We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Soo-jin Yang a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Soo-Jin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. undefined
The most innovative thing I’ve done in my career is creating the patented Lynk-Gel Method and Device, a completely new way to apply lash extensions that’s changing the industry. Traditional lash adhesives have always had limitations—vapors, irritation, slow drying times, and unpredictable retention. I knew there had to be a better way.
While lying in bed one night, thinking about a particularly difficult client that I had the next day, I was trying to solve her lash issues and thought of different glue applications that I had dealt with in my life previously. I couldn’t get out of my head when I was a kid and had clear braces. I would get mine adjusted at the same time as a friend of mine, and they cured mine with a light so I was always done before my friend. I couldn’t get this idea out of my head and started to wonder if it could be done with lash extensions.
That’s why we developed an adhesive that cures instantly under LED light. It eliminates vapors, gives lash artists more control, and makes lash extensions last longer. It’s not just about better lashes – it’s about a safer, smarter future for the industry. Seeing the impact it’s making on both lash artists and clients has been the most rewarding part of this journey.
It wasn’t easy getting the Lynk-Gel Method from an idea to reality. The process took years of testing, adjusting, and overcoming setbacks, but I was determined to get it right. Every roadblock was frustrating, but I knew the end result would be a game-changer for lash artists and clients. Not only did we have to come up with a light that was safe to use by someone’s eyes, but also a brand new adhesive that would cure quickly and safely. When I was trying to have the glue formulated, I was told no many times but I kept pushing and didn’t give up until we finally had a product to test and refine. Once we perfected it, seeing how much it improved the lash experience – eliminating vapors, making applications faster, and increasing retention – made every challenge completely worth it.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I was obsessed with getting my nails done and back then the only option I had was regular nail polish. Since I was a natural nail gal, it was my weekly routine to get my nails done, so I started driving all around the Bay Area to try different nail services. I couldn’t find “my perfect nail salon” so I decided that one day I would open up my own salon. During that time, I took an extra training at the school where I paid for a lash kit and took a class on lash extensions. The class was just us students applying lashes to each other, and I found that not only did I enjoy doing it and the time flew by, but I also was pretty good at it. As the class continued, the other students would ask me for help and pointers on what they could do to improve because for me it just sort of clicked. After taking the training, during school ‘floor hours’ I was asked to do lashes on my fellow students and I really started to love it as I got better and faster. When I opened my own practice, I didn’t really advertise that I was doing lashes because it was such a new thing. However, I had a couple of clients who knew, and they told other people, and I kept raising my price for the service. People kept coming to me until I decided to become a full-time lash tech and stop doing nails because I loved doing lashes and got paid more doing them! I continued doing lashes full time, transitioned my nail salon into a lash salon, and eventually founded illumino.
At illumino, our mission is to elevate the lash industry and empower artists with innovative, safe, and efficient solutions that truly make a difference. We are a brand for professional lash artists, created by an experienced lash artist. We have a deep commitment to safety and quality—like our Lynk-Gel Method, which is handcrafted in the USA, tested to ANSI RP-27 standards, IEC 62471 certified by a third party, and thoroughly refined to provide a safe and non-intrusive method for applying LED lash extensions. We believe in providing solutions that not only improve the lash experience but also allow artists to build long, successful careers by keeping themselves and their clients safe and happy.
What makes us truly different is that we don’t just sell products; we care about your business and success. By constantly refining our products and rigorously testing them for safety, we ensure that artists can confidently grow their careers, knowing they’re using products designed for long-term safety and performance.
Beyond our products, we are also known for our extensive, in-depth lash trainings. Whether you’re a new lash artist just starting with our 2-day Classic course—where you learn the foundations along with the Lynk-Gel Method—or an experienced artist joining our 1-day Lynk-Gel training, we have something for everyone. Our training focuses on problem-solving and hands-on experience so that you feel confident dealing with any challenges when you’re back in your studio. If you’re ever unsure about something, we’re always here to provide assistance and support throughout your career, whether it’s about best practices, methods, safety, pricing, client satisfaction, or anything else!
I’m most proud of the positive impact we’ve made on the industry, helping both artists and clients feel more confident and comfortable in their lash experience. Whether it’s products that will provide the best retention, education where we tailor it to you and what you want to know, or just general support and questions about how to improve, we do our best to support lash artists and improve their lives and businesses. At illumino, we’re here to make sure you not only get great results but also do so in a way that’s safe and sustainable. We’re committed to being a brand that cares about your career and success, not just selling products.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
One of my favorite stories that truly illustrates my resilience and drive to succeed happened during the early stages of developing what is now called the Lynk-Gel Device when I was still creating and refining the prototype. I had been working tirelessly on what some might call a ‘stupid lash’ idea—just a prototype. I was pouring money into something I felt deep in my heart was meant to become a reality, something I knew would work. I had this prototype carefully stored in a plastic container to protect it. On that particular day, I foolishly placed the plastic bin inside a white garbage bag, thinking that it would be kept safe from the pouring rain while having to run to and from my lawyer’s office where I had gone to demonstrate my ‘stupid lash idea’ that could potentially become a patented product. But it wasn’t as safe as I thought.
