Brow Business and Easy Profits for Beauty Pros 

[00:00:00] Chrissie: ​If you already have a room. a location or even just renting a spot you can start immediately and the good thing with brow services is they are profitable right away 

[00:00:17] Darine: Welcome to this week's episode of Beauty Babble. Today, we're talking all about brows. Joining us to talk all things brows is Chrissy Parashos, and she is the Director of Education for RefectoCell and their Global Educator as well. Chrissy, welcome. Thanks so much for joining us today. Why don't you kick it off and  

[00:00:40] Chrissie: tell us a little bit more about yourself. 

[00:00:43] Chrissie: Hey, yeah, thank you so much for having me on here, Tara. It's a pleasure to be here. So yeah, so my name is Chrissy and I am, as you mentioned, the Director of Education and for Reflective Soul and Global Trainer, but I did start off first as an aesthetician, so I am, in my background, I have the Aesthetics Diploma, [00:01:00] and You know, I've always liked the beauty industry as I was a young child, surprisingly or not, I wanted to be a hairdresser before but as soon as I found out that you have to like cut straight and I always had an issue as a child drawing straight lines, anything straight, I said forget that, can't do that and then I looked into the field of the aesthetics and I said yeah, you know what, I actually like helping people feel good, feel good, you know look good. 

[00:01:24] Chrissie: And that's how I started in 2000. And then it's you know, I started a little bit of doing mobile services, helping people. Actually, I did help people a lot who were in If that the right word isn't compromise like they had some kind of health issue maybe they had a stroke Or they couldn't be mobile. 

[00:01:43] Chrissie: So I would actually go to their places and give them the manicures pedicures massages, keep their body the blood flowing with the massages because some of them were older if they had a stroke So it was pretty much Really rewarding and helping people. It was the beauty industry, but in a different way of helping And that's how the [00:02:00] aesthetic era started for me  

[00:02:03] Suzanne: Nice. 

[00:02:04] Suzanne: You know what? It's funny you say hair styling because that's actually I was I went into school to register for hair You did Wait a second. What's this all about? Because I'm going to go back even farther. I didn't know about it, so I get that. So yes, no hair for me either.  

[00:02:21] Chrissie: Yeah, no, that was Nothing against the stylists. 

[00:02:24] Chrissie: Nothing against stylists. You know, actually, it's their artists as well. They do amazing work, yeah. Yeah. Yes.  

[00:02:31] Suzanne: So after that, you had a little bit of a hiatus, right? I think you said, and then you stumbled into a different path, which I thought, you know, that's why I wanted to bring you on and try to share and show people that there's a lot of different avenues in this industry. 

[00:02:46] Suzanne: So even if you're doing, let's say the browse, Artistry only or the business of browse, then it can lead you in different ways. So can you tell us how you stumbled into that last, this part of your chapter, which you're still doing, I [00:03:00] guess, right? I am, yeah,  

[00:03:02] Chrissie: oh, yeah, that's true. Yeah, so basically it's you know, I had fallen sick and, and, and bedridden, so I Lost a job that I had full time because of that. 

[00:03:13] Chrissie: I wasn't able to be mobile and then I needed a job again You know money support so as I was getting better with my health I had a friend who their father owns a company that I'm right now And they said they're looking for an esthetician. I'm like, oh, that's great. I need a job. They're like, yeah come apply for it I did they brought me on with the knowledge that I haven't as a student I was able to help their company grow with the different products they were carrying, whether it was disinfectants the lash and brow styling products. 

[00:03:42] Chrissie: And, you know, you start first with being a receptionist. Ah, you know, I spoke French too so I was helping to help their French market with their French distributors. Started as that. Then I started to assist different customers. Categories in the company like assisting the brand manager for infection control [00:04:00] and that's actually in the infection control part where the education kind of feel started that when I'm like I actually enjoy teaching because I was going into schools and distributors and doing little mini infection control classes. 

