How Much Should a Lash Tech Be Charging Per Hour?

One of the biggest questions for lash techs building their business is: how much should I actually be charging per hour?

There isn’t one set price that every lash tech should charge. Your hourly rate will depend on your experience, location, treatment times, overheads, products, qualifications and the type of lash services you offer. However, understanding your hourly earnings can help you make sure your prices are working for your business rather than simply covering your costs.

Don't Just Look at the Price of the Treatment

It can be tempting to look at what other lash techs are charging and copy their prices, but there is much more to pricing than the final treatment cost.

For example, if you charge £50 for a full set that takes you three hours, your treatment income works out at around £16.67 per hour before you take away your business expenses.

Those expenses could include your lash extensions, adhesive, tweezers, cleansing products, disposables, rent, electricity, insurance, booking software, marketing and other business costs.

This is why it's important to work backwards from the amount you actually want to earn.

Calculate Your Desired Hourly Rate

Start by deciding what you would like to earn for your working time.

If you want to earn £25 per hour from your treatments and a full set takes three hours, you'd need to charge at least £75 before accounting for your other business expenses.

Your prices may therefore need to be higher than you initially expect once you factor everything in.

It's also worth remembering that not every hour you spend working is a treatment hour. You may spend time replying to messages, ordering stock, creating content, cleaning your workspace, doing accounts and dealing with cancellations.

Your treatment prices need to contribute towards those hours too.

Consider Your Experience

Your experience can also influence your pricing.

A newly qualified lash tech may initially charge less while building confidence, speed and a client base. As your skills develop, your treatment times may become quicker and your results more consistent.

An experienced lash artist may be able to charge more because clients are paying for their expertise, technique, retention knowledge and overall experience — not simply the time spent applying lashes.

This means your prices don't necessarily need to stay the same throughout your career.

Your Location Matters

Where you are based can also have an impact on what clients are used to paying.

Prices can vary considerably between different towns, cities and regions, so researching other local lash businesses can be useful when reviewing your prices.

However, don't automatically choose the cheapest price you can find.

Instead, look at businesses offering a similar service, experience level and treatment quality. Then consider how your own costs and desired income compare.

Don't Forget Your Lash Products

Your products are another important part of your pricing.

Using quality professional lash products comes with a cost, and that cost needs to be reflected in your treatment prices.

At Phatlash, we supply professional lash products including lash extensions, adhesives, tweezers and other essentials for lash techs.

For example, our Superbond Lash Glue is a 10ml adhesive with a 1–2 second drying time, designed for lash artists working within its recommended environmental conditions.

If you're using professional-quality products to create your sets, make sure you're calculating their cost per treatment rather than simply looking at the price of the bottle or tray.

Think About How Long Each Treatment Takes

Different lash treatments can have very different treatment times.

A classic full set, hybrid set and Russian volume set shouldn't necessarily all have the same price just because they're all "full sets".

When setting your prices, consider:

• How long the treatment takes
• How much product you use
• Your skill level
• Your overheads
• The complexity of the treatment
• The result you're providing
• The income you want to generate

For example, Russian volume treatments can require more time and more lash extensions than a classic set, meaning your pricing should reflect the additional work involved.

What About Infill Prices?

The same calculation applies to infills.

If an infill takes you 90 minutes and you're charging £25, that's only around £16.67 per treatment hour before expenses.

This is why it's useful to regularly review your treatment timings and prices.

If you're becoming faster at your treatments, you don't necessarily have to reduce your prices. Your improved efficiency can increase your effective hourly earnings.

Don't Undervalue Your Time

One of the biggest mistakes new lash techs can make is pricing their services too low because they're worried about losing clients.

Your time has value.

You're not just charging for the hours a client spends on your lash bed. You're charging for your training, skills, products, equipment, experience, business costs and the result you provide.

Your prices should allow you to run a sustainable business rather than leaving you working long hours for very little profit.

When Should You Increase Your Prices?

There doesn't have to be one specific point when you increase your prices.

You may decide to review them when:

• Your diary is consistently full
• Your treatment times have improved
• Your experience has increased
• Your product costs have increased
• Your business expenses have increased
• You've added new qualifications or treatments
• You realise your current prices aren't providing the income you need

A price increase doesn't have to be dramatic. Even a small adjustment can make a difference when you're doing multiple treatments every week.

So, How Much Should a Lash Tech Charge Per Hour?

There isn't a universal hourly rate that applies to every lash tech.

Instead of asking "What does everyone else charge?", ask yourself:

"What do I need to charge to make my business profitable and pay myself fairly for my time?"

Calculate your treatment costs, business expenses, desired income and average treatment times. From there, you can create prices that make sense for both you and your clients.

Your pricing should grow alongside your skills and your business. Don't be afraid to review it regularly and make changes when your circumstances change.

Looking for professional lash supplies? Shop Phatlash for lash extensions, adhesives, tweezers and more to help you create your treatments with professional products.