The Interview: screenwriter turned beauty entrepreneur Sahara Lotti on how she built Lashify

Sahara Lotti did not set out to be a beauty entrepreneur. Her career again in Hollywood as an actor and screenwriter, but after her friend introduced her to lash extensions she pivoted her career and decided to launch her own innovative, DIY lash system, Lashify.

She tells us all about her journey from the movies to beauty, the challenges and opportunities she met along the way and how she has had to defend her smart invention from copycats everywhere as the brand became a global success.

Your business model and your product line-up fascinates me, but before we get to that, can we go back to the beginning please? Could you give us a little insight into your career prior to founding your brand?

I went to USC for film school and began my career as an actor and screenwriter in Hollywood. Becoming a CEO or inventor wasn’t something I planned, it happened out of necessity. I didn’t have a background in business or patents, but I had an understanding of world building and storytelling. Which has become a core part of how I shape the narrative of Lashify both from a legal perspective and creatively.

Did you have the lightbulb moment that drove you to set up Lashify, if so what sparked it?

My friend introduced me to professional lash extensions way back in 2004. I used to go to K-town to get my lashes done. It took hours and hundreds of dollars every time I went, but I felt so confident afterwards. Eventually, I got frustrated by my inability to do my lashes myself, so I started searching the world for a DIY solution that would allow me to apply my own lash extensions from home. It didn’t exist, so I started dreaming up a system that would allow me to apply my own extensions, which is how Lashify was born.

How did your career as a screenwriter inform the way you approached your business?

Being a screenwriter taught me how to tell a compelling story. Coming from the movie business was a natural transition to creative marketing for a brand. When I first launched Lashify, people didn’t believe the product because there was nothing like it in the world. I started creating Facebook ads and going live on Instagram. I was using everything I had learned as a film student and actor in the beginning—it’s how I stood out from other beauty brands.

How long was the period from idea to launch, and what were the challenges you had in getting the product just right?

I started thinking about how to create a DIY lash extension system in 2014 after failing to find anything on the market. I started with the application tool—now known as the Fuse Control Wand®. I initially wanted to design a tool that I could apply multiple lash clusters to my lash line all at once. My very first prototype was made out of wire—using the materials that I already had on hand. I realized pretty quickly that it was going to be difficult to engineer an applicator that could apply even pressure across an applicator tip that wrapped around the lash line. I went through a lot of prototypes and designs before I figured it out.

I figured out how to make the perfect underlash after I had a working prototype of the Fuse Control Wand. I kept trying to use products that existed on the market with my tool, but the available options weren’t designed to blend in seamlessly under the lash line since strip lashes were designed to be glued to the wearer’s eyelid. I started thinking about how to make a lash that was as flat and seamless as a piece of tape. I made my first prototype myself using PBT fibers from a vegan makeup brush and a hair styling iron. Strip lashes are made with a string and glue to create a base—I used one material and melted it together to create a completely flat, seamless lash. The first time I tried on a working prototype I knew I had figured it out.

What did the brand look like at launch, how many products did you have?

The brand was super limited at launch. I had used all of the money I had to buy 10,000 Control Kits. There was only one lash style at first: Amplify. I figured if I could sell these kits, then I would reinvest the money I made into developing additional styles.

The Control Kit

How did you market the brand in the early days and how quickly did you realise you had a hit on your hands?

I started by creating Facebook ads that felt more like movie trailers—they were all about curating the energy, and experience of Lashify. People were skeptical at first; it felt too good to be true. So I started doing live tutorials to educate and show exactly how the system worked. The moment people saw it in action, the reaction was instant. I remember hearing the “cha-ching” from my Shopify store—that’s when I knew people were finally getting it.

With success of course comes imitation. You had the foresight to patent your system at the start but you have had to spend a lot of time and money to defend yourself against copycats. That must be frustrating to say the least. Can you articulate which aspects of the system are unique and covered by copyright?

Lashify holds over 750 patents and 1000 trademarks globally. I made sure we covered every aspect of the Gossamer® Lashes and the Fuse Control Wand because I knew that those were essential for DIY lash extensions and were going to be infringed upon the most. I have numerous utility and design patents on both of them. We also have a patent on our formula for Bondage® Extra Strength Bond.

