This article is about how to find better eyelash manufacturers/vendors. It will be constantly updated and corrections or suggestions are always welcome!
It’s a good idea to start an eyelashes business:
- Eyelash extension grew by more than $270 million between 2017 and 2018;
- About half of the eyelash sellers have their website;
- Professional eyelash technicians can charge between $61 and $180 for a full set of eyelashes;
- About 75 percent of U.S. eyelash professionals earn $50,000 or more annually;
- About 80 percent of eyelash sellers state that they are satisfied or very satisfied with their career choice.
It’s so important to have good manufacturers/vendors before we start the eyelashes business.
Now let’s talk about how to find them:
Where to Find Eyelash Vendors
By GOOGLE
01 - Google Keywords Searching
It’s easy to search eyelash vendors by google searching.
The keywords can be:
- “eyelash wholesalers”,
- “eyelash vendors”,
- “eyelash wholesalers in the United States”,
- “eyelash wholesalers in the New York City area”,
- “mink eyelash manufacturers”.
02 - Google Maps Searching
Google maps is also an excellent tool to find eyelash vendors.
We can find the suppliers’ addresses and strengths by using the “street view” function.
03 - Google Images Searching
Eyelash vendors usually show lots of eyelash photos on their websites. We can search these photos by keywords or uploading images.
04 - Other Local Search Engines
Sometimes some local search engines (such as baidu.com in China, yandex.com in Russia.) do even better than Google.
For example, we can easily find many good Chinese eyelash vendors by searching “假睫毛供应商” on baidu.com.
By Alibaba.com
How to find Eyelash Vendors on alibaba.com:
There're two ways to contact the suppliers: Search Keyword or Post RFQs. Searching Keywords on alibaba.com is much better RFQs -- It's more proactive.
Step 01 - Search Keyword
After searching the keyword "eyelash" on alibaba.com, we'll get a product list page ( about 45 products).
Now let's talk about it.
Step 02 - Avoid Advertising Products
Alibaba.com not only charges membership fees from suppliers but also allows suppliers to pay for a good product position. We have to recognize these advertising products before finding good eyelash suppliers.
Let's find the advertising products together: (click the picture to open)
Step 03 - Choose the Good Eyelash Vendors
There're many icons on each product. Some icons can help us finding good vendors.
Now let's talk about these icons.
1. Product Label - Useless. This label can be edited by vendors.
2. Customs Data - Useless. Sellers wouldn't have this label if they don't like to display their data.
3. Company Name - Useful. We can find vendors' websites by clicking this link -- on the "contacts" page. ( click to see how to find )
4. Member Age - Useful. It's reasonless to purchase from 1-years-member vendors.
5. Verified Label - Useless. It's a paid service on alibaba.com. The certification company just takes some photos of vendors' offices & business licenses.
6. Trade Assurance - Useful. Make sure the "Supplier's Trade Assurance Limit" (you'll find it when you put the mouse on the little yellow crown icon) is enough to secure our payment.
7. Vendors' Response Rate - Useless. Most of the response rate is more than 95%. This is just an indicator to evaluate suppliers.
8. Sales on alibaba.com - Useful. This label shows vendors' sales on alibaba.com.
9. Supplier Service Stars - Useless. It's proportional to the cost of the suppliers.
10. Feedback - Useless already. For better rank on alibaba.com, there're more and more suppliers begin to pay for fake feedbacks.
So, here's what we get - how to find good vendors on alibaba.com:
By Exhibitions and Trade Shows
Trade shows and exhibitions are held throughout the United States, China, Canada, Mexico, and other countries to show the latest eyelash extension styles and accessory products.
Trade shows and conferences are a great place to get information about eyelash products & vendors. And it's easy to find lash-related trade shows by google search.
Here're five suggestions for your conference.
- The International Esthetics, Cosmetics, and Spa Conference held in various cities Like New York, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, etc.
- The Conference for Salon & Spa Professionals by NASNPRO, which is held in various U.S.cities throughout the year
- The Image Expo, which is held in Houston, Texas
- Face & Body® Spa Expo & Conference by Skin Inc., which is held in various U.S. cities throughout the year
- Bella Lash Trade Shows, which are held in multiple U.S. cities throughout the year
Supplier websites can be very helpful by educating customers, answering their questions. Some of the best supplier websites include both American and Chinese sites:
Private Label Extensions
Privatelabelextensions.com is the top U.S. manufacturer of custom eyelash extensions and eyelash strips. [8] Its inventory includes 3D Minks in standard, thin-line, and 25-millimeter widths. The company also carries 5D Mink and a 3D Faux Volume lines of lashes.
