Beauty Profile: The Woman Transforming The Lash Industry

Unassuming, driven and entrepreneurial, Julia Mann is a fully qualified beauty therapist, lash artist and cosmetic tattooist who has directed her attention to training, product development and beyond to change up the eyebrow industry one education tutorial and lash kit at a time, writes Cameron Pine.

A colourful and dynamic background from hairdresser, to cosmetic tattooist and fully qualified beauty therapist, Julia turned her experience to lashes back in 2010, having set up a training business after realising the industry was screaming out for professional and streamlined training. Now, with her own Lash Tribe Salon on top of a forever increasing social media presence, Julia has mastered everything a beauty expert needs to start-up as an expert in lashes, and there’s something in it for salons too who want to capture the lucrative lash market through retail and customer advocacy.

Julia moved to Australia 20 years ago from Brazil and immediately fell in love but she could only stay if she chose a career on the skilled migration list, which was, at the time, a choice between beauty therapy and cooking. Julia’s intrinsic love for beauty began to blossom after she went to TAFE and started to cook before she soon realised that her mind was set for more entrepreneurial pursuits diversifying her skillset in beauty.

Cairns was Julia’s first stop, taking work at the Novotel Palm Cove after finishing her qualifications. She worked across all beauty modalities before the rules changed again and she had to be fully qualified in a diploma to stay in Australia, so she studied hairdressing. It was perhaps her background in hairdressing and beauty that has led her to be so accomplished and stand out in the world of lashes and brows.

“I really loved hairdressing but, through working for other people and the egos involved, I searched for a more peaceful presence in the industry so started back in beauty doing everything from wedding make up to eyelash extensions and facials from home, but it’s this all-round skill that has helped me understand what the beauty industry really needed,” said Julia. “I got really engrossed in eyelash extensions because at the time 14 years ago there wasn’t really many people doing it.”

Fast forward to now and Julia has her own studio out of Salon Lane’s sprawling Teneriffe location, whereby Lash Tribe Salon is an intimate studio for all things lashes and cosmetic tattooing, and also a training studio for Julia’s many students both online and physical.

From training in her garage as demand grew to purchasing a large commercial space at the beginning of COVID, only to uncover challenging high overheads when many were forced to train online, she figured a studio to do both was a much more practical and less stressful option, and also more where the industry has headed in recent years. While demand was increasing for education Julia thought she had to go bigger and better with such a large space where she could train 12 at a time, but it was time to pull back and focus on what she really loves – one on one education and product development that enhances the overall offering in the beauty industry to both professionals and consumers. Her online presence has ultimately allowed her to do it all.

Naturally, Julia admits she really fell into the e-commerce side of things because clients and students wanted the best products to go with their training. Always guided by a lucrative business mindset – perhaps it’s the sharp German mixed Brazilian heritage – Julia is a no-frills realist and not afraid to tell the truth. This is clear as explains why she believes investing in your future is better than $60,000 a year in rent and why purchasing her commercial space was deemed important for her at the time.

Her vulnerability has helped create her brand – all while learning valuable lessons along the way that have pushed her into developing Lash Link, the ideal kit for a supreme lash experience at home and the ultimate retail offering for salons. A lash kit to sit alongside hair and beauty products to really enhance the importance of professionally derived products seemed obvious but, in many ways, has never been done before here in Australia especially. Lash Link is proving to provide the experience just like a professional at-home shampoo or hair product can do. Better than what is often sold from a retail perspective, Julia is all about empowering professionals to service their clients better, whether it be in the chair or in between.

The focus is not just on training huge groups for a quick money grab. For Julia, it is about offering small group training where students get actual quality time, rather than sitting in a classroom with six or more students.

“I believe my true point of difference is my experience across the beauty industry over the past 21 years. I have a holistic approach to education. I provide not just technical training but also business mentorship and personal development for years after. I am huge on mindset as well,” Julia said. “Additionally, I offer ongoing support and resources even after the courses are completed, fostering a community where lash artists can continue to grow and succeed, together.”

Officially launched on April 1, Lash Link is a compact and fun lash kit specially crafted for those who desire the professional lash look without the salon visit. Five years in the making, the Lash Link Kit addresses common concerns with traditional eyelash extensions such as allergies, time management and the high cost of professional services or for those who wish to mix their professional services with some products at home.

The kit offers a user-friendly, safe alternative that lasts up to seven days and allows for a customisable lash experience from the comfort of home or whilst traveling. Several lash segments are applied from underneath or the top of the lash line, slightly overlapping, and ‘linking up’ – hence the name ‘Lash Link’.

She also kept the boxes fun and fresh with step-by-step tools that have been custom made for the ultimate experience based on her years of expertise in-salon.

“I named everything by Greek goddesses, depending on the look you are trying to achieve. They really are a great little add-on for salons and beauty clinics that also may not be into lashes,” she said. Three different styles, cuttable, versatile lash segments and trend-based unique options comprise the collection.

Julia’s main goal is to build her academy, which nurtures aspiring lash artists and helps them achieve excellence, not only in their craft but also in running better businesses. She believes providing them with the tools and products to inspire their clients is all part of the process, and her online training at Lash Tribe and product plethora via Lash Link has everything you need.

“I want to start traveling again throughout the salon landscape in Australia. I want to go to Sydney, Melbourne and beyond to provide training again. Having a space at Salon Lane also gives me the flexibility to do all this,” Julia said.

Julia is incredibly passionate about the latest trends, products and advanced treatments in beauty, and is constantly encouraging a better skill level across the industry. She believes experts should be charging more and it all starts with knowledge of the latest trends and what consumers are searching for and buying.

“If I could change one thing about the lash industry, it would be to establish higher and more consistent standards for training and certification. Australia has none. It’s terrible. There is a significant need for standardised education and regulation to ensure that all lash artists are well-trained and adhere to best practices. A lot of people are allergic to lashes too – another reason why I developed Lash Link,” Julia said.

“Better training will not only improve the quality of services offered but also enhance the safety and satisfaction of clients, ultimately elevating the reputation of the entire industry. All those little ‘bedroom or backyard salons’ with people learning off TikTok is something that really needs to be addressed by local councils and governments too,” she added.

Over the next 12 months, Julia has exciting plans to launch her all-inclusive membership for lash artists. Titled ‘The Lash Salon Start-Up Method’, this will heavily focus on business building skills, AI, customer retention, marketing, lash skills and new trends.

“I am also launching a mini-membership for those that are struggling financially because courses can be quite expensive. This will cover lash success from start to up to your first playing client in 90 days and will only be seven dollars a month,” she said.

“I would also like to attend more industry events and workshops to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among lash artists worldwide but ultimately my goal is to continue supporting and empowering the lash community and have fun creating content and products for it. Exploring more product under the Lash Link brand is all part of it.”

Julia is making a remarkable difference in the industry, one lash at a time.

For more information visit www.lashlink.com.au or www.lashtribe.com.au

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