Primp Lash and Beauty Boutique: Attention to Detail Makes the Difference

By Gale Hemmann

Who doesn’t feel better after a little pampering? We’ve all heard the saying, “When you look your best, you feel your best.” Even the busiest person among us feels like a whole new level of energy and confidence after we’ve taken a bit of time for ourselves. No matter what your age, schedule, or normal beauty routine, a visit to Primp Lash and Beauty Boutique is guaranteed to make your unique beauty shine through.

Launched in 2012, Primp Lash and Beauty Boutique was founded by Megan Manke, who has a passion for making women feel and look great. Primp, located in West Olympia, specializes in eyelash extensions and special-occasion makeup. Manke is a trained esthetician, certified lash extension specialist, and talented makeup artist. She has been winning rave reviews from customers all over the Puget Sound for making women look stunning, whether it’s for a wedding or another special occasion, or just for looking your everyday best.

What are eyelash extensions, you may ask? If you’ve never checked them out, they are a fun idea to enhance your natural lashes. Applied individually to each lash, extensions last about three months, and eliminate the daily need to wear mascara. If you look at some of the “before” and “after” photos on Primp’s Facebook page, you’ll see the remarkable difference. For those who are looking for some new “oomph” for their beauty routine, eyelash extensions may be a great way to go. The lash-extension industry has been growing rapidly, and I know many local women who are Primp devotees.

When it comes to your eyes, you obviously want to find the right person to do your lashes. Manke, who is the premiere lash extensionist in Thurston County, is truly dedicated to what she does. She carefully researched which lash company to use, and achieved advanced certification from Lavish Lashes (they are considered the top brand, and the one used by many celebrities, including Beyoncé.) She is a perfectionist about safety and making each pair of lashes look awesome and wear well. There are many businesses that offer eyelash extensions, but Manke is the first to bring such a level of specialty and quality to the area, making it her primary focus (she even has regular customers from Seattle who travel down to see her).

The other part of Primp’s focus is wedding makeup application. Manke travels on-location to weddings around the area, making brides or entire bridal parties look radiant for the big day. She is sought after for her upbeat attitude and professional demeanor – this woman has an incredible amount of energy, often arriving at a location first thing and sometimes having as many as ten women’s eyelashes to apply and makeup to do in a morning.  Manke notes that often everyone in the wedding party, from the mother-of-the-bride to the bridesmaids, end up wanting to get their lashes done.  Manke notes that an extra benefit of having lash extensions on your wedding day means that those prone to shedding a tear or two won’t have to worry about mascara running.

I’d heard around town that Manke’s work, both with lashes and cosmetics, is amazing. I asked her how she first got into the lash business. She told me that she’s always had a knack for doing makeup, doing her friends’ makeup for prom in high school and later for her sorority sisters in college (she attended the University of Washington, where she majored in Speech Therapy). She worked in the school system for awhile, but realized her true calling was to help make women feel beautiful. After getting lashes applied for her own wedding, and then having to travel to Bellevue periodically to get them maintained, she realized there was a need for top-notch lash service here in Thurston County. She became a certified esthetician, and started doing lashes at a local medical spa. Customers quickly took notice of her skills, and one thing led to another: the demand for her services became so great, she finally set out to open her own venue.

Manke recently hired Christie Mae Wagaman, a licensed cosmetologist, to help keep up with the demand – Christie does wedding hair as well as lashes. (Manke’s not kidding about the pair being busy; I was lucky to catch up with her between back-to-back long days, as Manke often works until late in the evening serving customers).

When I asked Manke what she loves about her work, she says it is the happiness it brings women when they see how great they look, and how that spark of confidence can spread to other areas of their lives. “It’s so gratifying,” she says. She works with clients of all ages, from teens to women in their seventies. She has even done “mother and daughter” lashes for women who want to make it a bonding day of self-care.

Walking into the boutique, you are greeted by a cozy, chic scene that looks like it could be in a home décor magazine. Think floral curtains, a vintage-style chandelier, and comfy lash-application beds. Manke wants women to feel truly pampered while they’re at Primp.

If you, like me, enjoy beauty and fashion, you’ll definitely want to stop by Primp. In addition to their beauty services, they also offer gift cards (a popular bridal-shower present), as well as a range of stylish accessories made by local companies (check out the beautiful Tuesday scarves), which would no doubt make cherished gift items too. They also rolled out their own line of self-tanning spray this past year, which has won positive reviews.

Learning about Primp’s services and talking with Manke made me excited to try some new ideas in my own beauty routine, and, in fact, made me want to book some new lashes. It also reminded me of a quote I recently heard by pop star Janelle Monáe: “Beauty is about enhancing what you have. Let yourself shine through!”

You can learn more about Primp Lash and Beauty Boutique by “liking” their Facebook page, following them on Instagram, or visiting their website (where you can also book appointments).