The website is easy to navigate and includes dozens of styles, sizes, and colors of eyelashes in high-resolution photos. The website adjusts well for browsing from your phone, and the company also supplies wigs and weaves.
Haiteng USA Corporation
Haiteng USA Corporation, which is based in New York, carries a full line of lashes including strip, individual lash extensions, flare lashes, and lash accessories. Retailers can also design their own lashes.
The website makes it easy to find products and learn more about the industry and lash trends. The company is both a distributor and manufacturer of beauty-related products.
How to Attend a Lash Exhibition as a Visitor
Beauty product trade shows, eyelash exhibitions, and conferences can increase your industry contacts and knowledge of eyelash products, so it’s worth attending one or more of these events. The benefits of attending trade shows:
- You get a wide view of the industry in a short time, usually a weekend.
- You can learn about the latest industry developments and trends, and you get a chance to buy new products before your competitors.
- Sales in the eyelash business are booming, and you can get contacts for networking with top companies.
- Special deals and discounts are usually offered by vendors as introductory offers.
- Free classes are available based on purchasing a ticket to the show.
Some trade shows don’t charge admission for guests, but some do. You’ll have to research the event to find out about the admission policies.
Most exhibitions charge for setting up a booth. The representatives of exhibition participants sometimes offer potential customers free tickets to attend. However, conferences usually have a stiff fee, and most attendees need to pay travel and hotel fees. Registration fees for guests are usually low, however. The trade show wants people to attend, so the fees seldom present a problem for most people.
Collecting information on products and services is generally very easy. Most companies provide flyers and circulars about their products, business cards, and other printed information. Some offer codes to get a great deal when ordering products online. Many vendors offer free sample products to attendees.
There are many websites that offer invaluable information about upcoming trade shows, eyelash suppliers, business addresses, and information that relates specifically to the eyelash industry. These include ReferenceUSA, thomasnet.com, WorldWide Brands, and Maker’s Row.
ReferenceUSA maintains a list of business addresses that include eyelash vendors and trade show headquarters. Thomasnet.com offers information on suppliers, products, equipment, and services. Worldwide Brands provides the names and addresses of distributors all over the world, and you just need to list a particular product to get a list of suppliers for that product. Maker’s Row provides connections to more than 10,000 U.S. manufacturers.
By Social Media Searches
Social media searches include searching for business member pages or accounts on various platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and others.
Facebook ranks as the most popular social platform, and it is used frequently for B2B promotions. You can search for the appropriate keyword phrase or join dedicated groups interested in eyelashes to get recommendations from members. Another popular method of researching eyelash wholesalers is finding a group or a key influencer, both of whom may have tested some of the eyelash brands. These groups or individuals may be willing to share or sell the information they’ve discovered.
Instagram is searchable for similar keyword phrases — such as synthetic eyelash manufacturers in the United States. The return list will show up in a drop-down box, where you can connect with the vendor’s Instagram page. YouTube works in much the same way, but you have the added benefit of getting relevant videos that can demonstrate eyelashes more effectively than words or photos. LinkedIn is also searchable, and because of the platform’s business slant, it’s easy to find wholesalers, distributors, and B2B companies.
The same search strategies work for other social platforms like Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, and others, but the previous four platforms are probably your best bets. You can track eyelash brands and styles through the pins on Pinterest, but it might take some time.
Choosing Between Chinese and American Eyelash Vendors
U.S. residents who want to start an eyelash business can choose from B2B companies, manufacturers, distributors, sourcing agents, and marketplace platforms from all over the world for their inventory. However, as the most practical option, most business owners in the United States choose Chinese or American eyelash suppliers.
Chinese companies tend to be much cheaper because of the low cost of labor. The Chinese also have a strong reputation for supplying excellent beauty supplies for hair salons, nail salons, and other beauty-related businesses.
American wholesalers charge higher prices, but you can avoid the problems of hiring translation services, paying import duties, hiring a sourcing agent, communicating in nearly opposite time zones, paying higher shipping costs, and adapting to cultural barriers.
