When it comes to tipping for eyelash extensions, several clients wonder what would be an appropriate tip for a lash extension service.
Instead of giving a generic number like most websites do if you do a little google search, I wanted to know exactly how much people tip their lash artist.
So, I decided to do something never been done before. I pulled all the transactions from my lash salon, Divine Lashes, and compiled the results. I thought my findings were very interesting and wanted to share them with you.
In this article, I will show go in-depth about tipping etiquette in the eyelash extension industry and share the results of my case study.
With this information in hand, you’ll be able to decide if and how much you want to tip your lash artist.
Let’s get started!
How Much to Tip for Eyelash Extensions?
| Tip for Eyelash Extensions | Classic Lashes | Volume Lashes |
| Average Tip | 22% | 24% |
| Minimum Tip | 8% | 9% |
| Maximum Tip | 36% | 47% |
Let’s review the main takeaways for each of the categories.
- Classic Lash extensions: The average tip for classic lashes is 22% while a minimum is 8% and a maximum is 36%.
- Volume lash extensions: The average tip for volume lashes is 24% while a minimum is 9% and a maximum is 47%.
If you do search online what is the standard tip for eyelash extension services, you might find various opinions with different ranges.
While they are interesting, I wanted to have a better understanding of how much clients tip their eyelash stylists on average.
Lucky for me, I happen to own an eyelash extension salon with a strong team of lash stylists!
The idea was born.
I decided to collect all the transactions from the current year and compiled the results in Excel. This looks like a lot of work at a first glance, but it isn’t. I simply extracted the transactions from my terminal and voilà! Microsoft Excel did its magic.
Did these numbers surprise you?
After all these years in the lash industry, I expected something around 20%. Finding that clients tip 22% on average for classic lashes only confirms my intuition.
Removing Zeros
Now, I have something to tell you…
You probably noticed that the minimum in the above table is not 0%. That doesn’t make sense since someone leaving no tip would be considered a 0%.
As you probably know, the average is a calculation heavily skewed by outlier numbers.
It’s hard to have a bigger outlier than 0%!
Therefore, I decided to remove the 0% from my calculations. It makes the average a less representative metric if I leave them in.
Yes, some clients decide not to leave any tips. It’s uncommon but it does happen. And it’s totally fine.
The decision to leave a tip to your lash stylist is a personal one. You shouldn’t feel pressured to leave a tip. Tipping your lash stylist should reflect your appreciation for the service and care you received.
But by curiosity, if I were to leave the 0%, the average is about 3% lower. Again, not much of a surprise here.
Classic vs Volume
Another interesting finding from my table is the fact that clients typically tip a little more for volume lashes when compared to classic lashes.
I’m not sure if this is due to the fact that volume lashes are recognized and perceived as a more difficult technique that requires more skills and therefore, should be tipped a little more.
Or maybe, that’s just a coincidence in my data.
Maximum Tips
Lastly, I want to discuss the maximum tips from my table. It looks impressive at first, but keep in mind that these are percentages and not absolute numbers.
For instance, the 36% maximum tip for classic was a 20$ tip on a 55$ refill. Ok yes, that’s a huge tip when compared to the value of the appointment. But it’s definitely not the biggest tip when you look at the dollar figures.
Should You Tip for Eyelash Extensions?
Tipping for eyelash extensions is always appreciated, but not required. Leaving a tip is a choice. It allows the client to show a level of appreciation for the service received.
Depending on the situation, people will often leave a tip, sometimes not. But what tipping etiquette looks like varies widely from person to person and even from state to state.
There are plenty of reasons why you may choose to tip your lash stylist or not.
Why You Should Tip Your Lash Stylist
When you book an appointment at an eyelash salon, you’re trusting that professional with more than just your lashes. You’re entrusting them with your time, too.
Here are 4 reasons why leaving a tip for a lash stylist is a good idea.
- Leaving a tip is a way of showing appreciation for the service you received.
- Leaving a tip shows that you appreciate how much time and effort was put into your lashes. Applying eyelash extensions is very meticulous work that requires years of training to perfect.
- Leaving a tip helps with the livelihood of the stylist.
- Leaving a tip helps build a rapport with your lash stylist.
The amount you tip should be relative to the value of the service you received. If you’re generally happy with the service, you can tip a little more.
Why You Shouldn’t Tip Your Lash Stylist
The idea of not leaving a tip can make some people feel awkward or even guilty – but there are a few reasons why you may choose not to leave one.
Here are 3 reasons you could decide to reduce your tip or not leave any.
- You’re broke. You should only leave a tip if you can afford it. Some people just can’t because they are going through a rough patch in their life. Some might say eyelash extensions are a luxury service and I generally agree. But for some women, lash extensions are a necessity!
- The service was bad. There’s nothing worse than getting terrible service. If you are unsatisfied with your lashes, if the stylist is rude or doesn’t listen to your needs, if the whole experience is not enjoyable, you can certainly let the stylist know by no tipping.
- It’s hard to know who receives the tip. A tip should always be directed to the lash stylist who performed the service and no one else. Also, it should be 100% allocated to the stylist. The salon shouldn’t take a cut under any circumstances.
Do You Tip for Eyelash Extensions at Home?
When you’re looking to get your lash extensions done, you can decide to go to a lash studio or a lash artist working from home.
It begs the question.
What is an appropriate gratuity for eyelash extensions when going to a home-based stylist?
While it is true that lash artists working from home will not have the typical salon overhead costs, they still have to pay for their products and tools.
Today, I’m a lash stylist who works in a salon (my own!) but I have worked from home for several years before that.
From my own experience, I can say that my clients were just as generous when I used to work from home. I receiving roughly the same tip percentage as I am receiving today.
Most clients leave between 15% to 25% when I worked from home. Of course, I can not speak about other lash stylists and these are only my experiences.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to tipping for eyelash extensions, the choice is personal. My case study found that clients on average tipped 22% of their service total cost for classic eyelash extension services – that means if your bill was $100 then you would leave a $22 tip on top of what you already paid.
Fun Fact: Did you know that eyelash extensions cost on average $164 for a classic set? Find out how much people spend on classic, hybrid, and volume lash extensions here!
Some people are more generous or less depending on what they can afford and how much value they see in our services. The vast majority of all customers left between 15% and 25% gratuity.
If you’re not sure about how much to leave as a tip, start with something small like 10%. You can always bump up your gratuity if you have an amazing experience!
Finally, I just wanted to leave you with a picture of a beautiful set of lashes I have done recently. Just because 🙂 You can see more before and after pictures of lash extensions here.
– Asako 🙂
Hi! I would like to know what type of tip you would expect from a client that provides their own products. I have a lash allergy and provide my own lashes & glue. I pay full service fee, just as a client who doesn’t provide the products. So while I do understand there are still other overhead costs, I’m curious what you might expect as a salon owner.
Thanks!
Hi Lacey,
That’s an interesting one as I’ve never had a client who brings their own products. In my salons, lash artists don’t have to pay for their products, we do. Therefore, I don’t think that should be a factor when considering the tip you would leave for the artist who performed the service.