What is a lash map? How to make and record one
A lash map plans the length, curl and thickness of extensions zone by zone. Learn the main styles, how to make one, and how to record it for faster fills.
A lash map is the plan for a set of eyelash extensions: which length, curl and thickness goes in each zone of the lash line, drawn on the under-eye pad before the first extension goes on. It is how you build a set that suits the client's eyes, matches on both sides, and can be repeated at every fill.
What is a lash map?
#A lash map is a zone-by-zone plan for an extension set. You divide the lash line into sections from the inner corner to the outer corner, then decide for each section what length of extension it gets, and usually which curl and diameter as well. The map is written or drawn on the eye pad or tape, so it sits directly under the lashes you are working on.
Think of it as the difference between drawing a floor plan and building a room freehand. Experienced artists can map in their head, but writing it down does three things a mental plan cannot: it keeps both eyes consistent, it lets you check the plan with the client before she closes her eyes, and it leaves a record you can reuse next time.
What goes into a lash map?
#Every lash map answers the same handful of questions. Some artists write only lengths on the pad and keep curl and diameter in their notes; others put everything on the pad. Either works, as long as it is written somewhere.
| Element | What it decides | How it is usually written |
|---|---|---|
| Zones | Where one instruction ends and the next begins | Lines or numbers on the pad, inner to outer corner |
| Length | How long the extensions are in each zone | Millimeters, e.g. 9, 10, 11 |
| Curl | How much lift the extension has | A letter code such as C, CC, D or L |
| Diameter | How thick each extension is | Millimeters, e.g. 0.15 for classic, finer for volume fans |
| Style | The overall shape you are aiming for | A name: natural, doll eye, cat eye, squirrel |
Five zones is a common way to split the lash line, and a good place to start. Detailed styles, such as wispy sets with longer spikes placed between shorter layers, often use more.
What are the main lash map styles?
#The style of a lash map is set mostly by where the longest extensions sit. Move the peak and the whole shape of the eye changes.
- Natural follows the client's own lash line, with lengths rising gently and easing off at the outer corner. It looks like her lashes, only fuller.
- Doll eye (also called open eye) puts the longest extensions in the center, over the pupil, which makes the eye look rounder and more open.
- Cat eye builds steadily toward the outer corner, which elongates and lifts the eye.
- Squirrel peaks around three-quarters of the way along, then drops a little at the very corner. It gives lift without the full drama of a cat eye.
- Wispy is a texture rather than a shape: longer spikes are placed through a shorter base layer. It can be laid over any of the maps above.
Here is how those shapes can look as numbers. These are illustrative starting points, not a prescription — the client's natural lashes decide what she can safely wear.
| Style | Zone 1 (inner) | Zone 2 | Zone 3 | Zone 4 | Zone 5 (outer) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural | 8 mm | 9 mm | 10 mm | 10 mm | 9 mm |
| Doll eye | 9 mm | 10 mm | 12 mm | 10 mm | 9 mm |
| Cat eye | 8 mm | 9 mm | 10 mm | 11 mm | 12 mm |
| Squirrel | 8 mm | 9 mm | 10 mm | 12 mm | 10 mm |
Read across a row and you can see the shape: the doll eye peaks in the middle, the cat eye keeps climbing, and the squirrel climbs, then steps back down at the corner.
How do you make a lash map, step by step?
#Start from the client, not from a style. A map that looks perfect on a chart can look wrong on her eyes.
- Ask what she wants and how she lives. A natural look for work, something bolder for an event, whether she sleeps on her side, whether she wears glasses. Ask what she liked and disliked about any set she has had before.
- Look at her natural lashes. Note their length, strength, density and direction, and any gaps. Extensions have to be light enough for the lashes carrying them, so this sets the upper limit for length and thickness.
- Look at her eye shape. Hooded, monolid, downturned, upturned, round, almond, close-set or wide-set eyes each respond differently to the same map (more on that below).
- Mark your zones on the pad. Use a fine pen. Many artists mark the peak first, using the pupil or the arch of the brow as a reference while the client looks straight ahead, then fill in the zones either side.
- Write the length for each zone, and the curl and diameter if they change across the eye.
- Mirror it on the other eye, then adjust for any real difference between her two eyes rather than copying blindly.
- Confirm the plan before she closes her eyes. A quick look in a mirror at a pencil sketch, or a sentence describing the shape, avoids a surprise at the end.
- Photograph the mapped pad before you start. It takes seconds and it is the most useful record you will have at her fill.
How do you adapt a lash map to eye shape?
