The Untold Truths of Black Friday: Debunking Popular Myths
We get a little bit excited about Black Friday weekend every year - there’s an undeniable buzz surrounding this particular sale period and we all get caught up in it, but what actually is Black Friday?
Black Friday History Myths and Facts
There are several myths surrounding the origin of ‘Black Friday’ - the most famous, and arguably most glamorous, is a conspiracy concocted by two stock market financiers who bought up as much gold in America as they could so that they could sell it later at super high profits. When their plan was unravelled the day after Thanksgiving, shops who had been operating ‘in the red’ (at a financial loss) were finally able to register their takings ‘in the black’, ie. at a profit.
Where did Black Friday originate?
In actual fact, it was to do with the raucous behaviour of the crowds that flocked to Philadelphia in anticipation of the Army vs Navy annual football game on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving, which caused a headache for the police force year after year. The term ‘Black Friday’ didn’t quite catch on across the US until years later, and took longer still to expand across the pond to the UK and other countries around the world.
Now we see it everywhere, and with the digital age on the rise we saw the addition of Cyber Monday in 2005, which has turned the single day sale into a 4 day weekend, during which time retailers and shoppers alike can get swept up in the excitement of the season!
As interesting as the albeit dark history of the term Black Friday is, we know you probably have some questions about what this sale means for you and your orders, so we’ve put together a little FAQ based on the last four years of London Lash Black Friday sales to help you!
FAQs:
What is the current DOP of the glue and its shelf life?
The shelf life of an unopened London Lash glue is 6 months from the date of production. We just had a new delivery for Black Friday so all lash glues will be perfectly fine if you stock up with a few! Just remember to store them in an airtight container, away from direct sunlight, protect them from high temperatures, and only buy what you will definitely use! We’d recommend only buying what you’ll use within 4 months to be on the safe side.
Why should I not stock up on glue?
Glues are a perishable product. Meaning just like with food and other cosmetic products, they have a shelf life and a best-before date. The full shelf life of London Lash adhesives is 6 months from the date of production, given they have been stored correctly during that time.
The best-before date of the lash glue is essentially when it is as fresh as possible. So whilst we understand a bargain is a bargain, just keep in mind that lash retention = client retention, and so we always want to be working with super fresh glue to get that 10/10 retention! Eyelash extension glue can last for up to 2 months after opening, so make sure you make a note of the date you opened it so that you can keep track of this. The easiest way to do this is to stick a small piece of tape to the bottom of the bottle with the date that you opened it written on it.
To ensure optimal freshness, we’d recommend changing out your bottle of glue every 4 weeks, but it will still be perfectly fine to use at 8 weeks as long as it’s stored correctly and you take care of the bottle itself! Just remember to keep your glue nozzle clean as a whistle to ensure the product inside stays fresh.
How fast can I get my delivery?
Depending on your country/region, there are various delivery methods available to you at the checkout. For most regions, we offer Express and Standard delivery options. Express delivery will be slightly more expensive than Standard, but if you have clients booked in and you’re running out of stock, it’s always best to be on the safe side and pick that guaranteed delivery! Please always check the Shipping Info page on your local London Lash website to check the delivery options and be aware of the cut-off times for same-day dispatch. A lot of couriers will only operate on a Monday-to-Friday basis, so please take the weekend into consideration when you’re ordering your lash goodies!
Remember! During peak seasons (Black Friday, Cyber Monday & Christmas) delays are always possible, and unfortunately, to be expected, so please factor this in when purchasing during this time, just to avoid any disappointment.
How can you do such big sales?
Our decision when setting the prices for our major sales is largely driven by two key factors;
Creating an entry price point for new customers to try our products
Catering to our long-standing, well-loved customers
These discounts benefit you in three ways:
Increased profitability as each lash set will cost you such a small amount
You don’t have to set aside time to place another order when you could be lashing
You can offer new clients an introductory discount and not lose your profit margins
In terms of how we can offer such great prices for our customers, you can order lash supplies from eBay and Amazon for lower prices, but the fact of the matter is that these products are not put through the same level of quality control that those same (or similar, we should say) products go through when they are supplied by a reputable brand. They may not be regulated, they may not promise longevity, they won’t cover you if you encounter any issues and they may not be safe for your clients.
Aside from quality control (of which there is a lot, by the way) you have to consider the cost of the product, the cost of the packaging, the cost of shipping; the design team’s time, the marketing team’s time, the warehouse operatives’ time, and loads more factors, so looking at the price of any given product and comparing that to what you can get on a site like Amazon is a bit like comparing a Formula 1 car to a go-cart made from cardboard boxes.
Sale prices at any given time are less about profits and more about helping out customers - they’re about generating a buzz around a product and just giving people the chance to try things they’re a little nervous about trying at full price.
What we can guarantee is that all the products on our shelves are extremely fresh. Every product except the tweezers are ordered fresh every month so that our stock rotation always boasts the freshest batch from the manufacturers to your orders.
I’m a newbie lash tech and want to try some products, what should I order?
Yay! Congratulations on passing your Classic Lash training! We’re honored you have chosen us as your trusted lash supplier to start your career off with.