Back then, the city didn’t collect recycling from small businesses. Because of a close friend who worked for the EPA, I had become a passionate advocate for recycling. So, I would drive home with bags of recyclables from work to make sure they didn’t go to waste. That night, my husband took the bags of recycling out of the back of my car. In his haste, he mistakenly grabbed the white plastic bag containing my prototype, thinking it was just another piece of recycling.. The next morning when I woke up and went to find it, the panic started to set in. My stomach dropped and my mind raced. I called him to ask where it was, and he said he didn’t know that it was in there and that he had thrown it out with the rest of the trash.
Disbelief. Terror. My heart pounded as the reality sank in—all the time, effort, and money I had poured into this project… gone, just like that. But I wasn’t ready to accept that. I couldn’t and didn’t want to give up.
I immediately started trying to figure out where the recycling truck that serviced our house dumped at. I drove to the city’s recycling center and begged the employees to let me dig through the bins. The woman laughed at me and told me the trucks didn’t come to their center and shooed me away. I walked out to the front and broke down on the sidewalk and called my husband to yell at him, but I felt someone approach me from behind and it was another employee who overheard the conversation. He told me that he shouldn’t be doing this because it could get him in a lot of trouble, but he handed me a Post-it note scribbled with the phone number of where the truck went. I Googled the phone number and found out the address. I started frantically calling the place while driving there. When I got to the location, it was a nondescript warehouse with a camera pointed at me at the front door. I banged and kicked on the door until a woman cracked it open just enough to ask me what I wanted. I explained to her my situation while being barely able to breathe as tears were flowing down and she let me in and told me to sit down and talk slower.
Fortunately, as I spoke with her and stared at her face, I noticed that she had on the longest big fake strip lashes. At that point, I knew that I was speaking to the right person and that she was really listening to me and going to try her best to help. She reassured me and told me that she would call the owner of the dump yard and get back to me by the end of the day. I was driving back home when I received a call from the owner who asked me a few questions and then I asked him if I could come drive back to search for my white bag.
At first, he refused, warning me about the dangers and taking on the liability—needles, broken glass, dirty diapers, the sheer filth of it all. But I wasn’t backing down. After much pleading, he finally relented, allowing me just one hour to search. He told me to come back at 4:30 in the morning to intercept the truck. He said to wear thick gloves, boots and bring flashlights because it was dangerous and gross. I suited up in heavy gloves, long sleeves, pants, and boots, ready to dig through mountains of waste if I had to. In addition to myself, I also had friends – neighbors and employees – who also volunteered to help me search.
The next morning, I was greeted with a thick fog and two five-ton dump trucks that picked up recycling in my city, and we didn’t know which one had our trash. Then, as luck would have it, I recognized one of the drivers. He was the one who usually picked up our street’s trash, and I had seen him many times while walking my dog. I knocked on his window (and given the area, I don’t blame him for hesitating to open it). I tried asking questions, even mimed walking my dog to jog his memory. And it worked—he remembered me and confirmed that his dump truck had picked up our trash on our street. To help us, he dumped out the truck’s contents little by little, spreading it out to make it easier for us to search. My husband, a neighbor, and a couple employees, and I got to work.
It was grim. The smell. The mess. The overwhelming sea of garbage. I fought through the panic, but as time slipped away, so did my hope. I was about to give up—the owner had only given us one hour and time was almost up. I could feel the tears coming—when one of my neighbors who had come to help spotted a familiar cardboard box in the pile. Since we lived close to each other, we figured my prototype had to be near that box. Adrenaline kicked in. We ran toward the box and frantically started digging through that section.
And then—we found it! One of my employees spotted the bag and tore it open, and passed me the box. The moment my hands wrapped around that plastic container, relief crashed over me like a wave. I lifted it up, and suddenly, I heard cheering. The dump workers—who had been watching the entire time—were clapping and celebrating with us. I hadn’t even realized there were so many people watching us the whole time, but in that moment, their cheers matched exactly how I felt. It was surreal, like something out of a movie.
Holding my prototype tightly, I knew this moment would define the future of my project. Because of that relentless determination to never give up, I was able to keep working on the device, eventually refining it into what would become the Lynk-Gel Device and Method.
That day, I learned that resilience isn’t just about enduring challenges—it’s about pushing through, even when the odds seem impossible. And sometimes, refusing to give up will lead you to the right people—the ones who step up, lend a hand, and help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
The foundation of my reputation was built on the quality of my work itself. Before I ever created the Lynk-Gel Method or any product, I was a lash artist who focused on delivering consistent, high-quality results. My clients trusted me, stayed loyal, and even as I raised my prices, they kept coming back because they valued my work. That level of trust and satisfaction spoke volumes and helped establish my name in the industry all from word of mouth.
From there, it was my vision, drive, and ability to innovate that set me apart. I didn’t just accept the tools and methods available—I questioned them. I saw the struggles lash artists faced and became obsessed with finding better solutions. That’s what led me to create the Lynk-Gel Method and other products that weren’t just different but truly helped artists work more efficiently, safely, and profitably.
But more than just having new ideas, I followed through. I was relentless in bringing them to life, refining them, and ensuring they actually worked. That persistence and dedication to both my craft and my innovations made people take notice.
And finally, I built my reputation by being consistent, authentic, and deeply invested in the lash community. I didn’t just sell products—I shared knowledge, I listened, and I genuinely cared about helping other lash artists succeed. That’s what created not just customers, but a loyal community that trusts and believes in what I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://illuminolashes.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/illuminoextensions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illuminolashes/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/illuminoextensions
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@illuminoextensions
