Which lash?

With so many suppliers and brands on the market it isn't really surprising that there seems to be a vast range of lash extensions and some may say that there is too many choices which makes it a bit confusing especially when you are just starting your new venture into the lash world. 

So we would like to help you find out what the different lash types are, how they differentiate and which ones might suit you best. 

Synthetic Mink lashes

Is the most common type  now.   

These lashes are available in different curls, lengths, diameters and also shapes and can be used for classic, volume, mega volume, express, premade volume and even lashart!

The different curls are defined by the letters J/B/C/CC/D/L to show the strength of the curl and the angle 

J is the most natural and flattest curl, followed by B, then C, CC and D is the strongest curl. J is hardly used nowadays and the most popular curls are C and CC curl which are available in different lengths and diameters. 

The L curl is slightly different as it starts with a straight base (where you attach to the natural lash) and then curves into the respective curl so a LC lash is a straight base with a C curl towards the tip. This curl is mainly used for straight or downwards and short stubby lashes to give a lift and they are also popular for hooded eyes.

Even the different shapes and types of lashes like premade fans, camellia lashes or even flat lashes like ellipse are all classified by curls. 

The diameter of a length is measured in millimetres and starts from 0.03 to 0.25 to allow application for the different treatment types. 0.03 is the finest lash  and 0.25 is the thickest and only used rarely and for clients with healthy and strong lashes but generally the thinner lashes will give a fuller look. 

For classic sets the 0.12/0.15 and 0.18 is most popular and for volume 0.05/0.06/0.07 are  most common. 

Lengths vary from 5-15mm with the shorter lashes being used for inner corners and the longer length is only used on very long lashes.  The medium lengths of 9-12 are most commonly used for classic and volume sets. 

So if these measurements apply to all the lashes then what are Camellia and Ellipse lashes? 

They are still synthetic mink lashes, however Camellia lashes are different lengths of lashes next to each other on a strip. For example 9/10/11/10/9/10/11/ etc which is popular for volume lashes as you can pick up a fan of different lengths for a more natural look than all lashes being the same length. 

Talking of volume, who has heard of premade fans?

You can get trays where lashes have already been placed in fans on the strip ready for you to pick them up and place. Please note that this is classed as premade volume and you cant advertise them as handmade or Russian volume as this would be false advertising. These fans an also be used for hybrid sets, however please remember that you will only be covered by your insurance for the treatments you are qualified in, so if you are trained in semi permanent lashes you will only be covered for this and not premade volume or Russian volume. If you are looking to offer these techniques to clients please book a suitable course to obtain a certificate.

So far so good......so what are ellipse lashes? 

Ellipse lashes are a type of flat lash. Again these are synthetic mink lashes and the curl, thickness and length is exactly the same as your other lashes however the base of the lash is squashed. There is different type of flat lashes which you can see on the image below. The ellipse has an oval shaped base which is easy to place while remaining flexible with the direction of the lash. Other types like rhomboid or clover will align themselves with the natural lash which might suit some clients but it makes it harder to change the direction of the extensions if the natural lashes grow at an angle.

Why would you use Flat lashes? 

The flat base gives the appearance of a thicker lash but without the weight which is perfect for clients with sparse or weak lashes or those clients who want to achieve a fuller look without having volume applied. 

Are you getting adventurous and creative? What about coloured lashes?

There is a full range of coloured lashes available for classic as well as volume sets. You can choose from full coloured lashes in white, pink, red, purple, blue etc but you can also use ombre lashes (black base with a coloured tip) or three toned lashes (black base, blue middle section and purple tip) which can be amazing. Coloured lashes offer a whole new range of options to be creative whether you use them on their own as a full set or mixed in with black lashes. Be brave and try it and you will be surprised how beautiful they are without being too much!

Even coloured lashes follow the rules of curls, diameter and length so why not try it?

I hope that this clarifies some of the confusion when it comes to lashes and which ones to use when but if we can help with anything please post or email us so we can help