Jessica Turner What the client wants, the client gets: the trend for customisation just went next level at The Lip Lab. Ashleigh Sharman discovers.
Social media has a lot to answer for and fast beauty ranks top of the list. Thanks to a host of celebrities sharing selfies on Instagram, tutorials on YouTube or beauty routines on SnapChat, client demands are more immediate than ever — and who would dare say no?
Colour customisation then is at the heart of The Lip Lab in Sydney’s Paddington. Answering the desperate call of finding the one, truly perfect lip colour, Kimberley and Courtney Treacy offer a bespoke service that delivers the right shade for clients, every time.
“We saw the concept whilst on a stopover in Dallas and loved that we could mix and apply our favourite colours to an exact shade, adding flavours and frosts and shimmers if we wanted or even just keeping it simple,” explains Courtney of the experience that involves a 30 minute consultation and 15 minute production process.
“After we returned to Australia we researched the lipstick making process for six months and found a cosmetic compounder who could create the exact formulas we were looking for across vegan bases, crème bases, matte bases and even a gluten-free range.”
Lipstick and lip gloss creations are on offer to clients who can opt to add anti-ageing ingredients to prevent lipstick bleed, SPF for sun protection and plumping agents to amplify their look accompanied by a number of finishes and textures; you even get to name the finished product.
“Everyone loves the idea!” Kymberley adds, “It’s affordable, it’s uplifting and it’s different.”
“We want this to be fun and since we’ve opened we have found 85 percent of customers come with another friend or in a group. The Paddington location can cater for up to eight people at a time, so it’s ideal for hens parties, birthdays and corporate functions.”
Over the next 12 months the founders plan to open additional locations in Melbourne, Surfers Paradise and Perth, with lip injectables also on the agenda, and largely have social media to thank for their runaway success.
“Social media has been our bread and butter! We have a dedicated Social Media guru who handles all of our profiles and the response and interactions have been encouraging,” Kymberley says.
“Before we even opened we began building interest via Facebook and by the time we opened, there were plenty of solid bookings online and our gift voucher sales for Christmas were strong. We have even had bookings from as far away as The United Kingdom for a group in July!”
And as clients firmly focus their attention on the Kardashians for now — from Kendall Jenner’s bold lip and Kylie’s latest colour collection to Kim’s full pout —beauty bloggers and makeup artists are flocking to The Lip Lab to post their experiences back to their beloved audiences.
The social media wheel comes full circle.
