LunaKai Lash

Avoiding plastic is more difficult than ever, especially for things not immediately thought of, like makeup products. That’s why LunaKai Lash focuses on providing eco-friendly makeup and promotes action to fight the plastic crisis.

Inspired by the love of lash extensions and the beauty and confidence that it brings to women, Andra Tashjian founded the “mermaizing” cosmetic store LunaKai Lash in 2019. Its mission is to bring eco-friendly options to lash artists and create less single-use plastic waste in the beauty industry. Offering quality lash products for professionals, she created it out of love and passion for the Earth and our oceans. 

Tashjian said her concern for plastic pollution encouraged her to reduce her waste. Naturally, that led her to create eco-friendly makeup options for all lash artists. This, with a purpose to “make positive change with each client, for our oceans.”

“The more we support each other and influence each other to make small, positive changes every day – the more impact we will have in this industry,” she said ​

Setting Up LunaKai Lash

Tashjian shared that the funnest part for her setting up her business was brainstorming; she had to think outside the box when creating alternatives to our everyday plastic usage. 

“While I still love and continue to do lash extensions, my passion is now bringing these products to life and showing that we can make a positive change for the health of our Earth,” she said. “We have bamboo mascara wands/brushes, bamboo lash tiles; our lash trays are recyclable cardboard; our tweezers come in cruelty-free wool cases instead of plastic; all of our packaging is plastic-free.”

Talking about the challenges she faces with her work, Tashjian said, “Some may think having an eco-conscious brand in the beauty industry is not realistic because beauty isn’t sustainable. My thought is beauty isn’t going anywhere, and it’s up to companies to think differently about the waste we are creating.”

Finding the right hashtags to use when the business is so new and being the first of its kind in this market has also been challenging for her to overcome. 

Impact of the Pandemic

With the pandemic shutting down the state, lash artists like Tashjian lost their livelihoods as fewer people needed to purchase supplies. In response, she said she focused on marketing and strategies to obtain exposure for the business. 

“I encourage and support lash artists by reposting and commenting on their posts. I used the shutdown to try and be more involved in social media in a positive way,” she explained. Her business partner, Sara Akrami of Sara’s Threading and Henna Art, helps her with this. Tashjian said she’s been “blessed to work with” her for about six years now and adding that Akrami is one of the most talented threaders in Las Vegas and one of the most amazing women that she knows.

More Than Makeup – Bringing Beauty to the Community

Besides spreading positivity, LunaKai Lash also promotes environmental action through their sales. “As a part of our dedication and love for our oceans and our future generations, all the profits from the sale of our lash pallet go to Adopt a Coral and The Ocean Foundation,” Tashjian said.

She added that she recently won third place in the compassion category in The Skin Games, an international esthetician competition. She was awarded $3,000, which she donated to her favorite non-profit -The Ocean Foundation. 

In addition, LunaKai Lash also hosts monthly cleanup events in partnership with Get Outdoors Nevada. 

“They’ve been so supportive of our mission to clean up waterways in Las Vegas and keep us focused on cleaning up areas that lead to our Nevada waters,” Tashjian said.

Furthermore, she explained how there needs to be more education on the over-production and use of single-use plastics and the importance of stopping unnecessary plastic usage.

“We need to make a change before it’s too late,” she said. “We are focused on making a change in the beauty industry to create less waste.”

Tashjian concluded by saying how LunaKai Lash believes in the good of humanity. She added that in her heart, she knows we’ll “create a better world for our future generations with each other’s support.”

“I cheer for and encourage my fellow professionals to follow our less plastic movement and learn from each other. Our world needs it.”

#GetinMotion with LunaKai Lash

To support LunaKai Lash and join their environmental actions, follow them on Facebook and Instagram. To make a purchase, visit the store at www.lunakailash.com, or book a service with Sara Akrami at https://www.vagaro.com/sarasthreadingandhennaart. 

Use offer code ‘ecofriendlylash’ at checkout to get 20% off of your purchase. Orders over $75 qualify for free shipping in the LKL store.