A Look at the Different Types of Eyelash Extensions
Whether you’re a lash baby or you’ve been in the industry since its conception, it’s pretty normal to have questions about what all of these different types of eyelash extensions are - why are they called Silk lashes? Is that really Mink? What’s a flat lash? What gives easy fanning lashes their name?
What are eyelash extensions made from?
To put it very simply, all eyelash extensions in the London Lash store (and pretty much anywhere in the industry, at this point) are made from a synthetic fibre called PBT, which is a kind of plastic used mainly in wiring - it’s sturdy, it keeps its shape, it’s vegan friendly and it’s hypoallergenic. It’s a big list of wins, basically.
In the very early days of eyelash extensions, it was possible to get lashes made from mink fur which, if you didn’t know, is a super cute little animal that looks a bit like a ferret, but with super soft fur.
The days of using actual mink fur for eyelash extensions is, thankfully, long gone. Not only is it cruel to the animal, but it doesn’t keep its curl, you can’t get them wet and lengths vary from hair to hair. The same can be said of silk and cashmere. Now, the terms silk, mink and cashmere etc. are simply to highlight that there is a difference in their appearance.
What are the types of eyelash extensions and when should you use them?
A deep black fibre with a shiny finish and tapered end. These lashes are available in thicknesses ranging from 0.03 all the way up to 0.20, so you can get a thickness to suit any lash set, from mega volume to the always elegant classic set. Because these are slightly shinier, they have a bit more of a darker, more dramatic finish, so if a client wants a BOLD look, these are your go-to!
Black fibre with a more matt finish, these lashes are also tapered at the ends for a softer, more natural finish. Like Mayfair, we have these lashes available in thicknesses ranging from 0.04 - 0.20 to suit all of your clients. The more matt finish lends itself well to those who want a bit more of a natural finish.
In short, these are a game-changer! A flat lash is like a regular classic lash that has been squashed - imagine taking a 0.10 classic lash and flattening it - it’s now twice the width, so it looks like a 0.20 lash, but the same ‘weight’ as your 0.10 for the client.
This means that if a client with weak, damaged or thin lashes comes to you and wants DRAMA - you can give it to them! A 0.25 flat lash weighs about as much as a 0.15 classic lash, so you can up the drama on pretty much ANYONE!
They’re also slightly concave in shape (they curve inwards) so they hug the natural lash, increasing retention. If those factors aren’t enough of a selling point for you, they’re also super soft due to their split tip! These are available in 0.10 up to 0.25.
As the name would suggest, these lashes spring open when you grip them with your tweezers, making them super easy to fan! A volume set in way less time? No problem. Gone are the days when you’d have to slave away over your fans - not you simply grab and go.
How do they work? The easy fanning lashes have two layers of lashes on each strip, not just one, so when you grip them they just pop open! You can give them a bit of a wiggle to make the fans wider if you’d like, but otherwise you’re good to go!
Something else that makes these lashes a little bit special is that they have an assortment of lengths on each strip, so that when you’ve completed your set, you’ll have a lovely wispy effect! Effortless Kim K styling ;)
How do you map with easy fanning lashes?You can see 3 numbers on each lash strip, for example - 10, 11, 12. It means that this strip contains the lashes of all three lengths: 10mm, 11mm, and 12mm. You'd use the middle number (in our example 11mm) for your mapping. This is the AVERAGE length of the lashes on the strip.
We know what you’re thinking - ‘ew! Cluster lashes!! Heavy! No!!’ and we understand - the fact of the matter is that back in the day, ‘premade fans’ were heavy and thick, they had glue on the bases and were far too wide so caused stickies everywhere. They were damaging!
Thankfully, times have changed, and we put in a lot of work behind the scenes to make sure that the premade fans in our store are the BEST. They are lightweight so cause no damage to the natural lashes.
They are bonded with the tiniest amount of glue just so that they don't fall apart, but this doesn't add any weight and still gives you amazing retention. This means that when you pick them up and dip them in the glue, there is no excess of any product, and they are still able to wrap around the natural lash like you made the fan yourself. They also speed up treatment time MASSIVELY, so you can do more clients, in the same amount of time or less!
We know the lash world can feel like a constant slurry of new information and terminology sometimes, so we hope that this has helped you decide what your ultimate favourite types of eyelash extensions are, and has maybe also made you want to branch out a little bit!
