It’s not every day that you find a beauty product that actually does what it claims to do, much less changes your whole face. But when
Lashify
founder and CEO Sahara Lotti set out to create a lash extension kit that people can apply and maintain at home, she achieved just that.
Her award-winning lashes come in every length, color, and shape, from delicate and natural-looking (like your eyelashes, but better) to dramatic and long as hell—and you can do it all from the comfort of your own home. Once upon a time, this was just a nice perk, but in the past few months, DIY-ing it has become a necessity.
At first, when Lashify hit the market, Lotti tells us that many thought it sounded too good to be true. So she rolled up her sleeves and convinced the world otherwise—by going on social media and using her patented Underlash™ technology to apply her Gossamer® lashes and show how easy and fast it was to do.
Fast-forward to today, and Lotti has created a successful lash kingdom with herself at the helm, continuing to be the face—or, should we say, the eyelashes—of the brand. We chatted with her about her social media strategy, the other strong women founders who inspire her, and why people call Lashify a “cult.”
How did you get the idea for Lashify?
“I needed it. I was obsessed with lash extensions, and it took so much time to drive to Koreatown to get my lashes done, so I said, ‘I need to figure out how to do this myself.’
“So I was looking for this system, and I was convinced it had to be out there already, with this lash and a wand. It literally did not exist, so I created it!”
You were the trailblazer for this amazing beauty invention—you were the first to discover how to facilitate professional, salon-quality lash extensions that people can do at home. What does it feel like to have enabled so many people to do this from the comfort of their own homes?
“It’s what keeps me going. There’s so much BS in running a start-up—it gives you a lot of reasons just to cash out—but the customers and amazing clients drive me to do better and better and better every day.”
People call Lashify a “cult.” Why do you think that is?
“I think it’s because the product itself is so innovative. It’s not that often in the beauty world that you use a product and it totally changes your face in two seconds. Everything is sort of a mild improvement, unless you cover your whole face with makeup.
“The excitement that you just did this yourself creates such an addictive feeling. I’m very interactive with my clients, and I feel really connected to them—I show them who I am, and we become really involved together. I guess it seems cult-like because the people who aren’t a part of it don’t understand the obsession. If it’s a cult, it’s an awesome cult.”
What are your favorite eye creams or eye oils? Is there anything you’ve found that goes particularly well with your lashes?
“You know, I use anything—meaning, there’s nothing I avoid using. The beauty of Lashify is that you can use your favorite eye cream. You don’t have to keep the lashes on for 10 days. Now, if you’re asking what brands I actually use,
Emma Hardie makes a great eye cream
.”
You’re not just the founder and CEO of Lashify—you’re also a screenwriter, inventor, intuitive strategist, and DJ. How do you find the time to do it all?
“Well, it’s all sort of the same thing. Being a founder and innovator, you’re finding and innovating. When you’re screenwriting, it’s the music that’s inspiring the writing, which inspires the creation—basically, I trust my intuition on how to do business, so it’s all sort of connected.”
[Listicle particle error: Unhandled HTML element 'big' in post 2650785070 (context: Element not in supported or skip lists) Element HTML: You have more than 70 patents and 50 trademarks worldwide. What is it about your DIY lash-extension system that is completely unique and special?]
Control Kit
Pre-cleanse Gossamer Lash Prep
Melt Away Gossamer Lash Remover
Bondage Extra-strength Lash Bond with Charcoflex
Photos: Courtesy of Sahara Lotti
Want more stories like this?
Working from Home with Taylor Tomasi Hill
5 Wellness Experts on How They Practice Beauty from Within
Marc Jacobs on Why Lashes Are Like “Jazz Hands” for Your Eyes