Looking for a fantastic way to plan the perfect eyelash extension look for your clients? Try Lash Mapping. As a beginner lash artist, you must understand that apart from the quality of the lash extensions, the application method also plays a vital role in the overall look of your client.
That’s why there is a need to use a lash mapping guide to create the perfect lash extension look without making them look unnatural. In this article, we’ll take you through the process of lash mapping and a hybrid lash mapping guide.
What is Lash Mapping?
As a beginner, you might be confused with many things and have questions such as: What is lash mapping? Is lash mapping essential? How to carry out lash mapping? And so on. The truth is, Lash mapping is not as complex as many people think it is, and once you learn to do it correctly, you get used to it, and it becomes easy.
Lash mapping is simply a technique performed by Lash artists every time based on clients’ information. In other words, it is the first thing carried out by a lash artist before the eyelash extension treatment. Using lash maps is essential because it helps to explore different looks and ensure you are creating the most suitable lash extension style; it also helps to create a perfect balance between the eyes when applying for eyelash extensions.
For most people, lash mapping is not necessary for experienced lash artists because they feel they should be able to apply lash extensions without needing a map. However, lash mapping helps and can be used by anyone, either as a beginner or an experienced lash artist, because it reduces the time spent on one client and the time spent trying to figure out the correct measurements.
What is a Hybrid Lash Extension?
Hybrid lashes are a mixture mapping that can be styled by mixing 50% volume lashes and 50% classic lashes. The look is created for clients who want a natural, not dramatic, look. One of the most common formation of the Hybrid lash length mapping is, (9,10,11,12,13,14,13,12).
Similarly, another type of hybrid mapping formation can be; Bottom line lashes (8,9,10,11,11,10) and Top layer spikes (11,12,14,14,14,12).
Check Out: What is a Hybrid Eyelash Extension?
Hybrid Lash Mapping Styles
Before mapping, it is recommended that you study your client’s facial features and determine what type of style would be perfect for their features. Everyone has a different eye shape. Therefore, you cannot use the same style on every client; otherwise, you will get bad results, and the lashes will look unnatural. Here are some of the Hybrid lash mapping styles you can try on your clients.
Important note: Various lash professionals have unique ways of recreating the hybrid lash map, as shown in the pictures. However, we’ll explain the more common mapping styles.
1. Cat Eye Style
The cat eyelash style is one of the clients’ most popular and renowned mapping techniques. It is perfect for clients who want to raise their outer eyelids and create a glam look. This mapping technique gives the eyes a unique lift and a bold effect that makes the client’s face look attractive.
However, the inner corner is short and rounded (C curl 4-6mm) while the outer corner is rounded (L or M curl 8-10mm). Moreover, the L curl is recommended for this style because it gives an adorable lift with a distinctive curl that makes the eyes pop in the most striking appearance.
The mapping ratio is likely to change, but using classic lashes on the outer corners is highly recommended because using volume lashes can drag down the delicate exterior corners. The formation is (7,8,9,10,11,12,13,13,14,14,14). Another popular formation for this lash map technique is (7,8,9,10,11,12,13,13,14,14,14).
Check Out: What Are Cat Eyelash Extensions
2. Doll Eye Style
The doll eye style, also known as “broad eye” or “open eye,” is a hybrid lash mapping technique perfect for people who want to widen their eyes and create a fuller look. This style is more adaptable for the classic and volume lash ratio because lash artists can make it look natural.
It is advisable to keep your classic volume ratio between 60 percent and 40 percent or between 75 percent and 25 percent. The formation is (10,11,12,12,12,12,11)
3. Squirrel eye style
The squirrel eye style, also known as a “Flick,” starts with a short length, then gets longer, and then gradually gets short. This look suits people with hooded, almond, round, monolid, downturned, and close-set eye shapes.
The formation is (7,8,9,10,12,13,11). Similarly, another formation can be (7,8,9,10,11,12,12,12,11,10,9,8,7).
Check Out: What Are Doll Eyelash Extensions?
4. Wispy Eye Style
Wispy eye styles are the most common because they are fluffy and authentic. They are a type of hybrid lash mapping style through various methods and are ideal for those who want a makeup appearance with prominent eyelashes.
They are also distinctive, trendy, and challenging because many lash artists find them difficult to master. The formation is (8,9,11,13,11,14,11).
Hybrid Lash Mapping Guide
Before you start, you need to take a good look to assess the eye shape, eye angle, eye spacing, natural lash length, natural lash curl, brow shape, and face shape. Then after determining the eye shape and the technique/style you’ll be using, you can proceed with the process.
Step One
Make sure your client sits straight and comfortably in the correct position.
Step Two
Gently place the gel pads or eye patches on the lower lashes so they don’t get mixed up with the upper lashes.
Step Three
Divide the eye pads into eight quadrants and use these quadrants to determine the length of lashes you’ll put on each natural lash. A good way is to mark the dots on the client’s skin before placing the gel pads and on the gel pads after they close their eyes. You can choose to use whatever method you want to, but ensure the method goes in line with your client’s demands and is suitable for their eye shape.
Step Four
You can now proceed to work on the style you’ve decided to use, and if possible, you can add or reduce the number of sections you made previously. An easy way is to move from one section to another step-by-step and to use lashes of different lengths between natural lashes to avoid giving your client a dramatic look.
With all that being said, Lash mapping is an ideal way to bring a client’s perfect eye look. It is easy and not complicated, given that you are willing to learn it perfectly. Moreover, when you lash map, it cuts down the treatment time and makes everything you want to do easy and planned out in front of you.