Why Ladybug Lashes Will Never Be the Cheapest Lash Supplier

There is something I could do tomorrow if I wanted to.

I could find a cheaper lash manufacturer, reduce what I pay for our lash trays and potentially reduce our prices.

But I won’t.

As a lash supplier, I’m contacted constantly by manufacturers offering cheaper products, free samples and lower prices. Emails, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook — some have even managed to find my personal mobile number.

There is no shortage of companies willing to manufacture lash products for less.

But when I choose products for Ladybug Lashes, price is never my first consideration. Quality is.

Quality Matters With Lash Trays Too

I talk a lot about quality when it comes to our adhesives and professional liquids. Cosmetic-grade formulations, ingredient choice, manufacturing standards, testing and compliance all cost money, and those are areas where I’m simply not prepared to cut corners.

But exactly the same principle applies to our lash trays.

I want high-quality PBT fibres, consistent curls and products that lash artists can feel confident using in their businesses.

Could I source lashes for less?

Absolutely.

But saving money on manufacturing isn't much of a saving if I’m not completely happy putting the Ladybug name on the finished product.

The Same Lash Manufacturer Since 2023

I’ve worked with the same main lash manufacturer since Ladybug Lashes launched in 2023.

That’s deliberate.

I know their quality, I know their consistency and, importantly, I know how they respond if something occasionally isn’t right.

Because no manufacturer is perfect.

Any supplier telling you they have never experienced a manufacturing issue probably isn't being completely realistic. What matters to me is what happens when there is one.

If I raise a concern, I want it investigated and rectified. That trust and communication has taken years to build, and I wouldn’t throw it away simply because another factory offered me a cheaper tray.

Sometimes I Want Something Different

We also don’t simply pick products from a catalogue and put Ladybug Lashes on them.

A perfect example is our 8D and 10D Clover lashes.

When I wanted to introduce higher-dimension Clovers, I could already find them being produced using 0.07 fibres.

But that wasn’t what I wanted.

I wanted 8D and 10D Clover lashes in 0.05.

With eight or ten fibres making up each Clover lash, I specifically wanted a finer individual fibre. I wasn’t prepared to introduce them in 0.07 just because that was the easier option.

So our manufacturer worked on it.

I still remember receiving the message:

“We’ve done it.”

And they had.

Our 8D and 10D Clovers were successfully manufactured in 0.05, exactly as I had asked.

That little message probably sums up our working relationship better than anything else. Sometimes I have an idea, sometimes I make their lives difficult, and sometimes I’m asking for something they haven’t made before.

But the question for me is always:

What do I actually want this product to be?

Not:

What is the cheapest version available?

Innovation Doesn't Always Mean a New Lash

Sometimes innovation is simply giving lash artists a better way to try something.

Our Platinum Promade sample trays are a good example.

I wanted artists to be able to test our Promades before committing to a full tray, so we worked with our manufacturer to make it happen.

We probably push samples more than many lash brands because I genuinely believe in them.

I’d rather you spend a few pounds trying a product first and decide for yourself whether you love it than spend considerably more on something that isn't right for you.

We’ve taken that same approach across a huge amount of the Ladybug range.

And Yes, I Haggle

Quality coming first does not mean I happily accept whatever price I’m given.

I haggle.

A lot.

Because I’m on the lash artist’s side when it comes to cost too.

Professional artists have businesses to run, and stock costs matter. I’ll always try to negotiate the best possible price without compromising the product I actually want to sell.

There is a big difference between getting a good price for a quality product and choosing a product simply because it is the cheapest.

I want the best balance of quality, consistency and value I can provide.

Expensive Doesn't Automatically Mean Better

I also don’t believe a higher price automatically means a better product.

It doesn’t.

Price alone is not proof of quality.

What matters is the product itself, how it has been manufactured and whether I’m genuinely happy recommending it.

Would I use it?

Would I be happy supplying it to a professional lash artist?

Would I put the Ladybug name on it?

If the answer isn't yes, I don't particularly care how attractive the unit price is.

Why We Won't Compete on Price Alone

Over the years, we’ve had lash artists move to Ladybug after using much larger brands.

They're not always looking for the cheapest tray.

They want consistency. They want choice. They want products they enjoy working with. And increasingly, they want transparency and a supplier they can actually talk to.

That’s what I want Ladybug to be known for.

We probably won’t ever be the cheapest lash supplier.

And I’m completely comfortable with that.

I don’t want to constantly swap manufacturers or compromise products just so I can say we’re the cheapest.

I want to supply professional lash artists with products I genuinely believe deserve a place in their businesses.

That means pushing manufacturers when I think something can be better.

It means offering samples wherever possible.

It means paying more when quality costs more.

And yes, it means continuing to haggle so I can keep those products as fairly priced as possible.

Being the cheapest has never been the goal.

Providing products I believe in has.

Built on evidence. Not marketing.