lash lift. It is vitally important that you rinse/soak and bath the eyes after the lash lift. Elleebana’s lifting and setting lotions are designed to penetrate the hair, wrap around the entire hair which means, wiping to remove the lotions is not enough.  If you are using another brand that doesn’t require rinsing to remove the lotions, you may have some product remaining on the lashes and you may find your lash extensions adhesive behaves very differently or that the heat evolution reaction occurs.

Additionally,  if you are using a brand of lash lift or lash lamination that requires an application of lash botox, a nourishing lotion, a sticky coating or a serum applied to the lashes as a third step in the treatment, you will need to rinse this and cleanse the lashes well or your eyelash extensions adhesive will not behave in its ideal manner.  Therefore, consulting with your current brand of lash lift to determine the best course of action here is mandatory.

As the chemical process of eyelash lifting, lash lamination or similar treatments are designed to break the chemical bonds found naturally within the eyelash this leaves the hair in a slightly more porous condition.  If you perform lash tinting after a lash lift, you will notice that you don’t need to tint the hair for the same duration as a normal lash tint processing time because the hair scales are raised and the cuticle is swollen, thus allowing the colour to deposit much faster into the lash.  When we apply eyelash extensions, having a well-prepared lash with the scales along the lash shaft raised, we can create a greater bond and potentially increase the retention of your lash extensions applications.

Better retention for eyelash extensions is always a bonus, however, your infill process for the lash extensions application can become more difficult. This can be worked with, but the overall finish might become a little messy because as the natural lash line sheds, the new growth that comes through will not be lifted – it will be in its normal state (only slightly curled, straight or downward facing – depending on what your natural lash growth direction is like).  Infills may sit differently across the lash line due to the inconsistency of which lashes are lifted and which lashes are new, straighter growth, also, while wearing eyelash extensions, you are not able to re-lift the client’s lashes again.  You might not notice this at a 2 or 3 week infill appointment, but by their second infill appointment, it will be evident and this is because of our natural lash growth cycle.

For clients whose lashes are naturally extremely curly, criss-crossed or downward facing, consequently making the process of applying eyelash extensions much harder and more time consuming, performing a lash lift or a lash relaxation process (you can watch how to perform this treatment on our YouTube channel) before eyelash extensions application can help the application process for the technician.  You will need to educate your client that a full removal of their eyelash extensions and a new lash lift/lash relaxation process would be required most likely at their second infill (however that would be determined also by their natural lash regrowth cycle – which can also alter seasonally – but that is for another blog entry…)

Careful consideration of your processing time and rod selection before performing the lash lift will also assist with a cleaner finish. Creating a soft/gentle lift with a shorter processing time ensures you don’t over-process which could see all your lash extensions applications needing to be removed in order to relax the lift, acting with caution is key here. By choosing a rod size that is larger than you would normal select for your client’s lash length, will offer a smooth and soft lift that raises the lash ends enough without the risk of over-curling the lashes.

Please consider that the treatment time spent with your client for their lash lift and following with lash extensions might see the treatment time extending longer than either you or your client wants. While this service can be performed together, we feel it may not be an overly viable service/treatment for salons to combine.

Have a question? Follow us on Instagram or Facebook and speak to our friendly team!

Summer and Lash Extensions

Summer and Lash Extensions

Summer and Lash Extensions go great together, but do your clients know how to maintain them in the heat?

As a trained professional, you want to ensure your client’s Lash Extensions continue to look fabulous between their visits, Afterall, that’s why they love coming to you.

As we move into summer the all-important topic of storage for your adhesives becomes a common question from salons.  One of the most important things you need to do is keep your products at the recommended temperature. If this means leaving your air conditioning on overnight, do it! Don’t risk spoiling your products from overheating.

The fluctuation of heat and then cool air can negatively affect the workability of your adhesives and maintaining a cool and dark environment for the storage of your adhesives, away from moisture is recommended.

