Lash mapping for beginners: how to plan a set that suits the eye

What is lash mapping?

Lash mapping is the plan for a lash set. Before I start, I mark zones on the eye pad or tape under the eye and write down the length for each zone - and, when I need it, the curl and thickness too. Then I follow the map lash by lash.

The map does two jobs. It makes the set look made for this one client, and it keeps her natural lashes safe, because you have already checked that the length and weight you are about to use suit them. I always tell my students: a lash set without a map is like a gun without bullets.

Why can't I just go from short to long?

A lot of beginners start with the idea that you simply go from the shortest lashes in the inner corner to the longest in the outer corner. On some eyes that works. On many it does not: lashes that are too long, with no plan behind them, look unnatural and can make the eye look smaller, heavier or out of proportion.

For me, the goal of lash extensions is to make the eyes look brighter, bigger and fresher - not just longer. That is why the map has to start from the client's face. Ask her what look she wants and really listen. Then give your professional opinion - politely, but clearly: what will suit her eyes and what her natural lashes can safely hold. You are the professional, so have your own vision.

What should I look at before I draw the map?

I sit the client upright, facing me. That way I can see whether her eyes are symmetrical and recognise the eye shape. Then I look at five things:

1. The arch of the brow. It tells you how much length the face can carry.
2. The centre of the pupil. It divides the eye into the zones you will write on the map.
3. The inner and outer edges of the iris. They guide where the longest lashes go.
4. Eye shape, placement and spacing. They decide the curl and the type of map.
5. The condition of the natural lashes. It decides how thick (and so how heavy) the extensions can be.

How do I choose the thickness?

Every extension has its own weight, and the natural lash carries it. The thicker the extension, the heavier it is - so thickness depends on the technique and on how strong the natural lashes are. These are the thicknesses I teach:

For a classic set, 0.15-0.20 mm is my top limit for healthy, strong lashes. If the client's lashes are very fine or short, I never go above 0.10 mm. Heavier extensions such as 0.25 or 0.30 mm overload natural lashes and can damage them permanently - you will rarely see them used today, and I would not use them at all.

Which curl should I use?

I choose the curl from two things: how curly the client's natural lashes are and the effect we want. You can mix two or three curls in one set - but only neighbours, so with a C curl you would mix in B or C+, not D. If choosing curl, length and thickness feels overwhelming at first - don't worry, every beginner feels that way.

How long should the extensions be?

Length also starts from the natural lashes. Most clients have natural lashes between 6 and 10 mm, and my rule is that an extension should be no more than 2-3 mm longer than the natural lash it sits on. Guiding the client to a safe length is your responsibility, even if she asks for more.

• I use at least 4 different lengths in a set - ideally 4 to 6.
• Start with the shortest lengths in the inner corner, build to the longest around the iris, then finish 1-2 sizes shorter at the outer corner. That shape is the most comfortable to wear.
• The lengths I use most are 7-12 mm. Don't be afraid of a short set - short lashes can look incredible too.

What are the two basic types of lash map?

Every lash style you will learn later - doll eye, cat eye, squirrel - is built on one of two basic maps. Many trainers teach only the first one; I teach both.

The "natural" map bases the lengths only on the client's natural lashes. I mark a dot on the pad in line with the centre of the pupil: that is where the longest lashes go, and the lengths get gradually shorter towards the inner and outer corners. Depending on how wide you spread the longest lengths, the same map gives you a natural, open-eye or doll-eye look.

The "lengthened" map uses the classic proportions artists follow when drawing an eye. I draw one line through the centre of the pupil and a second through the outer edge of the iris - the longest lashes go there. It is the base for kitten, cat and squirrel maps; what changes between them is how the lengths step down towards the outer corner, for example 11-12-11-10 mm, 11-12-11-10-9 mm or 11-12-13-12-11-10 mm.

Which map suits which eye shape?

The wrong map can highlight exactly the part of the eye you wanted to soften. These are the six shapes I teach beginners to recognise first:

Almond

About twice as wide as it is high and well balanced. Takes almost any map: open eye, cat eye, eyeliner effect.

Downturned

Outer corners point down and can look tired. Add volume and length on the outside with soft, wispy lashes. Maps: cat eye or squirrel.

Hooded

The lid can hide the lash line and lashes grow straighter. Use a stronger curl such as L or L+ and an open-eye map: longest from the middle of the eye towards the outer corner. Maps: open eye, squirrel, doll eye.

Protruding (prominent)

Large in relation to the face. Keep lashes shorter and the curl softer (B or C) so the eyes do not look surprised. Map: follow the natural lashes.

Deep-set

Set back in the sockets. A straighter J or L curl brings them forward; heavy C+ or D curls look overdone. Maps: open eye, doll eye.

Close-set

Less than one eye-width apart. Put the length on the outer corners to create the look of more space. Maps: cat eye, squirrel.

How do I practise lash mapping as a beginner?

This is what I ask my own students to do:

• Draw maps before you ever pick up tweezers: on photos of eyes, then on eye pads on a practice head.
• For every map, write down why: the eye shape, where the pupil and iris are, the natural lash length.
• On your first live models, keep it simple - a natural map, classic thickness, a C curl - and photograph the result to compare with your plan.
• Ask your trainer to check your maps before you apply. Correcting a drawing takes a minute; correcting a finished set takes much longer.

Mapping feels slow at the beginning. After a while you will see the map on the face before you even pick up the pen.

Lash mapping: frequently asked questions