[00:04:14] Chrissie: And and I'm like, you know what? I'd love to further this. What else can I do? And obviously the company saw that, wow, great educator, great speaker is good around people. And then their, the, the job opportunity came to be the lead trainer for Refectacil. And teaching about brows and lashes, so totally, like, the services of, like, I, I, I, you know, I went from doing pedicures, manicures, you know, massages, facials, and then now teaching, teaching specifically right now for the last, maybe, I can say ten years. 

[00:04:46] Chrissie: on brow lash and brow styling and helping professionals you know, these services because they bring great revenue. They're quick and easy services. If you're missing, if you're not offering these right now, and [00:05:00] especially after the pandemic. You know, when people like during the pandemic, we're wearing our masks, it's covering portion of our face where we can be more expressible. 

[00:05:09] Chrissie: And it's only just our eyes showing. So our lashes and our brows played an important role. So even then even more, I became more deep delved into the lash and brow industry. And just Now teach it a lot. Do webinars, do, I do in person classes, stage presence at shows. And then for the, for a while now we're trying to help professionals know even just the brow industry, you know. 

[00:05:37] Chrissie: Yes, the lash brings as well the revenue, but did you know that just brows are Brow styling can earn you, you know, a hundred thousand dollars a year extra if you even you're a hairstylist, you know what I mean? So the passion of educating on refecta silt and the lash and brow services is where I stick now, where I thrive and grow and help other beauty professionals offer these services or even potentially [00:06:00] teach. 

[00:06:01] Suzanne: Is this that's interesting because when you talk about the brow business, people do forget it's just a brow tint or lamination shape, but can you actually like, I think it's amazing that you've discovered another avenue if you wish for people to uncover and start to learn if you're in this industry or even not in this industry, because not all provinces in Canada are Licensed so some people can go ahead and do that on its own. 

[00:06:26] Suzanne: Otherwise have to look at their province regulation, right? but what did what did you discover like What did you notice that was lacking? I don't know if lacking is the right word missing and how did you Uncover that and show them this new I don't know open their lens to more I guess you could say  

[00:06:44] Chrissie: also the lacking could be a good word because what I notice is in education in schools too, where they don't really focus a lot on brow styling or even lash styling, you know, they're focusing on skincare, facials, [00:07:00] massages, pedicures, manicures. 

[00:07:02] Chrissie: Even when I went to school, unfortunately when I went to school tinting wasn't even allowed because tinting actually in Canada became allowed in 2005 and we helped with our educational program to bring it to Health Canada. And make it aware that if we're teaching people correctly, yes, can we have this in the curriculum? 

[00:07:18] Chrissie: So still it's lacking in the school of teaching it more and more. They're getting on board with it because they're seeing it as a service that's very requested. So why not train the students within the, the the curriculum on this, right? So I don't know if that was exactly kind of like getting to, to your, to your, what was lacking also, as I mentioned, like, before the pandemic the services were being Mm People were doing them, right? 

[00:07:45] Chrissie: But not a lot of people understood what it does for you. So it was also a lack of knowledge of, I wouldn't say lack of knowledge, but maybe lack of explaining to your customers what a brow styling or a lash styling can do for your appearance, [00:08:00] you know, and what it can minimize. It can minimize you having to wake up every day and put on makeup. 

[00:08:05] Chrissie: If you want to look presentable, not look tired or not look like a zombie going to work, you know, if you're a busy mother and has Prepare children school this before they go to work. These services are making your life  

[00:08:16] Darine: easy,  

[00:08:16] Chrissie: right? It's like that saying that they had. I don't know how many years ago, but I woke up like this. 

[00:08:20] Chrissie: I woke like that, you know, like that. Yeah. So so they wake up there. Their lashes and brows are pointed place. They pop some lipstick. So it's just that awareness of letting the customers know why they would need to get this done. So it plays a role with the education with the professionals and then after the pandemic. 

[00:08:38] Chrissie: The influx like the the people who wanted to get these services because they understood what it can do because of that mask wearing right and now it's a stability like after the pandemic people have maintained clients and a lot of salons and spas have increased customers because of that increase these services and a lot more brow bars have opened. 

[00:08:59] Chrissie: [00:09:00] After the pandemic, because of the importance specifically of brows, we know what our brows can do for our appearance or look, they frame our face, right? So  

[00:09:09] Suzanne: when you think something so small as eyebrows, the business of just brows, you know, and you think, you know, that's a lot of brows, you've got to do in a day. 

