Do you also want to become an award winning Lash Artist? The thought of the Lash Championship evokes strong emotions in many lash stylists that can be fear or excitement. Despite the challenges, the satisfaction of victory is worth it.
“As a lash academy instructor at United Lash Army in the UK for almost 5 years, I have entered many competitions to challenge myself and have received feedback from more experienced judges. I thought I would have a chance to feel what it’s like to win a trophy and so far I have won 37 trophies participating in such competitions. Now I want to share the same experience with other lash artists” ~Justyna Zoledziejewska
Types of eyelash extension contests
Entering your first lash competition can be daunting, especially if you’ve never entered one before. I want to encourage readers to enter as many contests as they can. There are different categories of such competitions for all levels of experience.
There are two types of lash leagues: online and live. Both are valuable, but before you enter, you should make sure there are industry-recognized reviewers whose work you admire.
Online Lash Contests:
Online contests are those where you are not limited by the eyelash extension application time when you submit an application. However, you must submit photos before the deadline and follow all the rules indicated by the organizer, such as distance from the eyelid, symmetry of the tuft, inner and outer corners, etc. The judges look at these photos very carefully using the zoom tool to be able to judge the applications with microscopic accuracy.
The use of any applications that allow you to edit photos submitted for the contest is strictly prohibited. Doing so carries a high risk of disqualification, which will appear publicly. Therefore, it is recommended that you submit your original work without any modifications. After all, no one wants to feel proud of themselves for winning a trophy for a photo project, right?
Live Lash Contests:
Live or offline eyelash contests, on the other hand, are those where you have to go to a specified place and do the eyelash extension application on the spot within the specified time. Time constraints, a new place with temperature and humidity challenges and the eyes of the judge on you from time to time – definitely expose the participant to a lot of stress.
However, you get the chance to meet your lash styling idols – who are usually judges – and other industry peers and maybe become lifelong friends, who knows?
Reasons to Enter Eyelash Contests
Both types of contests have their pros and cons, however, let’s take a look at the benefits and opportunities for lash stylists to participate in such events.
Invaluable feedback:
You can get valuable feedback from people who are more experienced in the eyelash industry. If you follow all the tips and work on your mistakes, your work will improve significantly.
Boost Your Confidence:
It’s an amazing feeling to win an award and have your work recognized by industry experts. It is something that is definitely worth experiencing at least once in your life. Winning a trophy can boost your confidence and give you a better sense of your skills in the industry. Knowing where you stand with your skills in the industry can open up new opportunities for you. But beware, once you experience it, you might become addicted to it!
Personal development:
You have the opportunity to test yourself and learn to work under pressure. While you don’t have any on-the-spot time constraints when you enter online contests, just realizing you’re entering a contest is a stress factor in itself. This gives you the opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone and experience personal growth.
Networking:
You gain recognition among people in the industry and even lifelong friendships. Personally I am still in touch with other participants of the championships I have taken part in in the past and we support each other on social media.
Top international eyelash extension competitions
With so many benefits, there is no reason not to participate in such contests.
Here are some of the top international eyelash extension competitions:
- Artistic Fur Award: also known as the Artistic Lash League, is one of the most popular international eyelash extension competitions. This competition was held for the first time in 2018 in Glasgow. Every year, they invite over 300 participants from all over the world.
- Kingdom Beauty Crown: This championship is open to all beauty professionals who are licensed or qualified to perform. It is generally a 3-day event that brings together a global audience with speakers and top grandmasters from across the beauty industry.
- Eyelash Championship Netherlands: This championship invites all eyelash and eyebrow artists from all over the world. It is open to all levels of artists.
- Lash Battle: Lash Battle is considered the biggest eyelash extension competition in Glasgow, Scotland every year – with more judges and more entries.
- The Lash Games: The Lash Games organizing team combines over 30 years of expert lash and industry knowledge and experience to create an unmissable event for lash artists from around the world.
I highly recommend checking out the Artistic Lash League. It is a well organized online championship that I had the pleasure of participating in and taking a place on the podium.
Tips and tricks on how to win an eyelash contest
With more and more lash technologies on the market, many can’t help but wonder “How can I win the Lash Contest?” So let’s find out what tricks you can keep in mind when you enter such contests.
- Please read all terms and conditions carefully: Read and re-read all the competition criteria carefully and make a checklist to make sure you don’t miss anything.
- Choose your model wisely: When choosing a model, look at the number of eyelashes, the symmetry of her face and eyes, and whether her eyes are almond-shaped. Choose a model that matches the category you are entering. If you want a dramatic style, don’t choose a model with tiny, thin lashes.
- Make yourself comfortable: It can be intimidating to play in a crowded place at first, but the key to success is to adapt well to the new place and be comfortable during your work and also in terms of clothing.
- Only high quality photos: If you’re entering an online contest, it’s important to click on high-resolution images so the judges can take a look at the detailed work. It is recommended to pay attention to the lighting in such cases. Even if you shoot with the same camera, the image quality is poor when you shoot in a dark place, and a bad photo can disappoint you.
- Upload your submission on time: Do not wait until the last date to submit your application as you may experience technical difficulties at the last minute.
The Future of Lash Competitions
The eyelash extension market is expected to grow at a rapid pace in the next decade as consumers are more willing to spend on eyelash extension services compared to the past. So, participating in such eyelash contests will always be beneficial for you as an eyelash technician.
It is an amazing opportunity to become a famous and recognized eyelash artist and it gives you the opportunity to charge higher prices to clients. It would be one of the biggest challenges of your eyelash extension career and a great opportunity to fulfill all your dreams as an eyelash artist.