What Are Natural Eyelash Extensions?

What Your Clients REALLY Mean When They Ask For 'Natural Lash Extensions'

When a client comes to you and says they want natural lash extensions, it can mean almost anything! To one client it might be a completely nude look using very subtle lash extensions, while to another it might mean lighter 3D volume. We’ve put together a little guide to what your clients might mean by natural lash extensions, so that you can ask the right questions to ensure their happiness! 

Classic Lash Extensions

This is the obvious assumption to make when someone asks for natural lash extensions, right? One single eyelash extension applied to each individual natural lash is the most natural set going. That’s a bit of a sweeping statement, I know – there are at least four ways to do a classic set ranging from a nude look all the way to a more dramatic fluffy set, after all. 

The best thing to do is to clarify with your clients whether they want classic lashes (sometimes referred to as single eyelash extensions) – if they do, the second thing you should do is to take a super close look at their natural lashes in case they have any gaps, as gaps will be all the more apparent if you’re applying classic lash extensions. 

In the event that your client has a couple of gaps, you can still book them in for a classic lash set but cover those gaps with some lighter 2D fans. Does this technically count as a hybrid lash set? Maybe, it all depends on how many fans you end up using, but this is something that you can discuss with them if you find that they have lots of gaps in their lashes. On that note…

Hybrid Lash Extensions

Hybrid lash extensions are a mixture of classic lashes and Russian Volume lash extensions, and generally speaking you’ll be going for a 50:50 split between the two. While hybrid lash extensions can absolutely be dramatic and super dense, you can achieve a very natural look with them if you opt for thinner lash extensions and a 25:75 split between volume and classic lashes. 

Again, this will be more ideal for those clients who have gaps in their lashes, but even for those gifted with thick and full natural lashes a light hybrid set can be very natural on the eyes. Try using 0.10 for the classic lashes – 0.12 at most – and 0.07 for the fans. Where the fans are concerned, try using only 2D fans to keep it light and natural.

Volume Lash Extensions

Volume lash extensions might not be the first thing you think of when someone mentions natural lash extensions, but like hybrid lash extensions they can give a very natural effect. 

For clients with sparse lashes, opt for 3D lash extensions at most, anything more than that and even on the finest natural lashes you’re moving into dramatic volume territory. Better yet, go for a nice light 2D lash set with 0.07 lash extensions. 

It’s worth mentioning around now that the best way to make any lash set look more natural is to apply the same length to each layer. If that sounds unbelievably obvious to you, allow me to explain. 

Wispy Lash Extensions

There are three main types of top line you can create by playing with the way that you apply different lengths to each layer in the natural lash line. I’m sure it’s hardly new information to you that our lashes don’t grow in one layer, but in multiple – usually 3 but for some clients you may see more. Now, let’s assume you’re wanting that super even top line that is characteristic of the original Russian Volume technique. To get that top line, you would drop down one millimetre as you went up each layer, so if on the bottom layer you’d used a 10 mm lash extension, you’d use a 9 mm lash on the middle layer and an 8 mm lash on the top layer so that when your client opened their eyes, the lashes were all on one level and you’d have that super neat, very even top line. 

As with all things, people take a classic and play around with it so that new styles evolve. We know them as wispy lashes now, but the style with messier top lines used to be more commonly known as Hollywood Volume as Volume lashes made their way to The States and became more rebellious, as things are apt to do. To achieve a very wispy top line, you’d essentially reverse what you did for that very even Russian Volume top line and apply the shortest length to the bottom layer, and the longest length to the top layer. This gives you a very wispy top line and a very dark, dense lash line. I recommend trying this some time – it looks really gorgeous!

When clients say ‘natural’ though, it’s more than likely that they want something in between those two, which brings us full circle to applying the same length to all layers. This – thankfully – requires the least thought as well, as you only need to lash according to your lash map, and you end up with a very natural top line when the client opens their eyes. 

All in all, when it comes to a natural lash set, it’s best to chat with your client are really assess what it is that they mean by natural, so that you can ensure that you do the best possible job!