Want lashes that actually suit your face?
Customers usually walk into a lash appointment and request “a full lash set” and leave it up to fate. Then they’re confused why it looks so heavy, too sparse, or completely different from that one picture they loved.
Here’s the thing…
Classic, hybrid and volume aren’t three prices on a menu. They are three entirely different styles that create three entirely unique looks. Choose incorrectly for your eyes and no amount of expertise will fix it.
The best news? It’s easy to pick the correct one once you understand what every set does.
Here’s what’s coming up:
- Why Lash Sets Are Not All The Same
- Classic Lashes: The Everyday Set
- Hybrid Lashes: The In-Between Set
- Volume Lashes: The Dramatic Set
- Matching The Set To Your Eye Shape
Why Lash Sets Are Not All The Same
Eyelash extensions used to be that special salon treatment you reserved for the extra-extra fancy occasions. These days, they’re pretty much a normal part of your beauty routine. In fact, the worldwide lash set extension market is expected to reach $2.44 billion by 2032. Yes, you read that right. BILLION.
Higher demand creates higher selection. Nail salons are carrying hundreds of lash styles from lash supply stores these days — varied curls, diameters, fibre weights and fan styles. This is great news for the professionals in the biz, but daunting news for everyone else. Looking through your salon’s selection of best selling professional lashes is one of the quickest ways to see what styles, lengths and thicknesses salons are reaching for these days, and it helps you have an easier conversation at your consultation.
Quality also matters in this instance. In one test of lash glues, 75% of professional formulas analyzed emitted formaldehyde. So the products applied to your eyes are just as important as your aesthetic preference.
Now to break down the three sets.
Classic Lashes: The Everyday Set
Classic is the original technique, and it is still the most requested one.
Simple Explanation: One extension per natural lash. One by one. No fancy stuff like that.
As each natural lash can only take one extension, the final look is determined by how many lashes you naturally have. If your natural lashes are dense, you’ll achieve a full mascara look. Sparse lashes will gain length and definition, but there will be gaps.
That’s not a bug. That’s a feature. Vintage sets attempt to mimic your own lashes on a good day. They work best if you:
- Want something that reads as natural in photos
- Are getting extensions for the very first time
- Already have naturally thick lashes
- Work somewhere a dramatic lash set would feel out of place
Classic sets are also the lightest set you can get on your natural lash which is why they make the most sense if you have sparse or damaged lashes.
Hybrid Lashes: The In-Between Set
Most people land somewhere in Hybrid for a good reason.
Hybrid set usually consists of classic singles and handmade volume fans somewhere around 70/30 or 50/50. The classic provide length and structure. The fans fill in between those.
The payoff: Texture. Rather than the smooth finish of a traditional set, or the weighted-down finish of a volume set, you have a softly-fluffy, wispy finish.
Hybrid is perfect for those with patchy natural lashes. Fans are placed in those bare spots to conceal them – which a traditional set can’t. Hybrid is also the easiest set to customize.
FYI: hybrid weighs more than classic but less than volume. So if you’ve taken classics previously it will be an easy transition.
Volume Lashes: The Dramatic Set
Volume is the most drastic of the three and requires the most finesse.
Instead of single extensions on each natural lash, your artist creates a fan of 2-10 ULTRA-FINE extensions. She then applies that entire fan to ONE natural lash. Since the fibers are so thin, the overall weight is still safe, even though the coverage is much more dramatic.
Volume sets provide you with a dark, thick lash line with minimal spaces in between. Eyeliner, but without actually using eyeliner.
Volume is the right pick if you:
- Have sparse or very fine natural lashes
- Want a noticeable, glamorous look
- Are happy to book fills every two to three weeks
However, volume will not forgive if you rush it. Cheaply made fans or fans made with incorrect diameter can glue your natural lashes together, causing permanent damage. This is why the products you use and the artist applying them matter more than anywhere else.
Matching The Set To Your Eye Shape
Here’s something a lot of people never consider…
The choice of set is only half the equation. Mapping it across your eye is the other half.
Round eyes work with a cat eye map. Place the longest lashes in your outer third. Round eyes elongate the eye outward.
Almond eyes are versatile, they can pretty much wear anything. Doll eye map for almond eyes open them up with the longest lashes in the centre.
Hooded eyes require more lift than length. Shorter lashes with a pronounced curl will fan outward from underneath the lid rather than pushing down on it.
Downturned eyes look great with additional length in the outer corner as it raises the entire shape up.
Close-set eyes benefit from having most of the length placed in the outer half. This creates visual room.
Why does this matter? Easy. A volume set with improper mapping can shut your eye down. A classic set with proper mapping can open it right up.
What Your Natural Lashes Decide For You
And here’s the part nobody really wants to hear…
Your natural lashes get the final say.
One natural lash can only support so much volume. A long, healthy lash can support a longer extension or bigger fan. A short, fine lash will not – despite your desire for the dramatic set.
A good artist assesses three things before touching a single lash:
- The length of your natural lashes
- The thickness and strength of each one
- How many you actually have
If they try to sell you something other than what you ordered take that as a compliment. They would rather shield your lashes then upsell you.
Putting It All Into Practice
Deciding between classic, hybrid or volume is simple. Ask yourself three questions. How much drama are you going for? What shape are your eyes? What can your natural lashes support?
Get those three right and the rest falls into place:
- Classic for a natural, everyday finish
- Hybrid for texture and gap coverage
- Volume for full, dramatic density
Book a consultation where you can be, schedule a proper consultation, be honest with your desired look, and allow your artist to match the mapping and professional lash products to your eyes. This is how you’ll receive a set that looks like it was made specifically for your face….because it was!
Images courtesy of unsplash.com and pexels.com