[00:09:18] Suzanne: Yeah, you mentioned, you mentioned that it's well, one training. So I guess that's an important step to make sure you're getting the right training and when you say training What are some things that you could tell our listeners that they should look for if they're seeking out training or they want to learn? 

[00:09:33] Suzanne: More they want to advance their skills and be better You know more skillful in the artistry of browse What would you recommend? Or what have you seen out there?  

[00:09:43] Chrissie: What have I seen? Well, there are a lot of, you know a big part of the brow world is brow shaping. You know, like getting trained to properly, because even when we go back to the part about going to school and learning about brows, even shaping the brows, we weren't really, even now I hear that they don't really teach [00:10:00] that. 

[00:10:00] Chrissie: So. Once you enhance like if it takes some extra workshops or stuff like that or online courses to enhance even your brow shaping it complements your service of a brow lamination or a brow tinting as well right so look for brow shaping if courses or education because if you're not Well, what's the word? 

[00:10:21] Chrissie: I'm not comfortable with doing that, right? Because brow shaping can be either waxing, tweezing, you know, threading and that is a little tricky when it's a brow because once you can do something wrong, it's, you know, it's a hit and miss. You know, your brows, sometimes brows don't want to go back or look and you ruin that frame, right? 

[00:10:37] Chrissie: When it comes to like a brow lamination corset, like brow lamination and sorry, and tinting because they complement as well each other. If it was something that you weren't taught in school, look at, like, we have provided a great website, educational website, to get you even just to dip your feet a little bit and, and see why these services are [00:11:00] something you'd want to get into and bring in. 

[00:11:01] Chrissie: Because as we had mentioned about the business of Browse it doesn't require a lot of space to start Browse business. You know, you can even start off with just a chair and a trolley and you can start offering your brow services, you know, so and your revenue, what you can earn back from doing around brow services for the year where it requires little space, not a lot of product, quick and easy services, yet your return of investment is great. 

[00:11:27] Chrissie: So a lot of people forget that, so I always say, check our website, educate yourself on why browse services are important, and the courses for these type of services are not It's going to take you another year or so. They're, they're a little bit quicker. The fee should be less. And we do as well have online courses on the brow services as well that are quick and get you started right away onto that journey of brow styling, right? 

[00:11:53] Chrissie: Right.  

[00:11:54] Suzanne: Has it only been the one product line that you've worked with? Have you had an opportunity to work with different lines at [00:12:00] all? Yeah.  

[00:12:00] Chrissie: Working with them as in educating. No, because I stuck to Rebecca. But playing with them and testing and maybe even trying it with my customers. Yes, I've, I've, I've worked with other, you know, that builds knowledge for yourself as well. 

[00:12:16] Chrissie: When you don't just stick with the one brand, like meaning I'm teaching it. I have to, you know, part of like, of course, But educate yourself with the other brands what's out there, you know, so that in your training too You're knowledgeable to know what is out there. What are different? What's the word called? 

[00:12:31] Chrissie: Losing on words like innovations what are the new innovations out there? So you keep you know in the beauty industry as a statisticians we have to keep ourselves always There's always something new coming out, right? So I always try to keep myself educated in that sense. But I yeah, I played around just to grow my Knowledge, right? 

[00:12:51] Chrissie: You  

[00:12:52] Darine: talk about the, you just talked about like keeping up with the trends. Yes. What are some, are there some current trends [00:13:00] that folks can be adding as services? Cause when I think, when I did browse, I didn't really do lamination. I don't think lamination was a thing back then. Like I think lamination has hit big now. 

[00:13:13] Darine: Is there anything else coming or like, how is somebody, when we're talking about the business of browse, how do you stay on top, what are the coming trends and how do you keep adding to your service?  

[00:13:24] Chrissie: Yeah, so obviously first of all be be part of communities groups Brands that you work with follow them because obvious Brands will be coming out with new innovations to keep up with the market, right? 

