Blink Like a Barb: How Jessica Cantler Turned a Pandemic Side Hustle Into a Thriving Beauty Brand

Image Credit: Jessica Cantler

When Jessica Cantler first picked up a pair of lash tweezers, she thought she was simply creating a side hustle to make it through college.

Today, she is the founder and owner of Barbie Blink, a growing lash business that has transformed from a pandemic-born hustle into a brand with big ambitions.

Cantler launched Barbie Blink during the COVID-19 shutdowns, when job opportunities were scarce. With a lifelong love of beauty and lashes, she invested her savings into supplies and began taking clients from home while attending classes virtually. Within three months, her appointment calendar was booked solid.

“I took what I thought would be a quick way to make money and realized it could become so much more,” Cantler said. “It wasn’t just about lashes. It was about giving women a way to feel confident and beautiful.”

Image Credit: Jessica Cantler

Barbie Blink offers lash extension services, lash strips for clients who prefer a quicker option and luxury aftercare kits. Cantler also designs and hand-makes her own lash strips, giving clients flexibility and saving them time.

Her first client, she recalls, left her with more than just a sale. She left her with a purpose.

“I still have the first dollar I ever made,” Cantler said. “Seeing someone’s face light up after their appointment, watching them feel empowered and beautiful, that’s why I keep going.”

Cantler’s entrepreneurial journey has not gone without challenges. Like many in the beauty industry, she has faced inconsistent clientele and stiff competition. To overcome this, she introduced loyalty cards, rebranded her business with the slogan “Blink like a Barb” and created aftercare kits to set her services apart from her competitors.

She also had to learn financial discipline early on. “During COVID, money was unpredictable,” Cantler said. “I had to teach myself how to set aside enough for myself and enough for the business to grow. That discipline has stuck with me.”

Despite setbacks, Cantler has celebrated milestones such as being featured in her university’s first entrepreneur showcase and rebranding her business with a more defined identity.

Looking ahead, Cantler recently earned her bachelor’s degree in business, but she has her eyes set on a different path for graduate school. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in architecture, hoping to design unique salon suites tailored to beauty professionals.

“Most beauty suites look the same,” she said. “I want to create spaces that are creative and unique.”

For those considering starting their own business, Cantler offers simple advice: trust yourself, not social media.

“Don’t compare yourself to what you see online,” she said. “Set yourself apart, give 100 percent every day, and don’t let negativity stop you, especially as a Black woman in business. You have to believe in yourself before anyone else does.”

What began as a way to pass the time during a global pandemic has now become a stepping stone to bigger dreams. And for Cantler, the journey from side hustle to CEO is only the beginning.