Provide your Clients with specific aftercare, especially in the summer months with the following instructions:

• Rinse lashes (& pat dry) after swimming. Over time, both chlorine & saltwater can affect lash retention. So, wherever your client is swimming, it is recommended that they rinse with freshwater post-swim, then pat dry.
• Exposing your lashes to extreme heat can relax the curl, or worse – singe the lash tips. So, if your clients are exposed to close fires or a barbeque, even a hot oven, they need to be mindful that this can damage their Lash Extensions.
• An absolute must all year long but especially in Summer. Many brands of sunscreen contain oils, which can run into the lashes. This can cause excessive shedding. So, make sure you let your client know that you take extra care when applying sunscreen.
• Waterproof mascaras, oil-based eyeliners, creams, lotions or strip lash glue are all party season musts, but they are a big no-no with lash extensions. Aside from being difficult to remove, making rubbing and damage to your lash line more likely often the ingredients are not compatible with your lash extensions adhesives so ask your clients to stay clear, they extensions application is lash emphasis enough.
• Keep the lashes clean – ok so this one isn’t summer-specific – this is all year around specific so I guess that makes it one of the most important aftercare points of all – using a lash wash, shampoo or make up remover that is designed with your skin and lashes PH in mind will remove natural oils, makeup residue, dust and dirt that our eyelashes naturally catch. It is their job, after all, to prevent these environmental hazards from getting into our eyes, but to leave this build up on the lash line weakens the adhesives bond and see premature lash loss.

Having these aftercare tips and tricks will really help your clients maintain the life of their Lash Extensions.

“This article has been written and produced for Ex-Import Niche Products.  Modification, misuse, copying or reproduction of this content in any manner without written permission from Ex-Import Niche Products is prohibited and Copyright laws will apply.  Sharing the link and giving credit to Ex-Import Niche Products for the content is allowed”.

In Cosmetics – Bangkok 2020

In Cosmetics – Bangkok 2020

Relationships with our raw material suppliers are forged and knowledge of the sustainability factors and lab testing results of each of the chosen ingredients is what goes into Elleebana’s product developments. It’s interesting to note that every raw material supplier provides lab test diagrams and imagery but when questioned deeper, many will advise – you will need to perform your own product trials for efficacy.

What that means is they can stand behind their raw material but once you combine that material into a formulation the product testing is dependent on your own findings.

Which again is one of the number one reasons why Elleebana doesn’t rush our product releases. The full due diligence, testing, and trials take time. The innovator’s zone was a mecca of new raw materials and a haven for finding what you were looking for amongst the bustle of a traditional show setting.

Ingredient awards are allocated and judged by the industry’s finest – Otto’s own Cosmetic Chemistry Teacher was the head guest judge, so we had a slight fanboy moment on our hands but rightly so. This event was world-class for not only the raw materials but for education also.

“This article has been written by Zoe Mitter and produced for Ex-Import Niche Products.  Modification, misuse, copying or reproduction of this content in any manner without written permission from Ex-Import Niche Products is prohibited and Copyright laws will apply. 

Sharing the link and giving credit to Ex-Import Niche Products for the content is allowed”.   

From The Judges Perspective

From The Judges Perspective

I have been honoured on so many occasions in my life to be involved in judging lash competitions.  These competitions have been online and live, lash lift, lash extensions and brow henna competitions and with each competition I am involved in I can’t help but walk away with the biggest smile on my face.  I get to watch and sometimes even be a part of the awarding of a prize that always – and I mean ALWAYS means just so much to the contestants.  How can that not fill me with all of the good vibes!  #blessed 

At Brisbane’s Beauty Expo in July I was invited back by the ever talented Joy Crossingham from Brisbane lashes and CEO of the Pro Series Lash Competition to be an online finalist judge and a technical judge for a variety of categories as well as a floor judge.  With all of my previous experiences, this was my first experience as a floor judge where it was a requirement that I have eagle eyes on each of the competitors in that particular category.  Watching for infractions such as sanitization issues, tweezer pressure on their models or opening their working kits without permission had my “inspector gadget” senses working overtime.  

What a different experience to teaching in a class room where you might see a student perhaps making an error and you gently guide and assist to perfect their technique, a floor judges role is observation and penalty scoring only.  But my experience was not the only one I was surprised by.  

The competition time would begin and the tension was palpable – the contestants were eager to begin of course, but having a time restriction that was so precise (2hrs to complete one eye in volume and 1 hr to complete one eye in classic) it was difficult for many of them to calm their nerves.  As I paced the walk way I visibly noticed the contestants holding their breath and I myself had to remember to calmly breath as I didn’t realise I was quietly anxious for them also.   The shaking hands didn’t assist at all with the first few lash attachments but after the first 30mins I started to notice the contestants settling into their groove and started to see they were turning a corner with their confidence.  It was truly magical to watch.  

