Regielyn Tijam fulfiling a dream with Lash Studio
Filipino immigrant grateful for support of Corner Brook community
Whether she’s extending lashes, adding colour, or providing manicures and pedicures, Regielyn Tijam loves her work.
Every day, she feels content in the knowledge that she’s helping make her clients feel good about themselves.
“That is what makes me happy,” the owner of Lash Studio told The West Coast Wire. “Giving confidence to girls. They will come here, they’re already pretty, but me doing lashes on them and nails and making them more confident about themselves is what makes the most out of it.”
Tijam is a certified lash technician in both Canada and the Philippines. This past summer, she completed her nail technician certification.
With her background and expertise, she saw a great opportunity for her very own beauty studio.
Tijam opened Lash Studio at 59 Broadway in Corner Brook on Aug. 16.
She, alongside her employees, a nail technician and esthetician, offers clients lash extensions, manicures, pedicures, waxing, brows laminations and lash lifts.
When the Filipino woman moved to Corner Brook in July 2022, she never anticipated operating her own business.
She had never run one before, but it was always a dream to have her own studio.
Tijam started work in Corner Brook as a waitress with Pizza Delight.
However, she had done lashes when she worked in Macao before she moved to Canada.
She knew it was something she could do and started to ask herself, “Why wouldn’t I just do it as a living also here?”
Sometimes working on co-workers and friends that she has met since moving to Corner Brook, Tijam made her mind up. After a year, she was able to save some money to open Lash Studio.
She has been astounded by the support she has gotten in the last three and a half months.
“At first, I was scared and excited because this is my first ever business and I didn’t know if the people here will come to me and try my services,” she recalled. “But the people of Corner Brook are very, very nice and they’re very open and they eventually came to me and tried my services. So far, the business is doing good.”
The feedback has been highly positive.
Every customer review on Facebook and Google, as of Nov. 24, gives Lash Studio the full five stars.
Many reviews highlight the warmth, friendliness and quality of the work.
According to Tijam, lashing isn’t easy work that just anyone can do. It requires someone who is certified.
You must ensure, she adds, all the tools properly sterilized.
She says lashes need to be refilled every two to three weeks, depending on the growth of the client’s lashes.
The whole experience of running the business and doing clients’ lashes and nails doesn’t feel like work to Tijam.
“It’s very natural to me because every day I come here, even if it’s busy morning till night, I don’t feel like I’m working,” she explained. “Because I really love what I’m doing and I’m very invested to do it, running a business is just a blast to me.”
Tijam expressed thanks to the community for the support she has received.
FEELING WELCOME
Tijam is originally from Manilla, the capital city of the Philippines.
She was always interested in beauty work.
“I’ve been wearing lashes ever since I was in university and I really love that,” she said.
She never thought she would make a career of it, but when the pandemic hit, she started to think, “Oh, I need to do something else.”
Tijam completed lash technician training in Macao.
Initially, she would do lashes for friends and family.
Word of mouth spread about her work, and more people started coming to her and became regular clients.
She worked out of a hotel in Macao, where lashing became her part-time job.
“That’s where it all started,” said Tijam.
Before moving to Corner Brook, she did some research on the city but was not able to find much.
She was jumping into the unknown. “I was scared when I moved here because I didn’t know anybody, I was alone, I didn’t have any friends here or family,” she recalled. “So, it is a really big step for me.”
But she loves her life here and plans to stick around.
“It’s very relaxing, it’s not too stressful because it’s not like a city,” she explained. “The people here are very welcoming. Even if I don’t know them, they will smile at me and they will say, ‘Hi, how are you?’ and that is something I didn’t expect when I moved here.”
An only child, her parents, she says, have been supportive of her move and she looks forward to them visiting.
The existing Filipino community in Corner Brook also helped her adjust to her new home.
“I couldn’t ask for more,” said Tijam. “I know a lot of Filipinos here already. They helped me adjust here in Corner Brook and they helped me promote the business as well and they also come here.”
Tijam reveals she wants to add a new business to her portfolio at some point but, for now, wants to keep the idea under wraps.
Lash Studio is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Appointments can be made through Facebook and Instagram.