Why do you think the copycats feel at liberty to do what they have done; are they not expecting a lawsuit? Or are they unaware?

There’s a whole industry overseas that is dedicated to copying consumer products as quickly as humanly possible. When they started copying me, they were doing what they had always done. I don’t think they expected me to take on an entire industry and fight to protect what’s mine. Most inventors get their market stolen from them so quickly that they don’t have a chance of survival. The USPTO also doesn’t protect US inventors. If someone infringes, the only recourse you have as an inventor is to send a cease & desist or litigate, and the manufacturers know that.

For brands who might want to partner with you or create, perhaps, a more keenly priced products, are there ways they can work with you?

We’re always open to discussing licensing deals. In fact, a lot of manufacturers and brands are now seeking licensing deals with us after we won the lawsuit in Waco last year. I’m not interested in gatekeeping DIY lash extensions, but I require recognition and compensation for what I’ve created.

Your website is incredible and such a great experience. How much have you invested in that to ensure that consumers understand what they are buying and get the best experience?

Honestly, we never stop investing in our site and the user experience. It’s an ongoing and endless project, because we’re always trying to find ways to make the Lashify consumer experience as easy and seamless as possible.

The subscription model is a clever idea. How popular is that with consumers? I should imagine once they get used to wearing Lashify lashes they want to continue to do so?

I knew from the beginning that Lashify would be a subscription model. The truth is, Lashify is really addictive in the best way possible. Once you have your application down, it’s all about playing around with new styles. The beauty of the subscription is that you can experiment month-to-month and save 50% on retail prices. It’s a total no brainer. Our customers love having the subscription because it’s totally flexible. They can get whatever they want on a monthly basis and save a ton of money.

The Lashify range

You have a multitude of products and accessories to help consumers optimise their lash game, but for someone just get started, what are the basics they need and is it really that easy to do?

The Control Kit has everything you need to get started with the system. It comes with black and clear Whisper Light® bond, multiple Gossamer® lash styles, and a Fuse Control Wand®. We have tons of tutorials to walk you through your first application, but if you’re struggling with your application technique you can schedule a 1:1 with one of our pro educators! Once you understand the system, it's really easy.

What are the best-sellers? And do you find that consumers can start dipping their toe with a natural option and gradually get more brave with it?

Our best-selling lashes include Starburst, Plushy, and Fluffy. Most of our customers start with lashes from our “Core Collection,” these are the easiest lashes to learn with and you can stack them to create more volume. Most people start with really short natural looks and quickly graduate to more length and volume once they get the hang of it.

I imagine social media plays a huge role in your success today, how do you approach that and what works well for you?

Social media is how I built my business. In the beginning, everything I did was on Facebook. Doing lives was how I taught the world how to apply DIY lash extensions, and it continues to be the best way to connect with consumers in a meaningful way. I built an entire community called Lashify Life on Facebook. It’s a private group with nearly 135K members at this point. Community is everything!

How do you keep on top of trends in the market and how does that inform your NPD?

To be honest, I’ve never really paid much attention to beauty trends. Beauty companies are largely marketing companies, and I’m interested in solving problems for consumers. I look at everything through the lens of innovation first and foremost. The creative choices come to me like a download, sometimes even when I’m asleep.

Outside of the legal challenges, what have been the key lessons you have learned as a founder?

Learning to trust my own judgment has been the most important lesson in my journey as a founder. Early on, I brought in people from major brands, people with more traditional experience and industry knowledge, thinking they’d know how to run my company better than I could. The truth is, I created Lashify’s success by following my intuition, and those with industry experience didn’t understand the vision the way I did, and they certainly didn’t know how to build what I was building better than me.

The brand has already come so far, but what are your ambitions moving forward?

I’ve always thought of Lashify as a beauty think tank—a place where innovation is born and boundaries are redefined. I ultimately want to empower other women inventors to create and solve beauty problems the way I did, with the community and resources of Lashify behind them. My goal is to help reshape the industry into one where original ideas are protected, creators are credited, and women are at the forefront of true industry change.