Some contestants chose to zone out completely with headphones to help with their focus because without a doubt you need hyper focus in these circumstances and I wondered to myself if headphones would help me.  My previous life saw me as a musician and sometimes even now, some headphones help me to zone in and smash out my tasks.  If I was a contestant I feel this would without a doubt be my assistant to settle my nerves and assist my applications.

After one category was over I had a contestant tell me how difficult it was when she felt my presence teetering past her as the floor judge and how that pressure alone nearly saw her crack.  She went on to take out the second place in the volume student category – congratulations Emma Rohan – I hope next time I watch you work I don’t make you so nervous because it was spectacular to see you compete and yourwork was truly amazing!

It was a real pleasure to watch the journey of these contestants – we talk about overcoming hurdles in our professional and personal lives and there is no reward in staying in your comfort zone – the true growth (and most often the true reward) is when we are in the most uncomfortable positions in our lives and we are forced to SINK OR SWIM – FIGHT OR FLIGHT, however the important thing here is you want to learn things about yourself that you didn’t know before and most often it’s that you can do things you thought you couldn’t.  Win, lose or draw each person who chooses to compete, chooses to challenge themselves, chooses to expose themselves to new learning environments can only come away with success in my view.  

Congratulations to all those that competed – you are all winners and a massive thank you to Joy, Jeremy and the Pro Series Lash Competition team for allowing me to be a part of this nail-biting but fun filled event.

What is over processing and how do I avoid it?

What is over processing and how do I avoid it?

In previous years (over a decade ago now) Elleebana was available in bottles/vials/ampoules, the formula back then processed for 10 – 15 mins for the lifting step and then 7 minutes for the neutralising step.  So many salons that trained and offered eyelash lifting/eyelash perming using this product moved away from offering lash lifting/lash perming services because of the length of time spent performing the treatment required the salon to charge more than a client was prepared to pay in order to make money for their allotted time.  The ampoules also exposed the lotions to air and saw the product begin to oxidise and reduce in effectiveness.

Elleebana redesigned the lotions, improved the raw materials used and decreased the processing times as well as changed the packaging from the ampoule to the single use sachet back in 2007 and in 2017 over 1.5 million lash lifts were performed using the Elleebana one shot lash lift system!  You see, salons need to maximise their days and the beauty of Elleebana’s fast processing time allows you to see more clients in a day – meaning more profit at the end of your week and it means clients are not laying down for as long to get a beautifully lifted lash result.  It’s easy to see why salons and clients love this treatment but we wanted to share with you all some of the finer details to get your chosen timing just perfect for each client.

On each of the Elleebana products the processing time offers the range – Lift for 5 – 10 mins and set for 5 mins as determined by the clients lash strength.  We want to explain these time ranges in detail for you, you see as a company we have to advise all of the possibilities for the potential client that might come to see you but we also know that Elleebana’s product is incredibly unique and operates differently to all other brands on the market – if you were using another brand and have come over to use Elleebana you may wish to adjust your previous techniques to help you get the best possible results and to ensure your clients lash health.

ADVANCED PROCESSING TIMES – leaving lotions on for too long can split and or frizz the lashes. This might not happen immediately but the lashes will begin to show signs of damage after a period of time (it might be only a few hours up to 24 hours later or it might be a week or two later). Assessing a client’s lash strength might not always be determined by sight alone – you may notice that the lashes are more resistant to rolling back onto the rod and this might give you an indication that they have a stronger lash core. The client might have identified to you that when they curl the hair on their head it drops quickly and this might give you some other indicators that they have stronger lashes. Equally they might have mentioned that their hair is incredibly fine or holds a curl very well, this might indicate a finer hair structure and a faster processing time is required.  Medications and hormonal changes also can be a factor for clients lash strength/resistance.

The general rule of thumb for first time clients when using Elleebana products will be processed with step 1 (lifting lotion) with 6 minutes and step 2 (setting lotion) with 5 minutes. This processing time will work for a large majority of your client base and is a good processing time to begin with if you have clients with medium to strong visually appearing lashes.

