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Natural lashes
What your own lashes can carry decides the set: its weight, its curl and how long it lasts.
Every extension is bonded to one of your own lashes, so your natural lashes set the limits: how much weight they can carry, which curl will hold, and how long a set will last. Look closely in a mirror, or ask at the consultation, where your lashes are checked under magnification before anything is designed.
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How to tell
From the side, your lashes point straight ahead or slightly down, and mascara smudges onto your lower lid.
An extension has to follow the natural lash to bond well. On straight lashes, a curl that starts right at the base lifts away from the lash and falls early. L and M curls sit flat along the lash, then lift; a lash lift changes the direction of your own lashes instead.
What works
- L or M curl, flat at the base
- A lash lift with a flatter shield
- Moderate lengths: straight lashes show every millimetre
What to avoid
- D and CC curls whose base cannot follow the lash: retention suffers
Ask your artist
“How will you match the curl to the angle my lashes grow at?”
How to tell
Your lashes curve upward without a curler, and the tips may cross or twist.
A curl that matches your own keeps the extension bonded along its length. A flatter curl on a curly lash leaves a gap at the base that collects oil and lifts. Curly lashes often grow in different directions, so each extension is placed to follow its lash.
What works
- B or C curl that follows your own curve
- Classic or hybrid sets
- A map that follows the direction of each lash
What to avoid
- L and M curls: the two shapes fight each other
- Very long lengths that exaggerate crossing
Ask your artist
“Will my set follow the direction each lash grows in?”
How to tell
Your lash line looks see-through in places, and your lashes feel soft and thin.
Fine lashes carry weight badly, so the fibre stays ultra-light. Fans of 0.05 mm fibres fill the gaps with less weight than a single thick classic lash, which is why light volume or hybrid is usually kinder than classic.
What works
- Light volume or hybrid, fans of 0.05 mm or finer
- Shorter lengths, 8 to 11 mm
- A lash lift and tint to show what you have
What to avoid
- Thick classic fibres, 0.15 mm
- Mega volume or long lengths
Ask your artist
“What is the heaviest fibre my lashes can carry?”
How to tell
Your lash line looks full without mascara, and each lash feels firm.
Strong lashes can carry more. A classic set adds length and definition without bulk; full or mega volume becomes possible if you want drama. More lashes also means a longer appointment.
What works
- Classic, for a natural set
- Volume or mega volume, for a dramatic line
- Any curl that suits the eye shape
What to avoid
- The heaviest classic fibre simply because the lash can take it: weight still adds up
Ask your artist
“How long will a full set take on my lashes?”
How to tell
Your lashes look short even with mascara, and the lid may hide them.
An extension can only be a few millimetres longer than the lash beneath it before it levers on the root. Short lashes get moderate lengths and a stronger curl, which shows the lash more than extra length would, and the length can grow over a few fills.
What works
- CC or D curl, to show the length you have
- Moderate lengths, built up over a few fills
- A lash lift
What to avoid
- Long extensions on short lashes: they twist and pull at the root
Ask your artist
“Can we build the length gradually over my next fills?”
How to tell
Some areas look fuller than others, or one eye has visibly fewer lashes.
Every lash line holds lashes at different stages of growth, so some gaps are normal. Fans placed on the lashes around a gap fill it without overloading any one lash. New lashes too short or fine to carry an extension are left alone until they grow.
What works
- Hybrid or light volume to fill the gaps
- A map adjusted to each eye
What to avoid
- Extensions on new lashes that are too short or fine
- One extension bonded over two lashes to hide a gap
Ask your artist
“Which of my lashes are too young to carry an extension today?”
How to tell
Your lashes are fair at the tips or all the way along, and your eyes look undefined without makeup.
Light lashes read shorter than they are. A tint alone can show their full length. With extensions, brown or soft black fibres keep the result natural against fair colouring, where jet black can look drawn on.
What works
- A lash tint, alone or with a lift
- Brown or soft black extensions
- Natural or wispy looks
What to avoid
- Dense jet-black sets that look drawn on
Ask your artist
“Would brown, or a mix of brown and black, suit my colouring?”
How to tell
Your lashes are shorter, finer or fewer than they used to be, often after overloaded sets, home clusters or strips, or rubbing.
Lashes regrow on their own cycle, which takes a few months from start to finish. The kindest set is a light one, or none for a while: professional removal of what is left, a gentle daily cleanse, then a light set or a lift while they recover.
What works
- Professional removal of old work
- A light classic set or small fans, short lengths
- A lash lift and tint while you wait
What to avoid
- Filling over damaged or overloaded work
- Heavy volume to hide the damage
Ask your artist
“What would a recovery plan look like for my lashes?”
Next step
Looks.
Where the length and texture go: the effect laid over your eye's map.