Lashes 101: Everything You Need to Know About the Different Types Of Eyelash Extensions Every
With so many different types of eyelash extensions on the market, it can be pretty overwhelming to find the ones that are best for you. Luckily for you, we’re here to swoop in and save the day by explaining the differences between each type of eyelash extension, and to answer some of the questions we are asked most.
First Things First…
Are They Vegan?
You’ll be glad to know that all of our lash extensions are vegan friendly and cruelty free. They’re made from a synthetic fibre called PBT which is typically used in wiring; it’s strong, durable, (mostly) heat resistant and water resistant too, which means that it keeps its curl at least between appointments.
If you’ve been using London Lash extensions for a while now, you might remember a time that Mayfair and Chelsea had ‘Mink’ and ‘Silk’ in their name – this didn’t mean that they were made from those materials, but was more to highlight that they looked different to one another. The names ‘mink’, ‘silk’, and ‘cashmere’ have been industry standard names for lash extensions since the beginning, and while there was a time way back in the day where those materials were used, the names alone have continued to be used simply to signify that the lashes look or behave differently to one another.
Why Are There Different Types of Eyelash Extensions?
Like so many things in our industry, the lash range you use largely comes down to personal preference, but you can mix and match what you’re using to create all sorts of lash looks. Chelsea look different to Mayfair, and both are quite a bit different to Flat Lashes; Premade Fans are exactly what the name would suggest, and Easy Fanning Lashes are a pretty new concept for the industry but have been a game changer where wispy lash looks are concerned. Let’s go through them one by one…
Chelsea Lashes
Chelsea Lashes are London Lash’s original eyelash extensions - they predate every member of staff aside from the Founder Hanna Putjato, and have been a favourite of lash techs all over the world ever since. Chelsea Lashes have a semi-matte finish which means that when used in classics, they’re perfect for creating a more natural look, but they can still bring some soft and fluttery drama when used for volume!
We have Chelsea lashes available in thicknesses between 0.04 all the way up to 0.20, so you can create any look your heart desires from mega volume, through fluttery hybrids to gorgeous classic sets.
Mayfair Lashes
Think of Mayfair lashes as Chelsea’s dramatic younger sister – they have a bold, shiny finish and create show-stopping lash looks in any thickness. Mayfair were added to our lash collection back in 2018 and almost immediately took the lash world by storm – to this day they are our best selling lash line, and are a staple of lash kits the world over.
Mayfair are available in thicknesses ranging from 0.03 up to 0.20, and even come in the coveted M curl, which is the key to creating sexy and sultry Fox Style lashes! Mayfair lashes also come in a gorgeous Americano toned variant which are very complementary for those more mature clients, or those with very light colouring (they’re absolutely stunning on redheads, by the way).
Just to really up your lash fantasy game, we have Mayfair lashes available in 20 different colours in addition to the black and black-brown variety, so you can really do absolutely anything imaginable with a Mayfair collection!
Matte Flat Lashes
These are one of those ‘title = description’ types of things - these lashes are matte, and they’re flat. But what does that mean and what makes them great? Well, Flat Lashes are really great because they only weigh about half as much as a regular classic lash of the same thickness, if you have a client who craves drama but has very fine natural lashes, you can still make their dreams come true!
If you look at a very close up picture of Matte Flat lashes, you’ll see that they have – as you might have guessed – a flat base rather than a round base. We tend to describe this as though a classic lash has been squashed, but it’s actually two much smaller lashes that have been fused together which creates a wider yet lighter classic lash which also features their signature split tip, which adds some fluff to a lash set.
Due to them being lighter than the average classic lash, Matte Flat lashes are an excellent idea when it comes to adding spikes into a wispy Kim K lash set, as the lighter weight means that added length won’t be an issue for the natural lashes!
Easy Fanning Lashes
Again, these do what they say on the tin - they fan easily. We have two varieties of these depending on how wispy a look you’re after, but let’s get into how they work first.
Even if you’re only trained in classic lashes, you’re more than likely aware that your typical volume lashes are laid out on their strips much like classic lashes – one by one in a single layer. You can then choose how you create your fans depending on your favoured method.
Easy Fanning Lashes are a bit different though, in that they have multiple layers of lashes on each strip, so when you grab them with your tweezers they automatically pop open into gorgeous little fans.
The first type we have are our regular Easy Fanning Lashes which have a mixture of three lengths on each strip which differ by 1 mm each. This means that when you pick up a fan, it has a mixture of – for example – 8, 9 & 10 mm in the fan. Put together, you have a beautiful wispy lash set with almost no effort on your part!
Our Camellia Easy Fanning lashes are the newest lashes in our collection. Similar to our regular easy fanners, these have a mixture of lengths, however they only have 2 lengths which are 2 mm different. This gives you an even spikier finish, which is quickly becoming one of the most asked for looks by our clients.
Premade Fans
Last but certainly not least, Premade Fans are yet again pretty self explanatory. They’re volume fans that were made ahead of time. Sometimes you might see these referred to as promade lash fans and they’re essentially the same thing just going by a different name.
Premade fans today look quite a bit different to premade fans back in the day, which are now usually referred to as express lashes, cluster lashes or party lashes. Truthfully, it is that kind of lash which gave the industry a bad name, and are largely the reason that people are still googling whether eyelash extensions cause damage.
The answer today though, thankfully, is that lash extensions do not cause damage, and premade fans are just as safe and as pretty to use on your clients as any other kind. The only caveat to that statement is that they have to be applied properly – make sure you’re isolating the natural lashes, not using too much glue, and you’re carrying out the perfect pretreatment and giving the best aftercare advice and you’re sound!
Our Premade Volume fans are made from the same fibre as our Mayfair lashes, and they were also created by hand, just not by you! Using Premade fans significantly reduces the time you spend doing lashes, meaning you can get more clients in during your day to day, or you can even take some well earned time to decompress – what could be better?
So there you have it, a crash course into London Lash eyelash extensions! There’s heaps more we could say about lashes – they are our passion, afterall! For now though, check out the featured products below and see which lashes become your ride or die!
