The Honest Lash Origin Story: Family-Owned, Built with Purpose

How We Built Honest Lash: A Family-Owned Brand Born from Resilience

Every brand has a story—but Honest Lash began with more than a vision. It was born from a moment of challenge, a leap of faith, and a deep desire to create something meaningful—not just for ourselves, but for others searching for freedom, fulfillment, and a future in the beauty industry.
This is the story of how Honest Lash came to life, and the mission that still drives us today.

From Uncertainty to Opportunity
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, like so many families and small business owners, we—Sarah and Jonathan Ellis—found ourselves facing the unknown. Businesses were closing. Life was slowing down. And the question we kept asking was:

What now?
That pause led us to something powerful: the chance to reimagine what life could look like. Sarah, with a lifelong passion for beauty and wellness, saw a gap in the lash industry—not just in the quality of services, but in the support available to professionals trying to build their own careers.

We realized that lash professionals, estheticians, and beauty lovers deserved more than just a certification—they deserved a brand, a business model, and a community that believed in them.
So, we rolled up our sleeves and started Honest Lash.

Built on Integrity, Not Hype
From day one, we set out to build something different:
A beauty brand that puts people first
A place where artists could feel confident, supported, and successful
A business model that was affordable, accessible, and empowering
A community that celebrated creativity, courage, and connection

We didn’t come from a corporate franchise background. We came from heart, hustle, and hands-on experience. That’s why every Honest Lash program—whether it’s University training or our Own Your Own licensing—is crafted with care, tested in real life, and designed to help you grow on your terms.

What Honest Lash Stands For
The name says it all. "Honest" isn’t just our brand—it's our promise.

We believe in:
Transparency over trends
Support over sales pitches
Progress over perfection

And most of all, empowering women to own their worth, their income, and their future
Whether you're a single mom starting fresh, a beauty school grad chasing a dream, or a stylist ready to go independent—this brand was built for you.

Honest Lash University: Our Education Heartbeat
Our first students came to us not just to learn lash techniques—but to learn how to believe in themselves again. From there, Honest Lash University was born: a blended, flexible training experience rooted in real-world results.

We didn’t stop at teaching lashes.

We created:
Business playbooks
Hands-on practice with live models
A lash artist community
And a path to turn certification into ownership

A Family-Owned Brand That Feels Like Family
We're still family-owned. And we still believe in walking with every owner-operator, student, and lash client who joins our community. This isn’t a faceless franchise—it’s a growing sisterhood of strong, talented people doing beautiful work across the country.
From our flagship location in Austin to our growing network of salon suite studios, Honest Lash is now helping hundreds of professionals start, scale, and succeed on their own terms.
And we’re just getting started.

From Our Family to Yours—Welcome
If you’re reading this, know that there’s a place for you here. We built Honest Lash not just as a business—but as a beacon of resilience, creativity, and hope for beauty professionals everywhere. Whether you're booking your first client or launching your fifth suite, you are part of something bigger than lashes. You’re building a legacy—and we’re honored to be a part of yours.

With gratitude and excitement,

Sarah & Jonathan Ellis
Founders, Honest Lash

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