How to Price Your Lash Services for Profit (Not Just to Stay Busy)

Why Most Lash Artists Undercharge

You learned the craft, invested in training, bought the supplies, and built a clientele — but at the end of the month, the numbers don't add up the way you expected. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. Undercharging is one of the most common mistakes lash artists make, and it usually comes from the same place: fear of losing clients.

Here's the truth: pricing your services correctly isn't just about making more money. It's about building a business that's sustainable, that respects your time, and that lets you keep doing what you love without burning out.

Start With Your Real Costs

Before you can set a profitable price, you need to know what it actually costs you to perform a service. Most lash artists only think about supplies — adhesive, lashes, pads — but your real costs go much deeper.

Add up everything:

• Supplies per service (adhesive, lashes, tape, pads, primer)
• Rent or booth fee (divided by your monthly service count)
• Software and tools (booking platform, payment processing)
• Education and certifications (amortized over time)
• Insurance
• Marketing costs
• Your time for setup, cleanup, and admin

Once you've added all of that up, divide by your monthly appointment count. That's your cost per service — and your price needs to exceed that before you earn a single dollar of actual income.

Set a Target Income First

Here's a better way to approach pricing: start with what you want to take home each month, then work backwards.

Let's say you want to earn $5,000/month after expenses. You work 5 days a week and do an average of 4 appointments per day. That's roughly 80 appointments per month.

$5,000 income + $2,000 in expenses = $7,000 in revenue needed.
$7,000 ÷ 80 appointments = $87.50 average ticket.

That's your target average. If your full sets are at $120 and fills are at $65, you're probably close. If your fill price is $45, you have some adjusting to do.

Stop Comparing Your Prices to the Cheapest Artist in Town

When lash artists look at local competition to set prices, they almost always anchor to the lowest prices they find. That's a race to the bottom that nobody wins.

Instead, look at the artists in your area who are fully booked, have a waitlist, and get consistent five-star reviews. What are they charging? Those are the prices the market will support for quality work — and quality is what you're selling.

How to Raise Prices Without Losing Clients

If you've been undercharging and need to raise prices, the good news is that most clients won't leave — especially if you handle it well.

Give notice: let clients know 4-6 weeks in advance. A simple message like "Starting [date], my pricing will be updated to reflect the current cost of supplies and my continued education" is professional and non-apologetic.

Raise incrementally if needed: a $10-15 increase is easier to absorb than a sudden $40 jump. You can raise prices again in 6 months.

The clients who leave over a reasonable price increase were likely never going to be long-term loyal clients anyway. The ones who stay are your real clientele.

The Bottom Line

Pricing isn't just a number — it's a statement about the value of your work. When you price for profit, you can invest in better supplies, better training, and a better experience for your clients. That's what builds a lash business that lasts.

Need help calculating your ideal prices? Mila includes a built-in pricing calculator to help you find the number that works for your business.