An unregulated industry can be risky business for insurance providers!
Providing insurance coverage to professionals in an unregulated industry is sometimes risky business. When it comes to eyelash extension services it can be difficult to determine the likelihood and magnitude of risk due to inconsistent qualifications and training standards across Canada.
The National Association of Lash Artists launched in 2016 to advocate for the lash industry and provide much-needed regulatory guidelines for both lash artists and educators. NALA now serves over 800 members and has been instrumental in raising the standard of the lash industry in Canada, USA and Australia.
Simply asking for evidence of NALA Membership, or NALA Academy Accreditation for schools, can simplify your underwriting process in that we have done the vetting for you (see our processes below).
NALA’s objective:
To offer insurance providers peace of mind when considering lash industry customers who have successfully completed our application process.
To make insurance more readily accessible to lash professionals.
To raise the standards of the lash industry across Canada through a collaborative relationship between NALA and insurance providers.
NALA’s proposal:
Insurance providers offer a discount to NALA Accredited Members.
Insurance providers offer a discount to lash educators who provide a NALA Educator’s Certificate and/or holds an active NALA Certificate of Accreditation.
NALA will promote your company to our audience (of over 10,000 industry professionals) as a preferred insurance provider.
Our Membership Application Process:
Professionals offering eyelash extensions and other lash treatments may apply to become an Accredited NALA Member. There are no prerequisites to apply. The application includes gaining their signature and agreement to follow up to health standard daily processes, infection control practices, and client protocols. The applicants must also submit before and after photos of their work and videos demonstrating their safe and skillful application techniques.
Once approved, members are bound to NALA’s Professional Guidelines, Code of Ethics and Decontamination Guide. Accredited Members are listed on the NALA Global Directory.
Learn more about the NALA MembershipOur academy accreditation process
- Educators must first earn their certificate through our 3-day intensive training which covers health and hygiene, legal considerations, insurance requirements, workplace safety, professional responsibilities, how to handle allergic reactions and more.
- Should the certified educator choose to apply for accreditation, they would then submit all their course material and student resources to NALA for review.
- Academy owner must provide evidence of a local business license and adequate insurance specifying that they offer training to students.
- Academy location must meet NALA's health and safety standards including; passing a local health inspection and complying with classroom occupancy limits.
- Educator's and academy staff must meet NALA requirements.
- Accredited academies are bound to NALA Standards which are updated by the NALA Board of Advisors annually.
Academy Accreditation Checklist
Click below for an example of the content we require academies to provide their students.
Let's Work Together!
By recognizing NALA membership as the standard insurance requirement for lash extension services, insurance companies will gain peace of mind knowing they are serving highly qualified professionals whose daily practices and processes have been thoroughly reviewed and approved by an association of their peers.
NALA will advertise your company to our audience as a preferred insurance provider.
Please email us at info@nala-lashassociation.com to discuss ways we can support and promote each other.
How NALA Serves The Lash Industry
NALA currently serves over 800 members, in 27 countries and 3 languages. We offer support, information, and regulatory recommendations to an unregulated industry. Lash professionals can earn accreditation as either a service provider or as a training academy.
NALA Accredited Member
This accolade is evidence that a professional lash artist meets, or exceeds, NALA standards in their studio.
Unfortunately, there are no rules or requirements in Canada when it comes to lash certifications. Anybody can certify anyone (including certifying themselves).
To stand out and provide evidence of professional integrity, lash artists can apply to be recognized as a NALA Accredited Member.
This process consists of a thorough review of their abilities, daily practices, studio policies, workplace set up, disinfection protocols and staff prerequisites.
Once approved, our Accredited Members are bound to the NALA Professional Guidelines, Code of Ethics and Decontamination Guide and they are listed on the NALA Directory.
NALA Educator's Comprehension Course
NALA's Educator Comprehension Course offers over 40 educational modules filled with extremely valuable content to help educators run a successful academy, understand their legal obligations as an academy, be aware of their responsibilities as a lash educator, be adept in workplace safety, gain access to up-to-date accurate information about disinfection and health & safety concerns.
Upon successful completion of this three day intensive course, participants earn an 'Educator's Certificate' from NALA.
They have not achieved accredited status at this point. The Educator Comprehension Course is a certificate of completion only. They may upgrade to the NALA Academy Accreditation package.
NALA Accredited Academy
The NALA Seal of Accreditation is the 'Michelin Star' of the lash industry. Recognized as one of the highest accolades a lash academy can earn, our seal is a symbol of educational excellence and professional credibility.
The NALA Seal of Accreditation (achieved through submission of an academy's manuals and related curriculum tools) is NOT easy to earn. In fact, nobody has ever passed the application on their first attempt. However, not every academy has written their own manuals. Some academies have purchased NALA Manuals, which have been developed through the help of our highly esteemed Board of Advisors, featuring lash experts from all over the world. Our NALA Textbooks are the most comprehensive textbooks on the market.
NALA Accreditation cannot simply be purchased. Each academy that has successfully earn accredited status through the association has made changes to their practices and curriculums in order to meet our requirements and become officially accredited by NALA.
Once officially accredited, they are listed on the NALA Directory.