GIRLKIN

GIRLKIN began in 2016 as a lash business run from a living room, and opened its first lash lounge in 2018. The business now describes itself as a multi-location brand, with its lounge at 1510 Reisterstown Road in Pikesville.

The business is built around empowering women through education, polish and entrepreneurship. That shows up in three areas: lash services for clients, event rentals in the lounge, and technical training with mentorship for people who want to work in beauty or run their own businesses.

A lash visit starts with booking online, then a consultation, the application and aftercare tips with a follow-up reminder. Each style is planned around the client's eye shape, bone structure and lifestyle. A $20 non-refundable booking fee secures the appointment and is applied to the total. Cancellations made 48 or more hours ahead can be rescheduled freely, 24 to 48 hours ahead incurs a 50% fee, and cancellations under 24 hours or no-shows incur a 100% fee. Clients arriving more than 15 minutes late may have the appointment canceled or rescheduled, with late fees of $20 per 10-minute increment. Completed services are not refunded.

The lounge is about 1,700 square feet and has parking for guests. Its event space holds up to 50 guests and is rented for birthdays, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, pop-ups, product launches and photoshoots. A weekday rental from Monday to Thursday is listed at $799.99 in blocks between 5 PM and 12 AM, with a 6-hour minimum. Weekend rentals from Friday to Sunday are listed at $999 in 10 AM to 4 PM or 6 PM to 12 AM slots. An all-day rental on any day is listed at $1,499 for an 8-hour block. Furniture rentals and curated event enhancements are also available.

Training includes one- and two-day lash courses, among them Classic Lash Training and Volume Lash Training, covering application technique, client consultations and business strategy. Mentorship and business coaching are offered to beauty professionals and entrepreneurs, with coaching in operations, people and performance, and business analysis and strategy. Franchising lets owners operate a luxury beauty lounge, and the franchise information says no prior beauty experience is needed.

Each lash set is designed around the client's eye shape and bone structure, using custom lash mapping, with guidance at the consultation.

Crystal chandeliers, pink lounge seating and white marble floors fill the roughly 1,700-square-foot space.