SHORT PROCESSING TIMES – A client’s ethnicity or heritage can sometimes indicate either a shorter or longer processing time. Other more visual lash conditions/health can be apparent just by looking at the lashes. For a fine lash that is thin, sparse or lighter in colour or for ethnicities whose lash strength is naturally softer or finer you will need to decrease your first time processing time. In some cases dropping the processing time for step 1 (lifting lotion) down to 4 minutes and step 2 (setting lotion) with 3 minutes – these processing times can still achieve amazing results on clients with lashes that require this reduced processing time. Some processing time options for visually thinner or weaker natural lash conditions are:

LIFT: 3 mins SET: 2 mins – this is not a common processing time for many clients

LIFT: 4 mins SET: 3 mins

LIFT: 5 mins SET: 4 mins

AVERAGE PROCESSING TIMES – This is the larger percentage of clientele that we see and find these processing times are often the go to times for lifting clients who have average lash strength, thickness, density and those whose lashes lift easily. At this stage we can increase the step 1 processing time (lifting lotion) but the setting time must remain at 5 mins.

LIFT: 6 mins SET: 5 mins – used for majority of all first time and returning clients

LIFT: 7 mins SET: 5 mins – this might be used on clients who return after their first lift and they feel their lift wasn’t enough (alternatively you can decrease your rod size)

EXTENDED PROCESSING TIMES – In the case that a client’s lashes are stronger than average and you have attempted to process at 6 mins and 5 mins to find that their lashes didn’t lift enough you can, in your next appointment, increase your lifting time by 1 minute at a time. The setting time (step 2) must remain at 5 mins until the lifting lotion processing time has been maximised. For instance:

LIFT: 7 mins SET: 5 mins

LIFT: 8 mins SET: 5 mins

LIFT: 9 mins SET: 5 mins – this is a very rare required processing time

LIFT: 10 mins SET: 5 mins – this is an extremely rare required processing time

Only after all of these attempts and appointments would you then increase the setting lotion to 6 mins

SAME APPOINTMENT RE-LIFT PROCESSING TIMES In the case that you have performed the lash lift on a client and the lift has not taken in the way you or your client would have liked you are able to re-lift your client’s lashes again in that same appointment, however, your processing time must be decreased by half or less the processing time.

NOT ENOUGH OF A LIFT If for instance if you lifted a client’s lashes for 6 mins and 5 mins, you have completely dried the lashes and assessed them and there was some visible lift but just not enough of a result you would reprocess the lashes again for 2 mins for lifting and 2 mins for setting.

NO VISIBLE LIFT AT ALL In the case that your client’s lashes after lifting for 6 mins and 5 mins and you have assessed the dried state of the lashes and there is no visible lift you may proceed with re-lifting the lashes again for 3 mins and 2.5 mins If the client has left the salon and time has passed since the treatment (at least 24 hours) you would need to consider the result and the condition of the client’s lashes before you choose the processing time that you wish to use.

Training is always recommended and client’s trust that a salon has learnt about the unique factors of the brand that they are choosing to use from a master so to see check out our training calendar for Australian workshops https://www.elleebana.com/our-training/ or to view a distributor in your country https://www.elleebana.com/where-to-buy/

“This article has been written by Zoe Mitter and produced for Ex-Import Niche Products.  Modification, misuse, copying or reproduction of this content in any manner without written permission from Ex-Import Niche Products is prohibited and Copyright laws will apply.  Sharing the link and giving credit to Ex-Import Niche Products for the content is allowed”.

The story behind the Stronghold Adhesive

The story behind the Stronghold Adhesive

As a world leading brand we are always challenging our product development team to push beyond clients expectations. 

The development of the Elleebana stronghold adhesive particularly was developed as we see salons who lose precious treatment time when they have to re-stick lashes to the rods midway through a treatment.  This comes about because of a few things:

• A clients natural lash strength is strong and resistant and wants to come away naturally
• They are baby lashes that are only new growth and often don’t adhere easily or because
• The adhesive used to adhere lashes to rods is a water based product that is easily soluble and breaks down with contact from lotions or water

In order to help keep treatment times to a minimum for clients and to help keep lash lifting a cost effective treatment for salons we felt there was an demanding need for an alternative to most of the adhesives on the market.  During the development stages of the stronghold we also determined that the inclusion of ingredients that offered support to the lash during the chemical process of lash lifting would only be beneficial to the client and their natural lashes. 

