Carmen Avery, ASCP Member and Certified NaturaLash iStylist,

wins the Colorado Stylist cover contest! 

NaturaLash iStylist: Carmen Avery (Castle  Rock, Colorado)

What type (s) of licenses do you hold?  I am a licensed Esthetician and Certified NaturaLash Technician

How long have you had a policy with ASCP? April 2006

Tell us about the services that you offer? Eyelash Extensions, Facials, Chemical Peels, and facial waxing

Why were you interested in eyelash extensions? The first time I met someone wearing them I just knew that I had to have them put on and I knew I needed to learn how to do the application process. 

Why did you choose the NaturaLash?  NaturaLash (without sounding cheesy) is very natural looking. I had to compliment the woman on her eyelashes because they were long and beautiful but not “fake looking”. It wasn’t until after I complimented her that she told me they were extensions. Even after I looked at them closely I couldn’t tell they weren’t her own.

Tell us about the NaturaLash training course you completed. I completed a 2 day hands- on training course. I learned sterilization techniques, policies, and procedures as well as the application process. The application process began by working on a mannequin head. After that was mastered we moved onto volunteers.

Do you have any feedback on the NaturaLash product line? NaturaLash offers every product a technician needs from the beginner to the advanced level. They also offer a large variety of lashes in every length, width, curl, or color you might need. They continuously add new and improved products to their product line.

Tell us about your eyelash extension business since taking the NaturaLash certification. After I was certified in 2006, I began applying lashes to anyone who would allow me. Lashes quickly turned into my most sought after service. My business now is 99% eyelash extension application.  

Do you have any input on the eyelash industry as a whole?  For anyone who is thinking about getting eyelash extensions please ask the right questions. Is this person certified? Are they insured? How much experience do they have? Do they apply the extensions individually to each of your own lashes? Can they show you before and after photos of their own work? Do they have references? Unfortunately, I’ve seen many poorly applied extensions. If the person has not been trained correctly, has little or no experience, you run the risk of losing your own lashes or worse.

"Thank you so much Phyl and the rest of the NaturaLash team. My business is thriving and I owe it all to you. The training was wonderful- to have that one on one attention for two days makes all the difference. I definitely see that NaturaLash is not like any other company out there right now. You only sell top of the line products and the results I get from my clients prove it. Eyelashes have been life-changing to me and my career and I can't thank you enough. I look forward to working with you for many years to come."

Carmen Avery - Greenwood Village, CO

Original Article:

"It takes a village to raise a child,” the old adage goes.  But today, we find ourselves saying, “It takes a team to create a winning entry.”

Carmen Avery and her team at I Capelli Salon, in Greenwood Village, Colorado, along with photography Everett Danjou, are the winners of our 2007 Colorado Stylist and Salon Cover contest.

Relatively new to the industry, Avery became an esthetician in January of last year and just recently became certified in eyelash extensions.  She wanted to push the envelope and create an extra glamorous look using extensions, so she decided she would use the stylist cover contest as an opportunity to showcase her work.  The eyelashes alone took a full four hours to complete.

Avery didn’t start her career in beauty, but rather in an office. “I worked at a major corporation for five years, finding each day more stressful than the next,” she related.  “Sometimes I would come home crying.”  Then for Christmas, her husband bought her a spa package so she could relax and pamper herself.  Little did she know this would be the beginning of a new career.

Avery loved the experience so much, she quit her job shortly thereafter, enrolled in esthetician school and started her own business.  After graduating, she trained through NaturaLash to receive her eyelash extension certification and now she even does the owner’s eyelashes.

Avery runs her esthetic business out of I Capelli Salon and englisted the help of her fellow colleagues to contribute to this contest entry.  Starting with the cut and color, she enlisted the talent of Kami Wallace.  A stylist for five years,  Wallace has advanced training in color and is an educator in dikson coiffeur Color.  She is also the in-house expert at I Capelli for updo’s.  Contributing her stylist expertise was Denise Kingsley who has been a stylist for 30 years and has been a straightening expert for the last six years.  She has trained all over, from California to New York and is currently an educator for iStraight IBS International and Marcia Teixeira of Brazil.

Make-up was also an integral part of the look.  This is where Nikki Dudley came in.  She has been a freelance make-up artist for nearly four years and specializes in bridal makeup, as well as makeup for fashion shows and, naturally, for photo shoots.  She owns her own business, Make Up Your Mind, Ltd.

Following your passion can be extremely rewarding Avery has discovered.  “I entered the contest for the experience and really didn’t expect to win,” she admitted.  “If I were to give other contestants any advice, it would be to just have fun with it.  You never know, you just might win.”

We agree with you Carmen.  Congratulations I Capelli Salon!"