[00:13:37] Chrissie: So that's how I I try to do it to you know Be part of forums and this and that but a trends Like you said the brow lamination actually didn't start kicking in until like about 2018 and then 2020 19 when we even got our brow lamination like 2020 Already it boomed, right? But another trend is the hybrid, like the type of hybrid tinting that's pretty [00:14:00] popular, right? 

[00:14:00] Chrissie: It's been popular for a while now for a couple of years, maybe even after pandemic, it, it became big, bigger where you get that staining effect and also that coloring effect of the hair. Because we talk about oxidative tints, oxidative tints are when you're tinting, your brows are the same, like how you color your hair. 

[00:14:18] Chrissie: So it's just. coloring the hair on the brow, but as some people mature or some people their brows thin out or get more patchy what is that something that can work for them? And the innovation is that type of hybrid tint that will stain and color the hair. So that's what's new. Become very big and as well, like your ombre brows, that's very big as well. 

[00:14:41] Chrissie: Either whether you're using a pencil or like you're doing yourself the ombre or when you're using a staining system or when you're using a tinting system, the ombre brows is very popular. And then there's like little types of innovations that I don't. They were cool when you thought of it and when they came out and now it's like I don't know if they're using it still but there is also brow [00:15:00] extensions. 

[00:15:00] Chrissie: I don't know if you've heard that. Have you heard? Yeah. So the funny thing is, maybe about,  

[00:15:05] Suzanne: yeah,  

[00:15:06] Chrissie: maybe about ten, twelve years ago maybe? I said to myself, I literally had a dream, I'm like, oh my gosh, what if, what if? There's such thing as brow extensions and literally a month later, I'm, I see on the news like brow extensions where you can actually have little pieces of hair to put onto the brow to make it look fuller and it's going to last two days or so, but that was an innovation. 

[00:15:27] Chrissie: And now one more thing about a newer innovation is the, you might've seen this too, is when, you know how you do a spray tan,  

[00:15:34] Suzanne: they  

[00:15:35] Chrissie: have that method now for your brows. So yes, great. Yeah, I do. Yeah. Yeah. So it helps that hybrid tinting to be applied a little bit faster. So that's something I'm curious about just to see how that works like play around with that innovation. 

[00:15:48] Chrissie: But that's the latest that I've kept myself, you know, up to date to see what's happening. Yeah.  

[00:15:54] Suzanne: I know with the makeup world, the spray what was it called again? I can't remember.  

[00:15:58] Chrissie: I forgot the, the, [00:16:00] the airbrushing. The airbrushing. Oh, airbrushing. There we go. Thank you. Yeah. I didn't  

[00:16:04] Suzanne: realize that they're figuring that into the tinting process of it. 

[00:16:08] Suzanne: That's pretty incredible.  

[00:16:09] Chrissie: Yeah, I guess, you know, just to figure out how to speed up a process, maybe how to make it or if people are a little bit like if a professional is not really good at getting an accurate shape or takes a while to brow map, you have stencils. Now you place a stencil on there and you airbrush. 

[00:16:24] Chrissie: So it's a little bit accommodating to a professional and makes a service a little bit of a quick express type of brow service, right? For a client that needs to be in and out is on their lunch break or is quick or is needs to get it's expressed needs to get somewhere really fast. Right. Yeah.  

[00:16:40] Suzanne: What are some things that because it sounds like you're at the level where you would be involved with Health Canada. 

[00:16:46] Suzanne: Is there, is it, are you, or is this something that, like, I know that they're always changing standards and what ingredients and is there anything out there that's changed in the last year? Five years or has it been pretty like you mentioned before we weren't [00:17:00] allowed to tint Actually, it's interesting because way back as I was grandfathered in because I had already been doing it So I was fortunate but I knew that I couldn't take it off the menu because I wouldn't get it back  

[00:17:09] Darine: Ah, okay. 

[00:17:10] Darine: I was  

[00:17:11] Suzanne: lucky That could be an Alberta thing, too. I don't know.  

[00:17:14] Chrissie: I just know, I think probably, probably, because I think, I, I don't know if it was all of Canada, but I just know in 2005, because when I did my schooling, 2000, like exactly 2000 a year it was very hush hush that they were teaching us tinting. 