Elleebana stronghold adhesive was launched in early 2018 in London to the European Elleebana Master trainers and distributors at the Elleevation Symposium.  At the Symposium the master trainers were allowed to trial the adhesive during their lash lift applications and the response was an overwhelming success.  The trainers watched a demonstration from Australian Master Trainer Jessica Eaton and Product Developer and Elleebana founder Otto Mitter first where it was explained that using this adhesive requires some care and a slight alteration to the way that technicians and therapists are used to.  Using less adhesive than normal and working in sections was a key point as well as utilising the lift and hold method that is taught in our classes rather than scooping and removing the adhesive from the rod and leaving nothing left on the rod allows mastery of this adhesive.

Using the “Lift and hold” method you do not push away the adhesive, you have less adhesive build up through the lash line and the support of the product is amazing.  If you rush to lift the lashes too soon you will lift the lashes up but as you do you will wipe away the adhesive leaving nothing left on the rod for the lashes to grab to and the lashes will just drop away and not stick up even after a few attempts. 

 Stronghold also has a particular “set and grab” time and at this point the product becomes less forgiving and really grabs hold and sets.  This can be softened slightly by applying a little more adhesive or alternatively using a microbrush dampened with water however mastering your lash placement and perfection in your first attempt will see you really loving the Stronghold like so many do.

 Another key factor is your room air flow/temperature – like most adhesives/glues that dry from air contact if you have strong air conditioning blowing in your room or on your client the adhesive can become harder to work with or more temperamental.  Be sure to monitor this during your treatment. 

 Just like lash extensions brands offer a variety of adhesives for environments and lashing styles, Elleebana was keen to push the boundaries and offer two different adhesives for the variety of lash lift technicians and lash lifting stylists.  So available you will find:

• the Original Lash Lift Adhesive – designed for those who are starting out, those who need a little more working time and flexibility with their adhesive, for these clients the original lash lift adhesive is still available and will remain available in lash lift kits 
• The Elleebana Stronghold Adhesive – for those who are quite fast and adept at lash lifting and can achieve ideal isolation without too much time and enjoy the benefit of the added strength and support that stronghold offers as well as the reduced treatment time

 In our classes we offer students the opportunity to see both of these adhesives used on the demonstration model and the students have the option to use the stronghold if they feel like they would like to.  After the initial release of the stronghold the Elleebana trainers globally needed some time to get used to the product and we had some who performed a variety of models before they started to feel really confident using the product but comments like the follow leave us with no doubt that Stronghold is the next generation of adhesives for Lash Lifting

“I am truly sorry I doubted the product, it is amazing.”

“It took me a good 20 lifts to find the perfect way to use Stronghold but I sure did.” 

“I also had my student practice in the class: one eye with regular and one with the new Stronghold. Verdict…. Stronghold adhesive for the win!”

To watch an instructional video on the Elleebana Stronghold Adhesive and see the key tips in this blog demonstrated checkout our youtube channel or video below.

“This article has been written by Zoe Mitter and produced for Ex-Import Niche Products.  Modification, misuse, copying or reproduction of this content in any manner without written permission from Ex-Import Niche Products is prohibited and Copyright laws will apply.  Sharing the link and giving credit to Ex-Import Niche Products for the content is allowed”.

Lifting the look of the brand

Lifting the look of the brand

Some of you may have noticed the slight new changes to the packaging appearance of the Elleebana lash lift range – we hope you are loving the look as much as we are enjoying the development of this.  We wanted to share with you all the process of the repackaging because it is a process and we love sharing the ride.

Elleebana is exporting from Australia to over 40 countries around the globe – how amazing is that!  We think it’s phenomenal, we also know that it means we need to package and brand according to all of those countries packaging guidelines and specifications and as we begin exporting to more new countries there are more changes that have to happen and more research that goes into those standards.

We started with the re-branding initially by releasing some new products in the range that fall more in line with the design specs and imagery that we want to push for.  Clean, high end, with a little bit of magic that appeals to a large audience of salons.  These new products (Elleevate, Elleeplex, Stronghold adhesives and the isolator tool) all encompassed this direction and received such amazing feedback so we were happy to push further with our re-branding.

