Lash Dictionary Vol 1

Just like any industry, the eyelash world has its own vocabulary, “lash lingo” if you will.  I have gathered and defined a few words and terms that at one point had me saying “wait what was that again… or I thought that was this…” It’s so important to understand the terminology used in the lash business to accurately explain ourselves to our clients and to keep our education relevant.

CLASSIC APPLICATION : One eyelash extension applied to one natural eyelash.

RUSSIAN VOLUME: A technique in which multiple fine eyelash extensions are applied to one natural eyelash. The term “Russian” comes from that fact that the technique originated in Russia.

HYBRID: A set using a  mix of both classic and volume extensions.

SYNTHETIC MINK LASHES: These man made eyelash extensions are the most popular in the industry. They hold their curl, come in true black, are the most consistent, and are easy to work with.

SILK LASHES: A very soft eyelash extension. These eyelashes tend to loose curl and are sized less consistent than synthetic mink.

LOOSE LASHES: Lashes that do not come in a strip or tray but are single lashes placed loosely in a jar. These lashes are less desirable to work with.

REAL MINK LASHES: Lash extensions made from skinned mink animals. These lashes do not hold curl, they cost more, and can potentially cause allergic reactions.

DIAMETER: The width or thickness of an individual eyelash extension. The width is measured in millimeters and can range from .03-.25

DIMENSION: The length of the eyelash extension. Eyelashes are measured in millimeters and can range from 4mm-15mm.

ISOLATION: “to separate” In the lash world this refers to separating one natural eyelash from the rest.

RETENTION: the definition of retention means, “the continued possession of something.” We use retention to measure how many lashes the client has remaining over a certain amount of time.

CYANOACRYLATE: The main ingredient in lash adhesives

CURING: Eyelash extension cures rather than dries. Curing transitions the glue from a liquid to a solid from the outside in.

BLOOMING: Blooming or “shock curing” happens when there is too much moisture before the adhesive has fully cured. When adhesive blooms the glue turns white and small flecks will spread.

I hope you learned something new today and as always, happy lashing!