Everybody’s getting lash extensions, and for good reasons! People with sparse natural lashes get thicker hair and save time on makeup tasks like mascara application. Lash extensions also have various styles, including customizable options to suit every eye profile and preference.
Enhancing someone’s looks by adding volume and length to the lashes also makes a lash technician career rewarding. Whether planning to get a lash makeover or start a lash career, lash extensions are definitely worth a try.
To make the most of lash extensions, you must familiarize yourself with the different styles. This helps you find the best look for you or your client. Here’s a quick guide on seven famous lash extension styles, from classic to advanced techniques.
4 Styles of Classic Lash Extensions
We’ll start with four basic styles for classic lash extensions. Here’s what you should know about natural lash styles!
1. Open Eye or Natural Look
The Open Eye follows your natural eye shape. It mixes short and long lashes to give off a natural-looking appearance. This will greatly enhance your look if you have fairly long and full lashes.
Lash techs use 7-8mm extensions in the inner corner to follow the growth of natural lashes. Then, longer lengths are evenly distributed throughout the eyes to create a balance. Finally, the remaining gaps are evenly filled with a mixture of short and long lash extensions.
2. Dolly Eye
Do you fancy the luxurious appearance of doll eyelashes? The Dolly Eye comes close to that! It also creates the illusion of bigger and rounder eyes, which is great for small eye shapes.
Lash artists place the longest lash at the center of the eye, the shorter extensions in the inner and outer corners, and a mix of medium-sized lashes in between. These extensions blend and connect the various lash lengths to complete the Dolly Eye look.
3. Butterfly
Why not transform your lashes into a butterfly? Wouldn’t you love seeing a butterfly’s fluttering wings every time you bat your lashes? This lovely effect is one of the reasons why the style is so popular. Another is that it extends your eye shape in a softer and more lightweight way.
Lash technicians usually start with the shortest lashes in the inner corner of the eye, followed by longer lengths until the longest reaches the brow’s arch. The lengths then return to the shortest as it reaches the eye’s outer corner. This creates the butterfly effect.
4. Cat Eye
The Cat Eye is a classic lash look that sports a winged, sultry appearance and is one of the most in-demand lash styles alongside the Butterfly. It places short extensions in the inner corner and longer extensions toward the outer corner of your eye.
A lash tech would place the longest extensions on the outer corner of the eyes to resemble a winged eyeliner look. The shorter lengths will then be placed in the inner corner of the eyes. Take note: this style is only good for people with strong and thick natural lashes on the outer corner. Otherwise, the Butterfly would be a better option.
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Alt tag: volume lash extensions – closeup of woman’s eyes with smokey lashes looking upwards
3 Advanced Volume Lash Extensions Styles
If you’re already a well-rounded lash technician in classic lash applications or prefer dramatic eye effects, volume lashes are your go-to. Here are three fantastic styles you can try.
5) Wispy Eye
Kim Kardashian’s signature eye look inspires the wispy eye style. It gives off a feathery butterfly effect, mixing wide and narrow volume fans (fans are lash extensions combined and applied to an individual natural lash).
To achieve this look, lash techs should use wide and short volume fans as the base for the entire lash set. Doing so will add fullness and curls to the lashes. Then, gradually apply long, narrow fans on the strong natural lashes to complete the look.
6) Wet Look Style
Curious about how volume lashes appear after washing your face (but in style)? The wet lash style is designed to resemble that. What happens is that the lashes group in sections and don’t look as fluffy as they do when completely dry. They appear bold and dense, so you must have strong natural lashes to withstand the weight.
Lash artists should focus on making narrow volume fans rather than wide ones. The wet lash look relies on volume, density, and dark bases, so use many narrow fans to achieve it. You should also blend in some long and shorts fans to create various lengths in the eyes.
7) M/L Curl Eyeliner Style
If you want a sharp, long, and ruptured effect on your eyes, the M/L Curl Eyeliner style can bring it to life. It enhances the upward turn of the outer eye corners. If your client has monolid eyes or very straight natural lashes, this style will definitely give them a lift.
Lash stylists use basic lash curls from the inner corner to the center of the eyes. Then, they insert an M curl (a good curl for lifting very straight lashes) all the way to the outer corners to give that sharp look. They also blend basic curls with the M curl for smooth transitions.
Key Takeaway
Are you a fan of all things lashes? Perhaps you fancy the glitz and glamor of lash extensions and want to get a makeover yourself. You may want to learn how to do it for others! Statistics say they expect the eyelash extension market to grow at a 4.48% CAGR from 2021 to 2026, demonstrating how promising this career is.
There are many things to learn, but popular styles are among the most important. You must have numerous options to get the best lash look for you or your client. From Butterfly to Wispy Eye, there is always a perfect lash style for every eye shape and lash profile. Hope you can find yours!
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Author’s Bio
Elizabeth Avery, a licensed hairstylist, is the Content Strategist & Brand Ambassador of Beauty Boss Academy. She’s also a social media queen who’s a lifelong lover of all things beauty. On an average day, she drinks lattes, sings show tunes, and shops for things that are pink and sparkly.