How to Achieve Fluffy Lashes with Lash Extensions
Let’s be honest, we all LOVE a fresh, fluffy lash set and so do our clients. Seeing the sense of confidence and happiness a great lash set can provide to a client is so rewarding! We thought we’d take a closer look at how to create a fluffy lash set so that you can wow your clients each and every time!
How to Make Lash Extensions Look Fluffy
To create the beautiful fluffy lashes your clients love, you need to get the fans perfectly symmetrical. I know it’s tempting to use irregular fans but if it’s not perfect, neither will be the finished look.
Fan symmetry refers to the space in between every single lash in the fan being equal - it’s important to note that depending on the size of your fans, the space will vary. For example, if you are creating a look using 2D fans, there will be a bigger space in between the lashes compared to a look created using 5D fans, for example.
London Lash Trainer Laura Roussel goes into detail about creating the perfect fan in this blog post, if you’d like some additional tips!
Why is symmetry important for achieving fluffy lashes?
If you don’t take the time to correct or perfect a fan and leave it with irregular spacing between each lash, you’ll end up with a gappy, irregular looking lash set. This is less of a problem if you’re going for a highly textured wet look effect, but for the purposes of creating a very fluffy lash set, you need to ensure that each fan is symmetrical!
The proportions of a fan should be roughly 70% to 30%. 70% should be made up by the body of the fan and 30% the base. With this percentage of the fan being the base, we get an ideal opening of the fan, as well as a sufficient area of adhesion between the fan and the natural lash.
Remember the base of your fan should always be tapered otherwise the base will split, not attach properly and cause poor retention and/or pain for your client!
When it comes to fluffy lashes specifically, it’s best to opt for a wide fan. This is because wide fans create that weightless, fluffy appearance since they’re not as dense or uniform as the more narrow volume fans, and they will also hide any gaps in your client’s natural lashes if they are a little more on the sparse side!
What is the glue zone?
The ‘glue zone’ is situated right at the base of the fan. It represents the 2mm section of base that should be dipped into your lash glue! Anything less than 2mm can cause retention problems, and anything more is likely to close your fans, ruining the fluffy effect.
It’s also important to remember that the glue zone will become slightly bigger with longer lashes. For example an 8mm lash will have a smaller base so will only warrant a 2mm glue zone. A 13mm lash will have a larger base so the glue zone will be slightly bigger!
Which thickness should I choose?
Remember to choose the thickness of the lashes you use for your fan based on your clients natural lashes and the overall look they want to achieve! You don’t want to damage the natural lash by placing heavy or oversized fans.
The General Rule of thumb is as follows -
- 0.10 lashes to create 2d fans (this should ONLY be used on those clients with very very strong natural lashes, 0.10 lashes are, generally speaking, for classic lashes, and 2D sets should ideally be
- 0.07 for 2D - 5D
- 0.05/0.06 for up to 9D
- 0.04/0.03 for up to 20D
Fluffy lashes are less about the size of the fan and the thickness of the lashes - that’s all about safety and density. You can create a stunning fluffy set with 2D fans as long as you’re ensuring symmetry and working with layers! The most important thing with fluffy lash sets is always perfecting those fans - a perfect 2D set will look fluffier than a 6D set with irregular fans, so take the time to really perfect each fan size before you move on!
What else should I know in order to achieve fluffy lash extensions?
It’s important to note that, to create a fluffy lash set, you want to focus primarily on achieving a voluminous, fuller appearance; fullness is the priority here rather than length!
Fullness can be compromised if you opt for longer lashes, so choosing shorter lashes will be key. It’s also crucial to consider that failing to add a lash extension to each individual natural lash can also affect the overall ‘fluffiness’, as can not working with the layers of the lashes.
Most importantly, you must remember that practice makes perfect. Using a lash sponge or a mannequin head, practice creating fans for fluffy lashes until making a perfect fan becomes second nature!
If you’re having some trouble with your fans closing, try adding a little Booster to the strip of eyelash extensions - this will prevent your fans from closing and will give you a much easier time when it comes to applying a fluffy lash set!
