Which Lash Extension Style Is Right for You?

Every client who sits down in my chair for the first time asks some version of the same question: what am I actually getting? Here's the honest breakdown, the same one I walk through at every consult.

The three base types

Every lash extension style starts from one of three base types, which describe how many extensions go on each natural lash.

• Classic. One extension per natural lash. The most natural-looking option, and usually the gentlest on your own lashes since there's less weight added overall.
• Hybrid. A mix of classic and volume fans, alternating across the lash line. This is what most of my clients end up choosing, since it reads fuller than classic without going all the way to a full volume set.
• Volume. Multiple lightweight extensions fanned onto each natural lash. This gives the fullest, most dramatic look and is what most people mean when they say "Russian volume."

Curl type changes the whole look

Once you've picked a base type, curl is the next decision, and it matters more than most first-timers expect. A C curl gives a soft, natural lift. A D curl is more dramatic, a tighter curl that opens the eye more. An L curl is built for hooded or downturned eyes, since the flat base and upward hook work with a lid that covers more of the natural lash.

Doll eye, cat eye, or wispy

These are really just length-and-placement patterns layered on top of your base type and curl:

• Doll eye keeps lengths longer in the center of the eye, rounding and opening the whole eye.
• Cat eye does the opposite, building length toward the outer corner for a lifted, elongated look.
• Wispy mixes lengths unevenly on purpose, for a textured, less uniform set that reads more natural even at a fuller volume.

See it on real clients, not stock photos

Every "style guide" you'll find searching this online uses the same handful of stock photos. I'd rather show you actual sets I've done on actual clients here in Anoka. Browse the real gallery on the lash extensions page before your consult so you have a sense of what different combinations look like on a real eye, not a stock model's.

How I pick your style at your consult

I'm not going to hand you a menu and ask you to pick a base type, curl, and length pattern cold. At your consult, I look at your natural lash density, your eye shape, and ask how much time you actually spend on your makeup day to day, then recommend a starting point from there. Your first set is never permanent. If you want more drama or want to pull it back after a fill or two, that's a completely normal adjustment.