#The same numbers can open one eye and close another, so most artists adjust the map to the shape in front of them. These are general tendencies that training courses commonly teach, not hard rules.
| Eye shape | What tends to help | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Hooded | Curls with more lift so extensions clear the lid | Too little curl can hide the set under the fold |
| Monolid | Strong curls and a centered or squirrel peak | Very long lengths can touch the lid or glasses |
| Downturned | A peak that lifts the outer third without extending the droop | Heavy length at the very corner can drag the eye down |
| Round | Cat eye or squirrel to elongate | A doll eye makes a round eye rounder |
| Almond | Most maps work | Choose by the look she wants |
| Close-set | Length weighted toward the outer corners | Long inner corners pull the eyes closer |
| Wide-set | More length through the inner and center zones | A strong cat eye widens the gap further |
How do you record a lash map so fills are faster?
#A lash map is only half useful if it disappears in the bin with the eye pad. Recording it means the next fill starts from what worked, not from memory, and it gives you something to compare against if retention changes.
A good record holds:
| Record | Example |
|---|---|
| Date and service | Full set, classic |
| Style | Squirrel |
| Lengths by zone, each eye | L: 8 9 10 12 10 / R: 8 9 10 12 10 |
| Curl and diameter | CC, 0.15 |
| Products | Lash type and brand, adhesive |
| Notes | Sensitive to fumes, prefers slightly shorter inner corners |
| Photos | Mapped pad, finished set open and closed |
| At the fill | Retention, what she would change |
Paper record cards and client books work well, and plenty of artists have run a busy book with nothing else. Photos are what make the record hard to argue with: a picture of the mapped pad shows exactly what you did, and a picture of the finished set shows what it looked like, which no written note quite captures.
If you keep those photos on your phone, keep them with the client, not loose in your camera roll where her face sits next to your family photos and whatever else your phone syncs. iBeauty gives every client her own private photo gallery, so her lash maps and finished sets are on her record alongside her visits.
Is it okay to photograph a client's lashes?
#Yes, with her permission. Tell her what the photos are for — her own record, so you can repeat or improve the set — and that they stay private. Ask separately before you post anything publicly: agreeing to a record photo is not agreeing to be in your portfolio.
Photos of a person's face are personal information, and in some places there are rules about how you store and delete them. Keep them somewhere private, delete them if she asks, and do not keep them longer than you have a reason to.
Key takeaways
#- A lash map is a zone-by-zone plan of length, curl and thickness, drawn on the eye pad before you start.
- The style is set mainly by where the longest extensions sit: center for a doll eye, outer corner for a cat eye, three-quarters along for a squirrel.
- Start from the client's natural lashes and eye shape, then choose the style; not the other way round.
- Record every map, ideally with a photo of the mapped pad and the finished set, so every fill starts from what worked.
- Photograph with permission and keep client photos private and with the client's record.
Frequently asked questions
#What is a lash map?
#A lash map is a plan for an eyelash extension set that divides the lash line into zones and sets the length, curl and thickness of the extensions in each one. It is drawn on the under-eye pad before application so the set is symmetrical, suits the client's eye shape and can be repeated.
How many zones should a lash map have?
#Five zones from the inner to the outer corner is a common starting point and enough for most classic and volume sets. Detailed styles such as wispy sets often use more zones so that spikes and base layers can be placed precisely.
What is the difference between a cat eye and a squirrel lash map?
#A cat eye map keeps getting longer all the way to the outer corner, which elongates the eye. A squirrel map peaks about three-quarters of the way along and then drops slightly at the corner, which lifts the eye with a softer, less dramatic finish.
Which lash map suits hooded eyes?
#Hooded eyes usually need curls with more lift, so the extensions clear the fold of the lid instead of disappearing under it. A squirrel or open-eye shape often works well, but the client's natural lashes and the look she wants should decide the final map.
Do you need a new lash map for every fill?
#No. A fill usually starts from the map you recorded at the full set, adjusted for anything that has changed, such as retention or a request for a different length. That is why recording each map, ideally with a photo, saves time at every fill.
Should I take photos of every lash set?
#It is good practice, with the client's permission. A photo of the mapped pad and the finished set is the most accurate record you can keep, and it makes fills faster and changes easier to discuss. Keep the photos private and separate from anything you post publicly.
iBeauty is an app for beauty professionals that keeps each client's visits, spend and private photo gallery together, alongside the money side of your work: services, costs, and the profit left at the end of the month. The first month is free. If you are curious where it came from, you can read the story of iBeauty.