How to price lash extensions
Start from the income you need, not from what the studio down the road charges. Work backwards: how much do you want to take home each month, how many appointments can you realistically fit, and what does each one cost you to deliver?
The calculator does exactly that. It spreads your monthly expenses across the appointments you do, adds the supplies used in each one, and adds the share of your take-home goal each appointment has to earn. Then it adds a little extra to cover the card fee, so the money that lands in your account is the money you planned for.
The most useful number to enter is an honest average appointment length. A full set can take two and a half to three hours, a fill an hour to ninety minutes. If you do a mix, use the blended average, and remember that time includes the consultation, patch checks, cleaning your station and writing notes.
What to include in your costs
Most lash artists remember the lashes and glue and forget everything else. Count all of it.
- Lashes, adhesive, primer, remover, tape, pads, tweezers that wear out and gloves, as an average per appointment
- Booth, suite or studio rent, and the share of your utilities
- Booking and payment software, plus any website cost
- Liability insurance and any licence or renewal fees
- Marketing: photos, ads, a model for a content day
- Other costs such as laundry, laminated aftercare cards, continuing education and towels
Enter supplies per appointment and everything else per month. If you are unsure, track one month of receipts. Many artists are surprised that supplies are only a modest slice and rent plus unpaid time is the real cost.
Average lash extensions prices (and why yours may differ)
Lash prices vary a lot by city, experience and set type. As a rough guide, a classic full set often falls somewhere between $100 and $200, hybrid and volume sets between $130 and $300 or more, and fills between $50 and $110 depending on how many weeks since the last visit. Removals commonly cost $20 to $50.
Your price may sit above or below those ranges for good reasons. A mapping specialist with a waiting list can charge more. A newer artist building a client base may start lower, as long as the price still covers break-even. A studio in a high-rent city needs a higher base price than a home studio. Use the ranges only as a sanity check. If the calculator's answer is far outside them, check your inputs before you check your confidence.
When to raise your prices
Raise prices when the numbers say so, not when you feel brave. Good signals include:
- Your calendar is full or booked several weeks ahead
- Your supply costs or rent have gone up
- You have added training, a new technique or strong reviews
- Your effective hourly rate has dropped below what you earn in the chair per hour you would accept
- You are working more than 180 hours a month to hit your goal
A small, regular increase of $5 to $10 is easier on clients than a large jump once a year. Give existing clients a few weeks of notice, and keep fill prices tied to the new set price so the menu stays consistent.
Common pricing mistakes
These are the errors that quietly drain a lash business.
- Pricing fills too low. A fill often takes nearly as long as a set once you count prep, so check its hourly rate separately.
- Ignoring unbillable time such as messaging, consults, cleaning and admin.
- Forgetting card fees and the cost of no-shows.
- Copying a competitor's menu without knowing their costs.
- Discounting to fill the calendar instead of raising the price and reducing hours.
- Leaving out your own tax. Set aside a percentage of every payment so the tax bill is not a surprise.
