"I entered the 2023 Lash Industry Awards ‘Born This Way’ Creative Lash Competition with a vision and a vague idea on how I was going to execute it. My concept was: Not everything is as we perceive".
In early January 2021, my life changed in a way that I could not have possibly have imagined. I enrolled in my first eyelash extension course and fast forward three years, thousands of lashing hours and countless lash trays later, I am now a salon owner with my own team, based in the beautiful seaside suburb of Orewa. This was an absolute dream come true.
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I’m 28 years old, and I originally started lashing to keep me busy on days that I wasn’t doing makeup clients, and to get me out of my mundane office job. I have never been one that’s good at staying on task and I really struggled in a corporate environment. Lashing and working with clients really fulfilled me and cured my need for creativity.
I worked in a home-base setup for two years until I got so busy that I could no longer service all of my incredible clients by myself. I’ve always been a striver, where I want to constantly grow and evolve. I have a hunger for success and I’m so passionate about my clients and their care.
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I entered the 2023 Lash Industry Awards ‘Born This Way’ Creative Lash Competition with a vision and a vague idea on how I was going to execute it. My concept was: Not everything is as we perceive. Sometimes we feel like we don't "fit" into society's expectations, so we pretend everything is ok.
"There were many ideas that I really wanted to encompass in this concept, such as mental health, and how we choose to perceive ourselves on social media. In many different instances, we choose to hide a part of ourselves and only show the world what we want it to see".
I created a fun and beautiful brightly coloured, full volume set. I incorporated blues, purples, pinks and greens to represent the beach where the salon resides, and also where many often go when their emotions are feeling heightened. From the front view, the lashes were fun, playful and positive, much like each of us on the exterior. However, I made the top layer of lashes completely pitch black, which could only be seen when the model hung her head down. This is like many of us who struggle with mental health, we mask our emotions and hide from the world. Very rarely do we let anyone see the darker side of our mind.
This was my personal take on Born This Way.
Paige's tips for entering Creative Lash Art
Plan your concept well - How does it fit into the theme and how does that translate into the written component of the entry.
Allow plenty of time, more than you think you need! Line everything up and dedicate a day to it.
It's all in the details - Add colour, decals and unique wow factor additions. Don't forget that makeup and themed background helps create the bigger picture.
Get professional photography. Your art will stand out with great lighting and high resolution images.
Do what you do best! A beautifully applied lash set is still the goal. Don't forget the competition guidelines.
WINNER / CREATIVE LASH ART
LASH INDUSTRY NEW ZEALAND ONLINE COMPETITION 2023
Paige Travis
Blende Beauty Boutique
Orewa, Auckland
Post Author: Paige Travis