Empire Lashes & Beauty is a boutique lash and brow studio in Hokowhitu, Palmerston North, run by Tai, a senior lash artist with almost a decade in the beauty industry — seven of those years working for herself. The studio's philosophy is simple: treating yourself to stunning lashes or perfectly sculpted brows is about more than the final look; it's about the boost of confidence and energy you feel afterwards.
Treatments centre on beautiful lash work and expertly shaped brows, delivered in a relaxing, inviting space where clients can lie down and escape from the stresses of everyday life while Tai works her lash magic.
The studio is currently transitioning to a new home studio and is not taking on new clients. Anyone keen to book is invited to join the waitlist to be notified when an opening becomes available. Gift voucher holders who are unable to book in are asked to send a message, and the studio will make sure they are accommodated.
Empire Lashes & Beauty takes appointments Tuesday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm, from 12 Goodwyn Crescent in Hokowhitu, Palmerston North.
Tucked into the quiet Hokowhitu suburb of Palmerston North, Empire Lashes & Beauty is a small, personal studio built around one simple belief: taking time out of a busy schedule to relax and treat yourself to stunning lashes or perfectly sculpted brows is about more than the final look. It is about the boost of confidence and energy you feel when you walk back out the door — and about giving yourself permission to switch off for a while.
The studio is the work of Tai, a senior lash artist who has spent almost a decade in the beauty industry, seven of those years working for herself. Right now Empire Lashes & Beauty is in a period of change: it is transitioning to a new home studio, and while the move settles, the books are closed to new clients. Anyone hoping to book is invited to join the waitlist, so they will be among the first to know when an opening becomes available. Gift voucher holders are looked after too — if you are unable to book in, a quick message is all it takes and the studio will make sure you are accommodated.
Tai started lashing at 19 and, by her own account, has been in love with the art ever since. What draws her to the work is the transformation itself — how something so small and delicate can completely change the way a person looks and, more importantly, how they feel about themselves. Nearly ten years on, that sense of possibility still shapes the way she approaches every client who settles into her chair. She loves meeting new people, and that genuine interest comes through in the unhurried, personal feel of the studio.
Just as important is the atmosphere she creates. Tai describes the studio as a relaxing and inviting space — somewhere to lie down and escape from the stresses of everyday life while she works her lash magic. Appointments here are not a production line. They are an hour or two of quiet, a comfortable place to rest, and the chance to let someone else take care of the details while you do absolutely nothing at all.
The treatment menu is deliberately focused. Lash work is at the heart of the business: stunning lash sets crafted by an artist who has spent close to ten years refining her craft. Alongside the lashes, Empire Lashes & Beauty offers perfectly sculpted brows, shaped to frame the face and pull a whole look together. It is a small menu by design — a reflection of an artist who would rather do a few things exceptionally well than many things adequately.
For anyone wanting to share the experience, gift vouchers are available, making an hour of rest and lash artistry an easy gift for a friend, a mother or a colleague who deserves a break.
Empire Lashes & Beauty operates from 12 Goodwyn Crescent in Hokowhitu, Palmerston North, with appointments available Tuesday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Bookings are made through the studio's online booking system, and enquiries can also be made by phone on 0276146126 or via the contact form on the studio's website. Allow yourself a little extra time to arrive unhurried — the whole point of a visit is the escape.
Because the studio is moving to a new home base, the usual advice comes with a caveat. New clients should join the waitlist rather than trying to book directly, and can expect to be contacted once space opens up. Existing gift voucher holders, meanwhile, have a direct line: one message is all it takes to get sorted.
For Palmerston North locals who appreciate careful, unhurried lash artistry, a studio that treats the appointment itself as part of the treat, and an artist who genuinely loves her craft, Empire Lashes & Beauty is well worth a spot on the waitlist.