The Royal Canadian Lash Championships, recently held in Vancouver, British Columbia, was a wonderful contribution to the Canadian Lash Industry. I had the honour of judging for the RCLC and it was an amazing experience. I was blown-away by the professionalism of the organizers and integrity of the panel. This debut event opened with the first live Canadian competition for Lash Lift and Tint. They also had Classic Lash category, Salon Style 3-4D Volume category and the Competition Style 6-10D Volume category.
I was impressed that competitors were EDUCATED about the difference between “Salon Style 3-4D Volume” and “Competition Style 6-10D Volume”. The organizers made sure everyone involved understood that 6-10D Volume should not be filled. It is for show only and should never be offered to clients as a fillable service. What impressed me even MORE was the way the RCLC put extra emphasis on the health and safety aspect of lashing. To call yourself “The Best of The Best” you MUST have sanitary practices. The focus on this topic in the RCLC really helps to increase awareness of the importance of hygienic practices.
The Royal Canadian Lash Championships is the epitome of how a lash competition should be run. From the organizing, to the scoring standards, to the generous gifts for competitors and the BLIND JUDGING process that guarantees a fair deliberation. This was a world-class event! I give a huge kudos to Vivian Ko, RCLC Event Host, and Emily Lee, RCLC Competition Director. Bravo ladies!!
The competitors had so many wonderful things to say about the 2-day event, which is connected to the ESI, Canada's largest professional trade-show and exhibition for the beauty industry. Participants expressed their gratitude for the abundance of swag - especially the winners! The sponsors were exceptionally generous and some of the winners had to buy an extra suitcase. I saw a couple of them at the airport the next day and they were laughing about their additional luggage expense at check in.
RCLC brought a lot of great energy to the ESI show. I had friends messaging me after the exhibition to let me know they had run into some of the competitors in the halls of the convention centre, and they were having so much fun. Everyone was happy and excited.
It is expected that RCLC will be offered to professional lash artists every year. I strongly encourage that any lash artist interested in improving their skills should participate in competitions. Competing encourages growth. The detailed report you receive from the judges is often more valuable than taking a class because the feedback is specific to you. The judges’ score card tells you exactly where to improve. Winning is great, but the real value comes from the experience and the insight you receive by having your work judged.
All in all, The Royal Canadian Lash Championships is an event like no other. If you have the opportunity to compete next year, DO IT. It may be a little scary to put yourself out there but I promise you will grow from the experience, you will get some awesome swag, and you'll be a better lash artist when it's over.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended for informational purposes and is not intended to replace formal business advice, financial advice, government regulations, or any other form of legal advice.