The new logo for Elleebana was next – not a huge change here as we still wanted to maintain our symbol – the tree.  Elleebana is an Australian Indigenous word for Peace, tranquillity and beauty and is unique both in the spelling of the work and the quality of the results that are achievable when you use our brand.  The word Elleebana is spelt differently, with two L’s for Lash Lifting and two E’s for Eyelash Extensions.  Two areas that we specialise in because of our love for these treatments.

Our Elleebana logo has the symbol of a tree that is firmly planted with years of growth and development – just like the company.  Its strong and unfaltering foundations are designed to last and support for years.  Just like a family tree the Elleebana branches reach out all around the globe to our international distribution network, which forms a part of our international and evergrowing family.  You will notice that the top of the tree where the leaves are is a circle shape to represent the world and our global reach.

The next step was to re-design the one shot sachets.  These were released roughly 6 months ago now.  The only change here was the printing of the physical sachets – no other changes happened.  The formulation is still the same wonderful product, we just chose (at the reprinting stage) to run out the stock we had and start with the new look, with the new logo and a cleaner appearance.  Some slight changes like adding in the numbering of 1 and 2 to the sachet to help people identify which step was first (yep, it does happen) and incorporating French text for our Canadian Elleebana lovers.  These sachets were released mid production, this means that an entire batch was produced but we only had enough of the old artwork designed sachets for half the production.  Instead of throwing away half a production we decided to fill the remaining production straight into the new sachets and batch them with the same dates – because essentially it is all the same product each and every time.

We had the new artwork sachets going into our old designed boxes (5 shot, 10 shot and kits) for some time – roughly six months before the new external packaging of the 10 shot boxes were released a few weeks ago.  You will noticed these boxes are in the same style as the sachets, using the white and grey design to encompass that clean feel and some gold foiling for that little piece of magic that is Elleebana.  Soon to follow will be the 5 shot boxes, the rod boxes and the kit boxes and further in the pipeline some other repackaging of other items across the Elleebana brand. The new Elleebana kit boxes have a luxurious and timeless feel, we have also added a statement on the package to encourage salon owners to complete training in the use of the products before purchasing. We find that therapists that have completed training generally get an advantage and master the service faster than those who follow the instructions and work it out on their own. It really is worth investing in the training as there’s some great tricks to mastering the art of lash lift.

We always look for packaging changes but try to use Australian based printers/box suppliers where possible to support our economy and the businesses that reside here in Australia.  We make all of the design changes, packaging and rebranding with salons in mind and based on the feedback that we receive.  Our regular development and production meetings are filled with ideas and options and these are all considered and put through their paces before anything gets close to being finalised.

To stay in touch with all things Elleebana follow us on Instagram @elleebana or Facebook @elleebana

“This article has been written by Zoe Mitter and produced for Ex-Import Niche Products.  Modification, misuse, copying or reproduction of this content in any manner without written permission from Ex-Import Niche Products is prohibited and Copyright laws will apply.  Sharing the link and giving credit to Ex-Import Niche Products for the content is allowed”.

The Art of Brow Henna

The Art of Brow Henna

Elleebana Henna has launched and its shooting for the stars and flying off the shelves.

We wanted to share some of the background behind the range as it’s not just a product that was produced quickly, not by a long shot! Otto was developing a henna range back in 2014 with his development team when he forged a relationship with the producers of another henna brand.  Ex-Import made the decision to hold the developments of the range and instead import the other brand into Australian market the other brand (not Elleebana).  Unfortunately, the supply of this other range was not enough to satisfy the Australian and New Zealand markets, so Otto was encouraged to return to the production team and continue working on the Elleebana range.  After having the experience of stocking and using other brands, we at Elleebana, understood a good clear benchmark for how we wanted the product to perform.  We also knew what people liked and disliked about Henna.  We were able to clearly choose some factors that might make the brand unique and thus Elleebana Brow Henna was created.

Elleebana Brow Henna, aside from being a naturally derived product, does not require an oxidizing agent to penetrate the cortex and deposit colour – no requirements for hydrogen peroxide and contains no ammonia.  The range is not tested on animals and is classed as vegan – these benefits mean that salons that have a holistic or natural appeal can now offer brow tinting to their clients.

