Lash Lift And Tint Studio Break-Even: $117K Monthly Target

Fixed costs $4.1K/mo Base overhead

Contribution margin 88% After variable costs

Break-even revenue $11.7K/mo Full cost cover

Break-even timing Month 4 Launch ramp

Break-even calculator

Test monthly revenue, direct costs, and fixed overhead to see where the studio breaks even.

Lean Base Full

Monthly revenue Revenue sets the pool that covers direct costs and fixed overhead. $ Low revenue High revenue Variable expenses Use direct treatment and product costs that move with service volume. $ Low direct cost High direct cost

Money available to cover fixed costs $19,537 $33,667 revenue - $14,130 variable expenses

Margin ratio

58%

Covers fixed costs

Yes

Fixed monthly costs This is the monthly overhead contribution margin has to cover. $ Low fixed cost High fixed cost

Break-even chart Revenue Total costs

Which lash studio expenses are fixed, and which move with appointments?

Cost classification

Break-even only works if each expense is handled by behavior. At 6 visits/day in the first year, treating consumables like rent or wages like supplies will distort how fast the studio covers its monthly base.

Expense	Cost	Break-Even Treatment	Common Mistake
Studio Rent	Fixed	Carry at $2,800 per month before calculating required visits.	Reducing rent when appointment volume is slow.
Utilities and Internet	Semi-fixed	Start with $350 per month, then review when hours or rooms expand.	Modeling it as fully appointment-linked.
Booking Software Subscription	Fixed	Include $120 per month as a stable overhead item.	Leaving it out because it feels small.
Marketing and Social Media Ads	Semi-fixed	Use $500 per month, then step it up only when growth plans require it.	Assuming ad spend rises with every booking.
Insurance and Licensing	Fixed	Include $150 per month in the base overhead load.	Treating compliance spend as optional.
Treatment Consumables	Variable	Apply 8% of service revenue in the first year.	Using a flat monthly amount despite more visits.
Retail Inventory Cost	Variable	Apply 4% of retail and add-on income in the first year.	Counting retail sales without matching inventory outflow.
Staff Wages	Semi-fixed	Model staffing in steps as total labor rises from 1.5 FTE in the first year to 4.5 FTE by the fifth year.	Treating payroll as a per-appointment expense.

How does break-even change from a lean launch to full studio capacity?

Scenario table

Lean loads more fixed cost onto less revenue, so break-even stays tight. As the studio fills and the mix shifts to higher-ticket services, fixed rent and staffing spread out, and the cushion improves in the base and full cases.

Scenario figures are planning assumptions, not guarantees.

Scenario	Monthly Revenue	Variable Costs	Fixed Costs	CM Ratio	Operating Profit	Break-Even Signal
Lean launch case	$14.6k	$1.8k	$8.6k	88%	$4.3k	About $117k annual revenue marks the first break-even hurdle.
Base staffing case	$33.7k	$3.7k	$13.3k	89%	$16.6k	About $179k annual revenue gives the cleanest staffing plan.
Full-capacity case	$50.4k	$5.0k	$15.9k	90%	$29.5k	About $212k annual revenue tests capacity, pricing, and pace.

What breaks the break-even plan for this lash lift studio?

Stress test

Base monthly revenue is about $146,000 against $103,000 of fixed costs and 12% variable costs, so break-even sits near $117,000. The cushion is real, but a 15% booking drop or a 10% cost spike cuts it hard, and stacked pressure can push the plan into a monthly gap.

Stress Case	Changed Assumption	Break-Even Revenue	Revenue Gap	Risk Signal
Current plan	No change.	$117,000	$29,000 cushion	Healthy buffer, but steady bookings still matter.
Revenue shortfall	Monthly revenue falls 15% to about $124,000.	$117,000	$7,000 cushion	One soft month leaves almost no room for extras.
Fixed-cost pressure	Fixed monthly costs rise 10% to about $113,300.	$129,000	$17,000 cushion	Higher rent or staffing lifts the hurdle fast.
Margin pressure	Variable costs rise from 12% to 17% of revenue.	$124,000	$22,000 cushion	Supply inflation or discounting cuts the margin buffer.
Combined pressure	Revenue falls 15%, fixed costs rise 10%, and variable costs hit 17%.	$137,000	$12,000 gap	Three hits together can turn the plan cash negative.

What should a lash lift and tint founder verify before signing the lease?

Founder checklist

Do not sign the lease until you can book about 5 visits a day, keep fixed overhead at $4,120 a month before payroll, and still hit Month 4 break-even. If the 13-month payback slips, the opening is too thin.

1Demand Test5/day

Verify you can average at least 5 visits a day before you lock the lease, because that is the opening load the model needs to support rent and early payroll.

2Fixed Load$4.12K/mo

Keep rent, utilities, software, ads, insurance, and cleaning at $4,120 a month so the studio does not add more fixed cost than its first-year traffic can carry.

3Margin Check12% VC

Test the $85, $110, and $140 menu prices without discounting, and keep Year 1 variable cost near the 12% target so each service still contributes enough margin.

4Staffing Ramp$6.17K/mo

Hold Year 1 payroll near $6.17K a month, because the studio manager, half of a junior tech, and later receptionist coverage have to match booked visits, not hope.

5Launch Stack$35.5K

Fund the opening buildout, beds, seating, lighting, reception, sterilization, inventory, and signage with the modeled $35.5K so Month 1 can launch cleanly.

6Cash Cushion$857K

Keep at least the modeled $857K cash cushion through Month 2 and watch the 13-month payback timeline, because early cash burn is the real failure point.