Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberland Hernandez.
Kimberland, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
15 years ago, I thought that my ultimate dream jobs would be selling real estate on the side part time while I worked during the day as a principal of a junior high or high school. So, I set out passionately pursuing that life and those goals, and I was doing well at both. But as the universe tends to take our best laid out plans and turn them upside down. My educational career path came to a grinding halt when I lost one of my favorite students who took her own young life one day after school. It took me years to finally stop crying and to slowly get over my grief. I no longer could be responsible for other peoples children without thinking about my student Kendra. So, I knew that I would have to change my career but I was not sure what else I would want to do. Then, one day, I decided to take a lash extension class and that was the beginning of the new me. Every day that I spent lashing a client, was a day that I felt true happiness again. The more I focused on my eyelash extension business and esthetician life, the more I felt like myself. Not my old self but a new and improved me. So, I kept investing in my lashing skills and putting those skills to work for my clients. One day, it dawned on me that I could reminisce about my long lost student without feeling depressed and grief-stricken. It’s almost as if every lash set that I gave to a client and brought them joy, was also giving me joy.
Now, I’m the owner of Kaylashland, a small eyelash extension boutique, and I am truly in love with my life!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Robert Frost wrote a poem about a road not taken, which makes me think that situations happen in a person’s life to bring them to the fork in the road. Sometimes, we don’t know where our journey is going to lead us but we have to make a choice and just take that first step towards what we want in life. One of the hardest parts of my new career was going back to school to get the required school hours to take my state board exams. I had already graduated with a post-doctorate degree and here I was back in class with freshly graduated high school students as classmates. But lucky for me, I had amazing instructors in the San Diego City College Esthetics and Cosmetology department and even more amazing classmates. I tried to stay in my lane and not act like everyone’s mom or teacher which was a challenge for me because I’m a little bit bossy by nature. It’s a big sister thing.
I feel that school and education are so important when trying to decide what road to take in life. Great training and instruction are truly the keys. I would suggest for anyone interested in becoming a licensed esthetician, ask questions and do your research. In order to become an eyelash extension artist in California, you need to have an esthetic or cosmetology license. The esthetic program is 600 hours and the cosmetology program is 1500 hours. I encourage young people to network and ask lots of questions, especially from people who are working in the areas that they are interested in. Most people don’t mind sharing their stories and information.
Please tell us about Kaylashland.
The type of lash extensions that I specialize in are called volume lashes. Volume lashes are when multiple eyelash extensions that are thinner and lighter are applied to one natural lash. I personally hand make each and every volume eyelash fan that is placed on the clients natural lash. It makes a dramatic difference in a persons face. It’s not as simple as just getting a cluster of Ardell lashes and gluing them on someone’s lid line. Weight, diameter, styling, and product all have to be taken into consideration. If all of those things are not adhered to, then serious damage can happen and clients lashes can seriously be harmed. There is nothing wrong with a client asking a lash artist who have they trained with and how long they have been lashing. Another thing clients can do is to check the previous work of the lash artist.
I am known for making sure that the client’s natural lashes are not damaged in the process. I also emphasize keeping the lashes clean, so I insist on every new client leaving with a lash bath kit. I spend as much time as necessary teaching my clients how to keep their lashes clean.
I am very proud to have been trained by one of the best in the industry. Michelle Rath is the owner of Sinful Lash in Los Angeles and the creator of the annual Hollywood Lash Conference. I am constantly educating myself, attending training and making sure to stay on top of all of the new knowledge in the lashing industry.
The Kaylashland brand is about beauty on the inside and out and bringing high-end luxury lashes to the everyday girl. I also teach lash extension training here in Mission Valley, Dallas and in Phoenix.
I am also creating a San Diego Lash Artist Meet and Greet so that veteran artist and new artist can get together and collaborate and share information to make our industry stronger. So folks need to be on the lookout for that on my website and Instagram.
Who have you been inspired by?
I find women to be the most amazing creatures. We can be so strong and yet still be soft at the same time. I absolutely love getting together with a group of positive and purposeful women. I also try to live my life in a way that I can be a positive, inspiration to others. Some of the women that I have found as inspirations are Michelle Rath my mentor, Michell Obama, Frankie Widdows, Marie Forleo, my girlfriends, the women in my family, and my sisters are probably my biggest inspirations.
The best part of being with a group of women is finding out that someone has been where you’re at or that they have gone through the exact same situation that you’re struggling with. But you look at them and you think, ‘No way”, I find strength in other people’s stories. We are all really from one big family and all women are truly sisters, some women just don’t know it. Namaste.
Pricing:
- California Volume Lashes start at $150
- Russian Volume Lashes start at $200
- Refresh (fill) $75 for 45 minutes
- Refresh (fill) $100 for 60 minutes
- Refresh (fill) $125 for 90 minutes
Contact Info:
- Address: 7565 Mission Gorge Road
San Diego, CA 92120 - Website: www.kaylashland.com
- Phone: (619) 535-9508
- Email: info@kaylashland.com
- Instagram: @kaylashland
Image Credit:
Photo by Lano @Patinanoir, Makeup by Emily @ Emilygarrido
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
