From Bare Lashes to a Booming Brand: How Three Melbourne Mates Built an $800k Business During Lockdown

Jessica Arthur, Lauren Rugolo and Emma Spiliopoulos were like a lot of women during lockdown big fans of lash extensions, stuck at home, and watching their once-full lashes thin out with every passing week. “Our lashes had completely fallen out. They looked bare and brittle,” Jess said.

The trio had been close friends since they were 18. They’d backpacked across Europe together and often dreamed of launching something of their own. When the pandemic forced Jessica to hit pause on opening a gym, she found herself looking for a lash serum that wouldn’t irritate her sensitive skin. It didn’t exist. That gap in the market kicked off a conversation that changed everything.

We registered the business and name within 24 hours of coming up with the idea. “We were convinced it was such a good idea and if we don’t do it right now someone else will do it.”

So, with zero experience in e-commerce but a whole lot of drive, the three built Lash Therapy Australia from scratch. Within four months, they launched their first line: an eyelash serum, eyebrow serum (both priced at $79.95), and a lash wand for $11.95.

Their weapon? TikTok. Leaning into short-form video, behind-the-scenes content, and real results, they built a loyal following and the sales followed fast. By the end of their first year in business, they'd cracked $800,000 in revenue.

And they didn’t stop there. They expanded the range to include a growth serum mascara and an eyelash curler, giving Aussie women salon-style results at home. And the best part? They did it all during a global pandemic, in one of the most locked-down cities in the world.

Why It Works

Lash Therapy Australia hit all the right notes

• Identifying a real problem (lash damage from extensions and lack of at-home care)

• Creating high-quality beauty products that actually deliver results

• Capitalising on TikTok and social media to reach a massive audience without big marketing budgets

• Acting fast. They didn’t wait for perfect conditions. They launched fast and adjusted along the way.

Lessons for Any Entrepreneur

• Speed matters. When you have a solid idea, don’t sit on it. Validate it and act.

• Start with the problem. Real business success lies in solving real problems.

• Use what you’ve got. They didn’t have fancy investors or big branding agencies. They had grit, TikTok, and a clear message.

If you’re an entrepreneur in Australia thinking it’s too late to start, think again. Lash Therapy Australia is proof that when you move fast, solve a real problem, and own your niche you don’t just survive, you thrive.

Stay tuned to The Cultivator News for more stories of real Aussies building big things.

Image Credit: www.news.com.au