From Commack to Mary J. Blige, how the Envious Lashes founder's career took off
Clementina Richardson, founder of Envious Lashes in Commack, is a trailblazer in the lash industry. The lash and brow artist has been working with celebrity clientele including Grammy-award winning singer Mary J. Blige. Credit: Clementina Richardson
When mascara is just not enough, Clementina Richardson delights in turning hair-thin situations into eye-catching ones.
Richardson is the founder of Envious Lashes — a brand she's expanded into a mini lash empire with locations in Commack, Manhattan and Miami, and clients both local and notable.
When Richardson, of Long Island City, Queens, found herself looking at people’s faces and reimagining better lashes and brows, she began customizing lash treatments, she recounts, becoming one of the earlier cosmetologists to branch out into lash styling in the 2000s: “I just like being different. People looked at me like I was crazy. But it just took off,” she says.
Richardson created a mini lash empire with locations in Commack, Manhattan and Miami, and clients both local and notable. Credit: Clementina Richardson
Richardson offers eyelash extension, lift, tint and microblading services at her salon. She says she gained notoriety for using the technique of tailoring eyelashes instead of gluing on one-size-fits-all lash strips.
“It’s not as simple as just adding lashes,” says Richardson. “It’s all about how to enhance one’s natural beauty. This is done using different lengths and curvatures of lashes to lift and reshape the eyes.” Her extensions customize the placement, curve and length of each lash. A lash lift allows clients to see the full length of their own lashes.
Before opening her salon in Manhattan in 2011 and Commack in 2017, Richardson first broke into the industry in New York City in 2007, making house calls for nail and lash clients. Richardson, who emigrated from the Bahamas to Brentwood in 1990, attended cosmetology school at the New York Institute of Beauty in Islandia.
The beauty founder's career began to take off after hosting several boutique launch parties, word-of-mouth in the rich and famous circles and profiles in beauty publications. “They only trust their celebrity circle. They all want the best and most updated look,” she notes of her high-profile clients. “They all seem to have an eye for artistry.”
One regular client, Grammy-winning singer Mary J. Blige describes “Clemmy” as “the best.” Blige learned about Richardson from stylist and fashion designer, Misa Hylton. “She’s an artist and she gives me exactly what I want every time,” the singer said in an emailed statement.
These days, clients want to frame their eyes and have made brow lamination a trend, Richardson says. Brow hairs can lie over each other, making parts of the brow look sparse or full, she explains. Lamination chemically relaxes the hair, so each hair can be tweaked to point in directions that help the brow look fuller, the stylist notes.
“I love the look on the clients’ faces when they see themselves,” she says. “Of course, they think they’re cute, but once I’m done with them, it just elevates them.”
Envious Lashes, 6564 Jericho Tpke., 631-258-0985, enviouslashes.com.