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- Lucy Knott
- January 26, 2021
- Eyelash Extensions
The Secret Language of Eyelash Extensions
If you’ve ever travelled to a place where you didn’t know the native language, you may have experienced that disconcerting feeling of not being able to fully understand the conversation you’re having. It’s a bit nerve-wracking, right? You’re not sure if you just ordered a coffee or rudely insulted the barista. Who knows what you’re going to get?
It can be a bit like that with Eyelash Extensions. When you come to your first appointment, your stylist is going to ask you a bunch of questions that may or may not make much sense to you. And then, they might barrel off a lot of words that sound like they’re speaking in code: “C curl flat lashes in a point one five, up to eleven millimetres, in a cat eye style”.
What?? Why would I want my eyelashes to be flat?
If you don’t know what any of these things mean, it can be hard to imagine how your lashes are going to look at the end of your lash appointment, and that may make you feel anxious about whether or not you and your lash stylist are on the same page.
We want you to be fully relaxed and confident in your lash stylist’s skills, so we’ve put together this cheat sheet to help you understand the language of lashes!
Curls
You may get asked at your first appointment if you would like your lashes to have a soft or strong curl. Curlier lashes will look longer and more eye-opening, and will have a strong side profile. A soft curl is an overall more natural look.
There are lots of different curls available, and they’re categorised by letters. The most common ones we use at Brisbane Lashes are C, CC, and D. C is a soft curl, CC a bit more dramatic, and a D curl is a strong curl.
Diameters
There are a number of different diameters available, depending on whether you are getting classic or volume lashes. An eyelash extension is usually a cylindrical shape at the base, tapering to a thin tip, which is why we measure and categorise them by their diameter.
Classic lashes come in the following diameters: 0.10, 0.12, 0.15 and 0.18mm. The larger the diameter, the overall fuller effect created by the extensions. Most stylists will use a mix of diameters to create the look they want, but also to look after your natural lashes. The larger the diameter, the heavier the extension.
Volume lashes come in even smaller diameters: 0.03, 0.05, 0.07 & 0.085mm. Teeny tiny! These lashes are put together to create a fan, which is then applied to one individual eyelash. The smaller the diameter, the more extensions can be used in one fan.
At Brisbane Lashes, we often use 0.07mm volume extensions in fans of 4-6 lashes (4-6D). When we put 4 extensions in a fan, we describe it as a 4D fan. D = extensions!
Lengths
Eyelash extensions come in many different lengths, but the range we keep at Brisbane Lashes is 5mm-15mm. There are certainly longer lengths available, but most people don’t have natural lashes that are long and strong enough to hold anything longer than 12mm. 12mm may not sound very long, but consider that these extensions may grow out as much as 4mm over the 3 weeks between refills. You then will have 16mm lashes on your eyes, which is quite long when taking into account the size of your eye!
Also, keep in mind that long lashes aren’t always the best option. If you want your lashes to look dense and full, it’s better to go for shorter lashes, as this will emphasise the fullness. Longer lashes tend to look gappy and sparse, particularly when you are due for a refill.
Shape
Another thing lash stylists may talk about when applying extensions is the shape which we want to create. There are several different shapes, and your lash stylist will choose the shape which will be the most flattering for your features. Other things we take into account are your lash growth speed and your refill budget, and of course, the end result you are looking for.
Some of the different shapes we may refer to include Natural, Cat-Eye, or Eye-Opening. When your lash stylist asks if you want the longest lashes in the middle of your eye or toward the end, this is what they are working out. 
Flat Lashes
It sounds counter-productive to use flat lashes, doesn’t it?
When we are talking about flat lashes, we’re not referring to the curl (confusing, I know).
Flat lashes are named so because they have a flat visible surface area when your eyes are open. Instead of being cylindrical, they are more of a rectangular shape at the base, though they still taper into a soft tip.
We use flat lashes to achieve more fullness, as they look wider, but they are also great if you would like your lashes to be longer, as they are much lighter than the normal cylindrical extensions we use.
Our LashJoy Ultra Soft Flat Lashes feel beautifully soft and natural, and give a fuller effect than regular eyelash extensions. They are also faster to apply, so you will leave your appointment with 10-20% more extensions than usual. If you’re interested in trying flat lashes, mention it to your lash stylist at your next appointment!
Hopefully this will help you have a little bit more of an idea of what’s going on at your next lash appointment. As always, if you ever have any questions about eyelash extensions or your specific lash recipe, feel free to ask your lash stylist or get in touch with us via phone, email or our socials!
