Here's the thing most curl charts don't tell you: the curl you pick is not the curl your client sees.
A CC curl on straight or downward-growing lashes reads like a C. A D curl on those same lashes reads like a CC. Apply CC to a client whose lashes already grow upward, and you'll get something close to a D whether you wanted one or not.
So choosing a curl was never about picking a shape off a chart. It's about what that shape does on the natural lash in front of you — and once you work that way, curl selection stops being guesswork.
Here's every curl we make, what each one actually does, and — just as importantly — who it's wrong for.
The Two Questions to Ask Before You Choose
- Which way do the natural lashes grow? Upward, straight out, or downward. This changes the finished effect more than the curl label does.
- What's the eye shape, and how is it set? Almond, round or narrow — and normal set, deep set or protruding.
Answer both and the curl usually picks itself. Skip them and you're choosing by habit.
There's more to read than those two — eye depth and brow position both come into it. Our guide to matching curls by eye shape and type covers all five factors.
B Curl — The Softest We Make
The slightest curl in the range, for a genuinely natural, soft look.
B is a layering curl more than a whole-set curl. It makes a beautiful base at the bottom layers for an eyeliner effect, and it's the foundation of a proper wispy set — B through the lower layers with a stronger curl above for the eye-opening lift.
Also excellent for: bottom lash extensions, and men's lashes, where anything stronger immediately reads as "done."
C Curl — The Natural Lift
A soft, natural curl that gives a gently lifted look without announcing itself. One of our two most popular curls, and for good reason.
Suits: straight and curved natural lashes · almond and round eyes · normal set, deep set and protruding eyes
Avoid on: narrow eyes — it won't give enough lift to open them · downward-growing natural lashes
CC Curl — The Eye Opener
A stronger curl that creates a natural, eye-opening effect. The other half of our best-selling pair.
Suits: straight, curved and downward-growing natural lashes · almond, round and narrow eyes · normal set, deep set and protruding eyes
One caveat worth knowing: on protruding eyes, check the growth direction carefully first. If the natural lashes already grow upward, CC will read closer to a D — and on strongly curved natural lashes it will look stronger than you intended.
D Curl — The Roundest
The strongest, roundest curl in the range. It delivers a lifted, open-eye look, but it's a more specialist tool than its popularity suggests — honestly, the roundness doesn't suit as many eyes as people assume.
Suits: straight and downward-growing natural lashes · almond and narrow eyes · normal set eyes
Avoid on: protruding eyes · strongly upward-growing lashes, where it turns in on itself and reads as a round, closed effect
Where D genuinely earns its place: hooded lids, particularly with more mature skin and straight-growing lashes. That strong lift carries the lash line up and clear of the hood, where a softer curl would disappear beneath it. (D isn't the only answer for hooding — see below — but it's the most reliable one when the hood sits across the whole lid.)
L Curl — The Outer Corner Extender
L is an elongating curl. Its job is lifting and extending the outer corner — the lash equivalent of an eyeliner flick. It can open the eye a little if the natural lashes grow upward, but extension is the point.
Suits: straight and curved natural lashes · almond and round eyes · normal set, deep set and protruding eyes
Avoid on: narrow eyes · downward-growing natural lashes
L+ Curl — The Most Underrated Curl We Sell
L+ has a straight base that then lifts like a C or CC. In effect, it sits between those two curls — so you can use it on the same clients you'd use C or CC on, and expect a similar result.
What makes it special is that straight base: it places beautifully. The flat section sits cleanly along the natural lash, which makes placement unusually satisfying.
It's also the least-used curl in our range, and I think that's a shame. It's having a real moment in Arabian-style sets, and it deserves far more attention than it gets. If you've never worked with it, it's the one I'd most encourage you to try.
Suits: the same clients as C and CC
One limit, shared with M: that straight base means L+ starts along whatever angle the natural lash is already travelling before it lifts. On a slightly downward lash that's fine — it will lift it. On a steeply downward one, it dips before it rises, and the lash line reads as drooping.
M Curl — Lift and Edge Together
M creates an eye-opening and elongating effect, lifting the outer corners. It's one of our most popular curls, and personally my favourite to work with.
Suits: straight and curved natural lashes · almond and round eyes · normal set eyes
Avoid on: protruding eyes, where it makes them appear larger still · strongly downward-growing lashes
That last one is a question of degree, not a flat no. A slight downward angle is fine — M will lift those lashes nicely. But where lashes grow dramatically downward, most often on monolid and narrow eye shapes, the base starts from too steep a position for the lift to recover. The lash line dips before it rises and the set can read as drooping.
The test: look at the angle the lash leaves the lid at. Gently downward, M lifts it. Steeply downward, it won't — and extra length won't fix it.
This applies equally to L+, for the same reason: both curls have a straight base, so both begin along the lash's existing angle before they lift.
The M curl insight worth stealing: M is superb on rounder, fuller faces. If you want serious lift and your instinct is a D curl, stop — D's roundness makes a round face read rounder still. M gives you the lift with edge, and the whole face looks better for it. M has a guide of its own, covering mapping, placement and the sets it suits best: M curl lashes in detail.
