What Are Classic Lash Extensions? | How to Choose the Best Lashes for Classic Eyelash Extensions
Classic Lashes, sometimes known as single lashes, are just that – single eyelash extensions applied one by one to the natural lashes. Depending on how many natural lashes your client has and/or the thickness of the classic eyelash extensions that you choose, the finished look of a classic lash set can range from being very light and natural, to more dense and glamorous. So which lashes do you use for classic eyelash extensions? How long does a set of classic lashes take? Are hybrid lashes better than classic? Let’s find out…
What are the Best Lashes for Classic Extensions?
This might seem like a simple question, but the answer is kind of long and multi-faceted. We do have another blog post which gives you a bit of an overview of our different lash extensions collections, but in just to keep everything in one place for you, here’s a very brief overview:
- Chelsea Lashes
Chelsea are our original lashes – the classic lashes of all classic lashes, if you will. They have a semi-matte finish and are usually used if your client wants a more natural look.
- Mayfair Lashes
Added to the collection in 2017, Mayfair lashes have a bold, shiny finish which add a touch of drama, even to classic lash sets. In the Mayfair collection, we also have black brown lashes to add a touch of softness, and a wide selection of coloured lashes for your more daring clients!
- Matt Flat Lashes
As the name would suggest, they have a matt finish, and a flat shape. Flat lash extensions are made by fusing two tiny lashes together to make one flat classic lash. As the two fine lashes make up the width of one classic lash, they don’t carry as much weight as a regular classic lash in the same thickness, which makes them a game changer for clients who have very fine natural lashes but who want a darker look. They also feature a split tip, so add extra drama!
Once you’ve picked the type of classic eyelash extensions you want, it’s time to think about which thickness you want to use.
- 0.10 are the lightest lashes intended for classic lash use (of course, you can use 0.07 or even finer lashes if you prefer!). They’ll give you a nice light barely-there look for a classic lash set, and can even be used for 2D volume, which is ideal if you need to cover a small gap between the natural lashes in a classic set.
- 0.12 will give you a nice mascara effect, and can look like light volume on clients with lots of natural lashes.
- 0.15 is another thickness that gives you a nice mascara effect, though they are quite a bit darker than 0.12 lashes and will really start to turn heads! If you’re looking for some coloured classic lash extensions, ours are available in 0.15 and can be added to any classic lash set to add a little extra touch of fun!
- 0.18 – Now we’re getting into the realms of the dramatic! 0.18 might not look much in your tweezers, but they can add some significant weight to those clients who have very fine or weak natural lashes so be careful choosing these!
- 0.20 – Like with 0.18, 0.20 classic lashes aren’t for the faint of heart or the weak of lash. If you have a client who craves a dramatic lash look, opt for 0.20 flat lashes instead, as they only weigh around the same as a 0.12 regular classic lash so will be safe for the vast majority of your clients.
- 0.25 classic lashes are only available in flat lashes, as this thickness is just too heavy for the natural lashes to support safely (did you know that classic lashes used to come in 0.30?!). 0.25 flat lashes only weigh around as much as a 0.15 classic lash, so are safe for the vast majority of clients.
How Long Does A Set of Classic Lashes Take?
Another simple question, another ‘that depends on…’ answer! Generally speaking though, for a more advanced technician covering 120 natural lashes per eye (the average number of lashes per eye is 80-150 so we’ve picked a number in the middle of that, just for reference) it will take somewhere in the region of 1 hour and a half to complete a set of classic lashes, including pretreatment, mapping and checking for stickies.
Something that’s important to remember though, is that if you’re a beginner lash tech it’s likely, and also absolutely fine if it takes you longer – comparing yourself and your timings to other lash technicians will be discouraging early on in your career, so it’s really important that you focus on perfecting your technique, and the timing will come naturally as you build your skills and confidence.
Are Hybrid Lashes Better Than Classic?
Well, it depends on your client and what they really want out of their lashes. Let’s say your client has come to you for a classic set but for whatever reason, they have some gaps in their natural lashes. For them, a hybrid set might be better because you can fill in those gaps with small fans. Ideally, if you can, it’s good to use 0.10 lashes throughout for this as the fans and classic lashes will blend into one another so it looks more like a full set of classic lashes, until you look at them more closely.
Truth be told, whether or not hybrid lashes are better than classics is completely subjective, as they’re very different treatments and give very different looks so it’s a bit like asking if yellow is better than purple – depends who you ask, and depends what it’s for.
There’s a lot that can be said for Classic Eyelash Extensions, they’re well and truly standing the test of time where lash extensions trends are concerned and we truly believe that they will never go out of style!