Some of the unique factors about Elleebana henna is the inclusion of its booster ingredients.  Amla extract (Indian Gooseberry) found in the henna powder contains essential fatty acids, which strengths the hair follicle and gives the hair a smooth lustre and appearance.  It also contains Vitamin C which can halt premature greying.  The Amla extract is a great hair conditioner and can reduce flaky skin conditions and helps to counteract the natural drying effect that henna can have on skin types.  Shikakai (Acacia Concinna) provides the brow hairs with an added shine and softness and aids in the coating of the hair follicle process.

As the henna powder requires a liquid in order to make it into a workable paste Elleebana had the option to recommend distilled water for this step (which is still absolutely an option) but instead the opportunity to offer added benefit to the treatment of our clients’ brows by way of the Aqua PH Activator arose.  Using distilled water combined with the henna may alter the PH levels of the henna paste and since Henna enjoys a slightly different PH to that of water the decision was made to produce an aqua that contained not only the optimal PH for the henna but also hydrolysed wheat protein which is known for its hydrating, moisture balancing and film forming abilities.  Also found in the Aqua PH Activator is D Panthenol a moisture booster and encourages hydration deeper into the hair, Vitamin E to support healthy skin and Aloe Vera for nourishment. The aqua also helps to give longer lasting colour results on the hair and reduce chances of sensitivity.

Another key factor during the development was the colour production.  We wanted a wider colour spectrum. Elleebana Brow Henna has lighter colours in the range that are designed to offer a light tint to the hair if in the event a client doesn’t want any skin stain but still wants the brow hairs tinted without using traditional tints.  These lighter colours often only offer a minimal skin alteration but offers the hair a tint that can last for many weeks.  For clients who want a deeper skin stain than the lighter colours in the range might offer, the option to mix colours together means a skin stain or more ashy tone on the hair can be achieved by adding in the darker colours to the mix.

Speaking of mixing – you will notice the unique measuring scoop in each package of henna, another nifty little design developed in accordance from feedback we had.  The larger scoop is the perfect scoop size for one brow mix.  Using a flat scoop of this large size combined with 8 drops of the PH Activator or equal quantity of that of distilled water is the mixing ratio that you wish to aim for.  The smaller scoop (or half scoop) is designed to give mixing options.  You can use 1 small scoop of one colour and 1 small scoop of another colour to obtain a custom 50:50 ratio blend before adding in the aqua PH activator.  Getting your ratios of Aqua to Henna right are going to help give longer lasting results also, so accuracy here is very important.

Skin staining is an anomaly, just like with a spray tan our face loses the colour of any topical pigment sooner than other areas of our body.  This might be the sebum production level on the face being higher or it might also be due the condition or the age of the skin. Many brow tattooing technicians or microblading specialists can tell you that even colour placed into the skin can be rejected and the variable of colour longevity can vary from client to client.  Henna, with all brands in the market is designed to offer a skin staining effect under the brow hairs but the longevity of this stain or even the rejection of the stain will also vary from client to client.  Some might see a good clear marking through their brows for a week fading each day and perhaps the stain may still be visible up to 14 days later or alternatively the stain may not be for as long on other clients only lasting a day or two at most.  This is the nature of skin staining products which is why the hair tinting factor is so important for henna applications. Generally using darker colours in the Elleebana range helps to give a more prominent skin stain effect for clients that are wanting this kind of result. The tint effect on the hair lasts up to a maximum six weeks and on each application continues to coat the brow hair and deposits more colour each time thickening the appearance of the brow hair with each coat, as well as nourishing and strengthening ingredients to help maintain healthy and gorgeous brows.

The size of the bottles is just as impressive.  Each bottle contains up to approx. 100 applications of brow henna!  10grams of glorious, high grade henna powder in each bottle making this a great salon additive and helps boost your bottom line profit.

The brow henna movement is one that has been around for years now and many clients love the results you can achieve using brow henna compared to traditional tints.

FAQ’s on Henna are also available on our website – follow these links for more information:

https://www.elleebana.com/elleebana-brow-henna-faqs/

“This article has been written by Zoe Mitter and produced for Ex-Import Niche Products.  Modification, misuse, copying or reproduction of this content in any manner without written permission from Ex-Import Niche Products is prohibited and Copyright laws will apply.  Sharing the link and giving credit to Ex-Import Niche Products for the content is allowed”.