[00:17:26] Chrissie: It was very behind the, the scene, right? So, and I feel that's why, why academies haven't grown in, Teaching a more effective of the brow industry, but with Hellcand I don't really work like directly with them. Maybe years ago when I first started, I was the one that was checking the hot list that they have. 

[00:17:46] Chrissie: And my, you know, the, the CEO can give me a product and say, check these ingredients. Are they on the hot list? Are they not just to make sure that we're also using it? Probably makes life easier when you're using something that. That is according to the Health Canada regulations and only [00:18:00] about, maybe it was a little bit more before five years ago, I don't know if you remember this, but LashLifts when there was an announcement that I can't remember the ingredient, but there was an ingredient that was in the LashLifts solutions that all the companies had to pull down their LashLifts because Health Canada said you can't use the specific, it's not coming to my brain now, but you can't use the specific ingredient. 

[00:18:21] Chrissie: We were lucky because. We have similar in Canada, similar health regulations as Europe. So our Lash Lift Kit was not affected. So that's the latest that I've heard because we also deal with the FDA in the US. That's a different story. We have some issues with that, you know, with tinting and stuff.  

[00:18:41] Suzanne: So sorry, are you saying that you're following European guidelines or is this, does this come from Europe? 

[00:18:47] Chrissie: No, the product is from Europe. The product is from Austria. Refacto Sol is from Austria, but their, their guidelines, like their rules, their U, what's a Europe? UPA. I can't remember their acronym, [00:19:00] but their guidelines. Are similar to Canada. They're very strict to what Canada has to so they follow this similar guidelines. 

[00:19:07] Chrissie: So we didn't have that issue when it came to the ingredients because the same ingredients that the Europeans on their on their list, same as Health Canada. So that was a plus on our brand, the brand that we're using.  

[00:19:23] Suzanne: I love the European market. Yeah, that was a plus. It's second in there. That's good. 

[00:19:31] Chrissie: Yes. So you  

[00:19:32] Darine: were talking about adding Browse services and it being really popular. Having said that though, a lot of people, it feels like everybody's doing Browse. So if somebody is looking to focus their business on Browse, do you have any advice for them? How should how should they look at it? I think it's really important to, you know, Yeah, like things to do or not to do when you get started. 

[00:19:57] Chrissie: I would just say first, don't [00:20:00] think that it's a mountain because it's like, it's going to be like, Oh, I need, it's going to be so hard to start up, start my business. It requires so much to do because then you overwhelm yourself and then you'll never get started. If you already have a room. a location or even just renting a spot you can start immediately and the good thing with brow services is they are profitable right away as soon as you can do your proper advertising send an e blast out your social media if you're active on your social media you're being productive you're producing that revenue right away it's not like a skincare brand or where you have to pay a thousands on a, on a machine, you know, and it's going to take a long time for you to get that revenue to break even, right? 

[00:20:46] Chrissie: You're instantly profitable with the brow services. So, so breathe, take it easy, follow our, if you, if they're really interested in starting their brow journey, follow us. We do have a course that's called the Business of Browse and once they do it, they're like, wow, it's that [00:21:00] easy because everybody thinks it's going to be a hill like to get to it. 

[00:21:03] Chrissie: No, you know, we tell people all you need is a chair, a trolley, a little room, the kit, That's has it all that starts right away. Have a advertise a good advertising system Have a good email blocking system and have a good social media. You're set. You're ready to go  

[00:21:20] Suzanne: Yeah, like you said the overhead is low like your initial investment like you said compared to skin care You know you have to do well the products Probably equipment. 

[00:21:33] Suzanne: It was this like you said, it's that simple. I mean, if you're a hairstylist, you could be adding that on already. If you are a wax technician, you're already shaping brows. Why not take it to another level? Right?  

[00:21:46] Chrissie: Exactly. Exactly. And we're like you said, look at the hairstylist, the clients at the shampoo bowl getting a treatment done. 

[00:21:53] Chrissie: Pop on the browse, do the browse, right? So, and even with the waxing, you're complimenting that service or the waxing [00:22:00] is also complimenting. They're both complimenting each other, so why not add it on? It takes another 10 minutes of your time and your client's gonna more expressive wow browse. They're gonna be happy with that look as well. 

