The Ultimate Lash Mapping Guide

Learning the Correct Lash Length, Curl and Thickness for Your Client’s Eyes

As lashing is still a fairly new procedure, we are still learning about new and improved techniques and application methods to best suit the client's individual eye shapes. Therefore, the aim of this article is to introduce you to the best ways to apply lashes to a variety of different eye shapes and sizes, in order to achieve the best results every time. This will also allow your work to stand out amongst other lash artists. Although this may seem daunting, creating the perfect lashes for your client is easier than you think, and only requires a few questions and some research (and we've done the hard bit for you).

Achieving the ‘Cat Eye’ Effect

The most popular style, and a style that is taught in most lash courses, is the ‘cat eye’. This style creates the illusion of a more winged, elongated eye, and this is done by featuring smaller lashes in the inner corner of the eyes, that gradually get longer towards the outer corner of the eye.

Depending on your client’s lashes and remembering that the lashes shouldn't be more than 2-4 mm longer than your client's natural lashes, this style usually requires lashes in the range of 9 mm in the inner corner, followed by 10 mm,11 mm, 12 mm, 13 mm and 14 mm.

Below, we have added a printable lash map of the popular cat eye effect, which can easily be attached to your client’s eye patch to act as a guide. Simply cut the lash map out, pop it on top of the eye patches, and add a small amount of tape to either side to secure it.

You can then follow the guidelines to effortlessly create the perfect cat eye set.

This Style Suits The Following Eye Shapes:

• Round eyes - this look balances round eyes out, making them appear more elongated.
• Small eyes - the cat eye look also enhances smaller eyes, elongating them and making them appear larger.

The ‘Staggered’ Lash Style

Next up we have the staggered style, which is a much more complex style. This look is becoming increasingly popular, and it is a little more ‘free style’ in comparison to other styles.

It’s been previously referred to as the ‘Kim Kardashian lash’ as it consists of a similar look to the full, wispy lashes she tends to wear. Due to it being such a new style, if you are new to the lash industry, you may not have even heard of this lash look yet. We always recommend practising on either a friend, family member or a doll's head first to get the hang of a new technique - after all, practice makes perfect.

A staggering lash style features a combination of long and short lash extensions scattered across the lash line to provide a more ‘textured’ and ‘wispy’ appearance. This style features a slight pattern that can be tailored to your client’s personal preference.

An example of a staggered lash style set would be a mix of 8 mm, 9 mm, and 10 mm lashes with shorter lashes positioned in the inner corner. You would then go back down to 8 mm, and increase to 12 mm, 9 mm, 10 mm, up to 13 mm then back down to 10 mm. You should repeat this process until you feel like the staggered set is complete, and you have achieved your client’s desired amount of length and volume.

Below, we have attached a printable lash map for you to use.

This Style Suits The Following Eye Shapes:

As this style is bespoke and not as structured as some of the other styles, it is perfect for most eye shapes and is ideal for those that love a dramatic lash look. 

The Doll Eyelash Look

Next up we have the ‘doll eye’ style. This style, unlike the staggered style, is much easier to grasp with great outcomes every time. This style is perfect if your client has asked for lashes to make her eyes appear bigger, and more rounded. This style can still be dramatic, depending on which lash length you choose. The doll eye style features shorter lashes on the outer corners of the eye, with longer lashes in the centre. This style is perfect for achieving full, fluffy eyelashes.

This Style Suits The Following Eye Shapes:

• Monolid eyes - this style opens up monolid eyes for a more rounded appearance.
• Almond eyes - as almond eyes are fairly large and round, this style compliments them beautifully.
• Hooded eyes - the doll eye look is ideal for enhancing hooded eyes, making them appear larger and more open.

The Natural Eye Style

The next style we have is the ‘natural eye style’. This is the easiest style to achieve and is fairly simple. The main aim of this style is to follow the natural flow of your client’s eyelashes so that it looks like they have long, natural eyelashes. To achieve this look, you can either do a full set, or half a set, depending on how natural your client wants their lashes to look. To follow the same lash style as your client, you may find yourself mixing it up, adding a few longer lashes here and there, as long as you begin the eye with shorter lashes, and the set has consistency then the lashes will have a natural finish.

As you are probably aware, our lashes have a natural cycle which means our lashes are growing at different phases, so are all different lengths. To achieve this style, we can't provide a lash map due to each client having different eyelashes, their eyelashes will be your map.

This Style Suits The Following Eye Shapes:

As this style is personalised to each individual client, this look can be achieved on any eye shape as long as you follow the client’s natural lashes as a guide.

Everything You Need to Know About Lash Curls

As well as length and thickness, choosing the correct curl in a lash is just as important. It can sometimes be overwhelming when you’re faced with choosing which lashes to stock. To help make this step easier, we have provided you with all of the information needed to help pick the perfect lash curl for your client below. 

J Curl

The J curl is extremely popular due to it being the most natural curl available. This is ideal for mimicking the natural curl of your client’s lashes. This curl is perfect for achieving the ‘natural style’ and is less noticeable when looking straight ahead. The J curl is also popular with more mature clientele, due to it appearing less harsh and providing a softer, more natural finish.

B Curl

The B curl, like, J curl, is very natural, but slightly curlier than the J curl. Again, this is perfect for clients wanting a more natural looking set, and clients that wish to mimic the natural curl of their lashes. B curl lashes look best in the inner corners of the eyes. When beginning your lash career, you may find that the inner corners of the eyes are the most difficult to master, so choosing a more natural curl will make it a little easier to place the extensions on the inner corner lashes.

C Curl

The C curl is definitely the most popular curl. This curl is designed to mimic your natural lashes once they have been curled. These lashes are much more visible than the J and B curl. C curl is definitely the safe option if you are unsure which curl to choose, as it suits all eye shapes and is perfect for both young and mature clients. The C curl matches the cat eye effect perfectly as it isn't too curly that the gradual increase in length isn’t noticeable, yet it is curly enough to see you have extensions on.

D Curl

The D curl is ideal for clients that want visible and dramatic looking eyelash extensions. These are the ultimate eye-opening lashes and look perfect when used to achieve the ‘doll look’ style. This curl has the most lift and is the most visible once applied. Using the D curl can be daunting, so if you are worried about using D curl you can always opt for CC curl, which is a mixture between C and D curl lash extensions.

TOP TIP:

Remember, when using such a curly lash, the lengths look shorter. D curl is perfect when creating the staggering eye effect, mixing and matching with a C curl will also help with creating the textured look.

L Curl

L curl is probably one of the least popular lash styles, as they can sometimes appear quite harsh and unnatural. These lashes look best with clients who have hooded eyes. The L curl lash mimics the letter L, and it’s recommended for use when creating more freestyle, textured and wispy looking sets. Mixing a few L curls with a set of D curls can look just like a popular set of strip lashes.