CC vs D: The Comparison Everyone Gets Wrong
D is considerably stronger than CC. But which one you need depends almost entirely on the natural lash:
|
Natural lash grows... |
CC gives you |
D gives you |
|
Upward |
A D-curl effect |
Too much — it turns in on itself |
|
Straight |
A softer, C-like result |
A true, strong lift |
|
Downward |
Closer to a C curl |
Roughly a CC effect |
The practical rule: if your client's lashes already grow upward and you want a D-curl look, reach for CC. You'll get there without the risk of over-rounding.
We've gone further into this one — the client consultation, and what to do when she asks for the wrong curl — in CC vs D: how to decide.
A Note on Hooded Lids
Hooding isn't an eye shape — it's a lid condition, and it can sit on an almond, round or narrow eye alike. So there's no single "hooded eye curl."
What there is, is a job: lift the lash line enough that it clears the hood and stays visible when the eye is open. How much lift that takes depends on where the hood falls and how the lashes grow.
- Hooded across the whole lid, straight-growing lashes: D or M will do it reliably
- A client who wants the hood covered without a dramatic lash line: C can be enough
- Hooding only at the outer corner: far less lift is needed — even an L curl's slight lift can cover it, though it wouldn't be your first choice
Assess where the hood sits, check the growth direction, and ask how high a lash line she actually wants. Then choose the curl that gets her above the hood and no further.
L vs L+: Not the Same Job at All
Despite the names, these do different things:
- L elongates. It creates that outer-corner flick.
- L+ has a flat base that lifts like a C or CC. It's a lifting curl that happens to place like a straight-based one.
If you want an eyeliner effect at the outer corner, that's L. If you want a C or CC result with easier placement, that's L+.
Application: Which Curls Need More Care
B, C and CC are straightforward under the tweezer. Nothing special required.
D needs precision, for a reason that isn't obvious. Because it's so strongly bent, it meets the natural lash across a shorter span than a gentler curl does — a CC sits along the lash, a D touches and curves away. That means less bonding area, and the effect is sharpest in shorter lengths, where the curve is tight relative to the extension. Place D carefully to get the maximum contact zone you can; rushed placement there costs retention in a way the same rush on a CC wouldn't.
L, L+ and M need precision too, but for a different reason. Their flat base and more unnatural bend mean that if placement is slightly off, it shows in the finished set — the lash line loses its smoothness. Where D's precision protects the bond, theirs protects the look.
And you don't have to pick just one. Lashes rarely grow the same way across a whole eye, and two eyes are rarely identical — mixing curls covers using several in a set, and correcting asymmetry between eyes.
So: three straightforward curls, and four that reward taking the extra second — one for retention, three for appearance.
Which Curls Should You Stock First?
If you're building a kit or starting out, start with C, CC and M.
Those three are our best sellers, and between them they cover the overwhelming majority of clients: C for soft natural lift, CC for eye-opening, M for lift with elongation. Add B for wispy work and layering, then L or L+ as your styling develops.
Curls by Collection
Smooth Collection, brown lashes and coloured lashes: all seven curls — B, C, CC, D, L, L+ and M.
Bloom Collection (W premade fans): currently C, CC and M, with B and L in testing.
A note on the Bloom curls, because they aren't identical to Smooth: Bloom's C and CC are each slightly stronger. That's deliberate — I chose not to bring a D curl into the collection because it's too round for premade fan work, so the C and CC were made a touch stronger to cover that ground. Bloom's M bends almost identically to Smooth's, with only a small difference from the slightly longer base that premade fan construction requires. The L curl, when it arrives, will be a little sharper.
FAQ: Lash Curls
What's the difference between CC and D curl?
D is significantly stronger and rounder. Which you need depends on lash growth direction — on upward-growing lashes, CC already produces a D-like effect, while D itself over-rounds.
Which lash curl is best for hooded eyes?
It depends on where the hood sits and how the lashes grow — hooding is a lid condition, not an eye shape, so there's no fixed answer. On straight lashes with full hooding, D or M. For a client who wants the hood covered without a high lash line, C can be enough. Outer-corner hooding needs far less lift.
What is an L+ curl?
A curl with a straight base that lifts like a C or CC. It gives a result between those two curls, with the easier placement a flat base allows.
Which lash curl suits downward-growing lashes?
CC is the reliable choice, and D works too — it lands at roughly a CC effect on that lash. C won't lift enough, and L isn't suited. L+ and M both depend on degree: fine on a slight downward angle, not on a steeply downward one, because their straight bases dip before they lift.
Which curl should I use on a client with protruding eyes?
C or CC, checking growth direction first. Avoid D and M, both of which make protruding eyes appear larger.
Which lash curls should a new artist buy first?
C, CC and M. They're our best sellers and cover most clients between them.
Does lash curl affect retention?
Not directly — but placement does, and L, L+ and M demand more precise placement because of their flat bases. Sloppy placement on those curls costs you both the look and the bond.
Choose the curl for the lash in front of you, not the one you used on your last client. Explore the full range across the Smooth Collection, brown lashes and the Bloom Collection at I AM Lash PRO.
Arune Mooney, I AM Lash ♥️