Eyelash Styling. It’s Easy when you know how. As featured in ‘Lash-Ed’ Magazine

Its easy when you know how. Just like in any other walk of life, nothing is easy until you’ve been given instruction, and taken the time to practice and perfect.

Arguably, styling is the most important element of our work. Each style we choose must compliment the clients features, and make each of them look and feel beautiful. So, when giving consideration to which style would suit each client, there are a few factors to consider, such as eye shape, how high or low the eyebrows are, the shape of the eyes, what kind of eyelid she/he has, the distance between the eyes, the direction of the natural eyelash growth, the condition of the natural lashes, and, of course, the clients preferences.

All styles taught on my Eyelash Training Courses at ‘I AM Lash’ Academy are styling guidelines, and it is very important to remember, that almost always, each style needs to be adapted and personalised to each individual.

We are taught natural, round, squirrel, kitten, dolly, cat styling. Then we have to adapt either one of them to upturned, downturned eyes, close or wide set eyes, round eyes, deep set or protruding eyes and hooded monolid eyes. A lot to take in I always used to think.

The main thing to remember is that styling is the shape, and to do any shape lashes you need to use a wide variety of lengths for the best outcome. Forget 8 millimetres in inner corners, its time to introduce 7, 6 or even 5 and 4 millimetres. You can find short length eyelash extensions in our store, 5 -7mm mixed length are available, a handy tray to have.  The wider assortment of lengths gives more enhanced styling, no matter which style you decide to go for, the more extended cat look, or the more rounded open eye look.

Working with layers is key in creating, not only smooth lines, but also Kim K effects. It’s almost like a reverse. In smooth lines you apply longer lashes on the bottom layer, where the longest spikes would be on the top layer for wispy lashes.

Mixing curls is very important too. Always check the direction of the natural eyelash growth and, my tip is to style with the eyes open, by making marks on the eyelid, where the longest part of the styling you’d like to be. And it works with all styling, eye opening, closing or extending. It always helps to take a portrait picture of the client, it is a good way to see the true eye shape, and the difference between the eyes. Most of us have asymmetrical eyes, which can not always be noticed by just looking at the person.

Another couple of common mistakes lash artists tend to do, is just deciding the particular style they want to use, rather than working the actual eye and facial features. Or they just use the maps which they are comfortable with, not thinking how it will effect the final result, which in my opinion, only works if eye is a perfect shape and doesn’t need correction. That’s why initially, it is so important to analyse the eye, and decide if it needs any correction at all. What do I mean by correction? You need to decide, what is your aim, to open the eye up, to make it longer, to bring the eyes closer together or more apart, to bring the corner up or down. By deciding the needed correction, you will know the styling that would suit and compliment the person best.

So, in conclusion, the importance of styling must never be under estimated. You are the architect, and you must ensure that your styling is relevant to the clients features and preferences. Remember that there are several types of eye, and we should style in a way that best compliments the eye.

Remember also, for the best results, choose a variety of lash lengths, work with layers, and mix up the curls. It is key to understand that we need to be perfectionists, and we must challenge ourselves in working the actual eye and features, as opposed to using our own preferred styling, or using the maps that are within our comfort zones.

Now that you have been furnished with some instruction, and I just know you are going to practice like a demon, things are going to be a little easier to reach the perfection your client desires and deserves, because you know how.

Arune ❤️