To give you the lowdown on what to purchase as a beginner lash tech, here is a little list with some of our best-sellers and absolute must-haves:
Glue
As a beginner, you’ll be looking more at glues like Lady Bond or Satin Bond which have a more gradual drying time. For the most accurate suggestion, you’ll need to know:
Your room temperature
Your room humidity
How long it takes you to place an extension on the natural lash after you’ve dipped it into the glue
It’s worth investing in a hygrometer to keep an eye on your typical room conditions. If you’re considering some glue accessories as well, our top choices are the Airtight Container to store your glue in, and the Mini Cooli fan to blow away any glue fumes from your client at the end of the treatment.
Hygrometer!
Keeping track of your room conditions is a vital part of ensuring your glue behaves as you need it to. A hygrometer, to that end, is an essential part of any lash tech's kit.
Pretreatment - Foaming Shampoo, Cleanser, Primer
As a beginner you may not need a product such as Booster as you're unlikely to be working with lash fans initially, and you will be wanting a lash glue that dries slightly on the slower side to allow you time to isolate and place your lash! If you’re on a very tight budget, you could skip straight to Shampoo & Protein Pads, but if possible we recommend going the extra mile with pre-treatment. When you’re just starting out, client retention is everything and - as you’ll know from your training - improper pre-treatment is one of the biggest causes of retention problems. So correct and thorough pre-treatment is definitely worth the investment.
Lashes, of Course!
The best lashes for you will depend on your preferences and the look you are hoping to achieve, but in quite general terms our best-selling Classic lashes are 0.12 and 0.15 thicknesses. Whether you decide to go for Mayfair or Chelsea is entirely up to you, but if you’re wanting to know the difference, here is a really brief summary:
Mayfair - Dark, Shiny & Bold
Chelsea - Natural, semi-matte
Almost all lashes are available in mixed and single lengths trays so that you can either try out a bit of everything or get all of the lengths you love best and use the most. We have a few different curls on offer, but the best-sellers are C, CC and D curls across all ranges and this will work for nearly all clients as you start out.
Which tweezers you pick will depend on your preference - some of us prefer a straight tweezer for isolation whilst others prefer a slight angle or even a complete curve. Whichever you choose will work perfectly well for isolation and classic lashes, but why not get a couple pairs to test them out and have a back up just in case you drop them!
Eyepatches/Tape
The last & final newbie product suggestion is eyepatches and tape! Eyepatches are more comfortable for your clients but can be difficult to place perfectly when you’re not completely used to it. Also they don’t always fit perfectly and tape down every little bottom lash, so you will always end up using tape to keep down those pesky little corner lashes.
Foam tape can be cut to the shape you need for each individual client, and actually works out cheaper in the long run. They’re also great if your client is a little bit sensitive to any of the ingredients in the gel on the eyepatches. Lastly, our 3M Micropore Tape is the last suggestion, which you can use to lift up the eyelid to see the corner lashes, and offer a bit of extra help to keep the eyepatches in place during the treatment.
Is there a limit to how many products I can buy? Why?
There are limits on nearly all the products on our websites. The limit is usually around 10 pieces per product. This isn’t because we want to be mean or upset anyone, we just want to be sure that every product you open is fresh, working perfectly, and puts a smile on your face. We also want to make sure there’s enough of everything to go around!
If you’re hoping to buy more than 10 units, i.e for your busy salons, please get in touch with our lovely CS team by emailing info@londonlashpro.com and remember to include the details of your salons so we can verify you and grant you access to purchase!
I have a discount code, can I use this on top of the sale?
Unfortunately, discount codes cannot be used in conjunction with sales. If you would rather use your discount code to purchase than purchase with the sale price, you will need to wait until the sale is over and the product is back up to 100% RRP. During the sale period, all discount codes will be disabled.
I made a mistake on my order, what should I do?
Unfortunately, due to the super fast time orders fly from our systems to our warehouse team, we cannot amend orders once they have been placed. The best thing to do is to get in touch with our CS team via Live Chat and request for your order to be canceled so you can place it again. We can’t guarantee we are able to cancel orders for you, but it may be possible if the order was just placed. Please take into consideration our working hours, which can be found on our website.
I ordered too many products, can I return some?
You are welcome to return any unwanted and unused items in their original packaging within 14 days of receiving the item(s).
If you wish to return any item for any reason, you are invited to first contact our Customer Care team. Please send an email to info@londonlashpro.com to discuss any specifics and receive further instructions.
Unwanted returned items can be refunded, or exchanged for an alternative item. In the unusual event that an item breaks or no longer works correctly within a warranty period, the 14 day deadline will be extended.
Please note that in the unusual circumstances of receiving a faulty item, the fault needs to be addressed to our Customer Care team at the earliest opportunity, at a maximum of 5 days from receipt of the item.
We will always try to make any returns process as simple as possible, and will always work with you to find out how to improve your experience with that particular product, or to find an alternative.
We might need to ask some follow up questions - not because we don’t trust you, but because we want to know the nitty-gritty and solve the problem from the very root!
How long will the sale be running for?
We can’t give away too many details on how the sale will operate this year, but we recommend getting in there whilst you can! This year is set to be our biggest sale yet!