Sourcing agents work for you to find the products you want from different manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and B2B companies. Distributors carry a limited selection of products and brands, and you must choose among the specific products that they carry. Marketplace platforms offer multiple vendors with their own product lines, usually centered around a particular industry, job, or product line.
Both the United States and China offer high-quality lash extensions and accessories, so that aspect of comparison rates as a draw. Some business owners want to try wholesalers from both countries to determine which they like better.
How to Determine Whether Vendor Is Good
There are numerous ways to rate a vendor: price, product quality, customer service, MOQ, bulk discounts, and other criteria.
You can get an idea of the price by comparing the price of the same or similar products. Testimonials and B2B reviews are important tools for investigating a vendor’s reputation. You can also ask the vendor’s customers whether the company has a good reputation, responds promptly to complaints, etc.
You can also check a vendor’s reputation with the local chapters of the Better Business Bureau and chamber of commerce. Vendors also tend to post information about their reputation on their websites. You can find out whether they have Quality Assurance endorsements or other essential proofs like Google Vendor endorsements. Does the company have a strong quality assurance policy and offer replacements or refunds for defective merchandise? The answer is important to know.
Stability is also important, and that usually means being in business for a long time. Usually, 10 years or more in business indicates stability. Proximity means lower shipping costs and a higher sense of responsibility if the vendor is a part of your community. Overseas orders are more common throughout the world these days, but these can take months to arrive at your store or place of business. Reliability is critical.
Minimum and maximum wholesale orders can also be a big stumbling block for startup companies. It’s the minimum order that concerns most small companies that don’t want to invest too much in inventory because of cash flow problems and the undetermined sales appeal of a new product line.
Types of Popular False Eyelash
You should know the most popular eyelash styles so that your customers will consider you well-informed about eyelashes, accessories, and makeup trends. Eyelash extensions can be used to create an astonishing variety of different looks. Your customers might prefer light extensions that provide a natural look or bold, glorious lashes that mimic popular celebrity looks on the red carpet.
The types of popular eyelashes include:
Mink Eyelashes
Mink eyelashes are most commonly worn by celebrities. Made from the fur of minks, the eyelashes are considered as glamorous as mink coats — without the negative connotations of wearing fur.
Faux Mink Eyelashes
These are a popular type of synthetic eyelash that mimics the look of mink lashes.
Silk Eyelashes
Silk eyelashes are medium in weight, and they are more flexible and lighter than synthetic lashes. They’re also softer and last longer than synthetics. Your customers can make them appear as dense as synthetic lashes for glamour looks, or you can color them lighter for a natural look. Silk eyelash extensions are the most popular type of eyelashes used by brides.
Sable Eyelashes
These eyelashes are manufactured from the fur of the sable, a forest animal that is commonly found in the forests of Siberia and Russia.
Synthetic Eyelashes
Synthetic lashes are made of polished acrylic material, and they are the sturdiest type of lash extension. Synthetics are often chosen by those who want to appear heavily made up for formal occasions, costume parties, stage makeup, etc. The extensions are shiny and glossy, and they hold curls well for dramatic looks.
Custom Lashes
Some suppliers offer highly customized lashes and packaging that feature your brand logo.
Special Lashes
Any fancy type of lash can be special-ordered from some suppliers. These include Feather lashes in various colors.
Doll Lashes
Doll lash designs have a concentration of thick lashes in the center of the eye.
Starting Your Own Eyelash Business
There are many steps to starting your own business, but the most important is how to find eyelash vendor supplies. Your network of contacts might give you some good recommendations. You can perform your own Google searches, check out some of the resources mentioned in this article, attend one or more trade shows, and/or hire a dedicated sourcing agent for your needs.
The best strategy is to find high-quality products and learn your craft so that you can customize your orders. If you are a perfectionist with a good eye for eye makeup, selling eyelashes, artistic designs and accessories could be the most rewarding and satisfying career you could choose.
You can sell your products online or in your own brick-and-mortar shop. You can also schedule appointments and make sales on the side while working at other professions where you have lots of contact with women and/or gay men.
Be sure to get a presence on Facebook or other social platforms to get a steady supply of sales links. Business is booming, and you can get your fair share of the market by finding a high-quality, stable, and reputable eyelash supplier.