[00:22:10] Chrissie: So, yeah. And don't have to always start with Offering all the services because some people get really overwhelmed you you tell them. Oh, you can do this browser Is this right and they're like, oh my god, how do what do I start start with what your demographic your area is asking for? So if you're seeing a lot of people are asking you for tinting you start with that you get your customer base You roll with that you learn to advertise with that and then you start adding brow lamination, you know Then you can start adding the hybrid tinting then you can start adding, you know Wax is waxing, you know, like Don't have to immediately bombard yourself with all the services, especially if you haven't gained the knowledge yet, and you need to, you know, do some kind of courses and stuff, start with what you have or what the need is in that area. 

[00:22:55] Chrissie: So you'll have to do a little bit of searching, you know, finding your demographics, if you're really starting from the [00:23:00] fresh and you don't have a salon base yet or working for a salon and so forth.  

[00:23:07] Suzanne: Really interesting stuff. Is there anything else you would like to maybe explore or talk about?  

[00:23:15] Chrissie: I don't know, to be like, kind of delved into this, a lot of the scope about brow styling. 

[00:23:23] Chrissie: I, I just, I don't know. I always say with brows, it's just an easy way to also test yourself, not test yourself, but let yourself know, is this something I want to do? It's such a easy service to start working with and see how also rewarding it is to your clients. That's one thing I like about it. A simple. 

[00:23:41] Chrissie: Brow tinting and my client walks away shining and it feels so happy. Right. So start with it. Start your brow journey. Don't wait for it. Don't wait because you're also as  

[00:23:54] Suzanne: people think it is like, of course, if you're going to start getting into ombre and this artistic [00:24:00] side of it, but you have to start somewhere and keeping it simple and basic. 

[00:24:04] Suzanne: You touch on it again like you had said before the overheads low so the cost is low to you to start with that and then like you mentioned you grow by taking courses and learn and workshops and keeping up with the trends and what's out there and I loved how you touched on the fact of don't just jump off the current Products you carry, but learn what's out there, because that's the other thing that's happening is the jumping to different things in the end, a lot of it's the same, you already have it, you just are using it in a different manner. 

[00:24:38] Suzanne: So learn the new technique with what you have. So I would assume, or imagine, don't like to use assume, but could reach out to you if it, if we're using Refectacil, Okay. This is a new trend. How do I, how do I do this right now? What do I need to do this? And I think it's important to understand, like you said, go to your distributor, your educator and, and find out how they can [00:25:00] assist you. 

[00:25:00] Suzanne: Cause that's a good distribution side of things, right? Exactly.  

[00:25:04] Chrissie: That's so true. Yeah. Yeah. And like I said, we have available our educational plot, like our, our website that people can go and see to like little mini tutorials, little see what the professionals are saying to we put up their feedback from professionals of what they're saying, how their brow journey started, how testimonials, right, even testimonials of our courses, how they were straight to the point. 

[00:25:26] Chrissie: And we were immediately able to buy the product and start offering these services with great responses. So yeah, yeah. Excellent. Did you ever think.  

[00:25:39] Suzanne: When you started out, this is the path of brows and lashes that you would have ended up in.  

[00:25:46] Chrissie: To be honest, I didn't think I was going to be dealing with brows because even when I was in aesthetic schools, aesthetic school, I was terrified of waxing brows. 

[00:25:55] Chrissie: Terrified. So I didn't think now I'm at this point where I become You can [00:26:00] say like a brow girl, like I'm so comfortable with brows, right? But that's our learning, our learning journey, right? Never say you can never do it because you look at the outcome right now as you, as long as you're willing to always learn open mind and, and I'm happy where my journey is now. 

[00:26:15] Chrissie: Like I really, really enjoy what I'm doing and I enjoy working with the industry we're in. It's a very kind and rewarding industry that we are in. 

[00:26:22] Darine: That's amazing. That's my favorite part. Way and you can end up in so many different paths in the beauty industry. Well, thanks so much for joining us today. Thank you. It was a pleasure.