Everyone’s eyes are different. That’s a big part of what gives us each our own natural beauty. At NovaLash, our best-in-class lash extensions are made for all different kinds of eye shapes. It can be helpful to know how to find your clients’ eye shape, so that you know exactly which kind of NovaLash eyelash extensions will work best for your clients and their own particular beauty needs. In our lash extension training courses, you will learn how to look at a client’s eye shape, face shape, and overall style as a part of your lash consultation, then make recommendations on which lash extensions would best compliment their personal style, their individual facial structure, and their lifestyle.

Related: Classic and Conversion Training

Here’s a quick breakdown of what goes into eye shape, how to find your clients’ eye shape, and why eye shape is important when considering which lash extensions to try.

Different Types of Eye Shape

There are several different types of eye shape. Because each kind of eye shape is beautiful in its own distinct way, certain kinds of lash extensions work more effectively on some eye shapes than others. There are ideal lash extensions for each type of eye shape.

Rounded Eyes

Unsurprisingly, rounded eyes are characterized by their rounder, more circular shape. Rounded eyes often appear larger and more open than almond shaped eyes or downturned eyes do. With a rounded eye shape, the key is to be careful not to overemphasize the eye’s roundness—doing so can sometimes create a bulging look that isn’t ideal. Lashing rounded eyes with longer extensions on the outer corners can help balance out their shape in a flattering, glamorous way. London Volume lash extensions can be good for a rounded eye, since building lighter-weight, more concentrated fans on these outer edges is easier.

Almond-Shaped Eyes

Eyes which are more oblong than rounded are generally considered to be “almond-shaped.” Almond-shaped eyes tend to be well-balanced, but if they are too deep-set in the face, it might need to be brightened or made to stand out more. Lash extensions which are full and thick, like NovaMINX lashes, work well on almond-shaped eyes, especially if longer lashes are placed more toward the center of the top lid.

Downturned Eyes

Something to be aware of when lashing your client’s eyes is whether or not they turn downward at the corners. Downturned eyes can cause problems when applying lash extensions, unless you know which lashes to apply. If you apply lash extensions which are too heavy, it might give your clients a tired appearance rather than a glam one. Try our American Volume lashes, which are lightweight, but still provide full, feathery volume.

Read more: Which Lash Extensions Are Right for You?

Other Factors in Determining Eye Shape

Overall eye shape—and which lash extensions work best for someone’s eyes—is determined by a variety of factors, not just the roundness of the eyes themselves. These factors include:

• Eye placement (how wide the eyes are set in the face)
• Number of eyelid creases
• Level of development of the periorbital area (or the soft tissue and bone surrounding the eyes).

Close-Set Eyes vs. Wide-Set Eyes

The average distance between a person’s eyes should be one eye width. If your client has eyes which are set closer together than that, your client likely has close-set eyes. You can give close-set eyes the illusion of width by applying lash extensions which have the highest concentration of long extensions only at the outer corners of the eyes. Something very important for close-set eyes is that if you apply the wrong set of lashes—lashes which overly emphasize the inside corners or middle of the eyes, you might end up making your client look cross-eyed—a look no client is likely seeking!

By contrast, if your client’s eyes are set more widely apart than a full eye width, then they likely have wide-set eyes. In this case, you should apply slightly longer eyelash extensions at the inner corners of the eyes. Be careful—apply lashes too long to the inside corners of your client’s eyes and they might look strange. Stick with lash extensions that are from 8mm to 10mm.

Monolid Eyes or Hooded Eyes

Monolid eyes are eyes which have no crease in the eyelid. It is important when lashing monolids to note the direction of the eyelashes and choose your lash extension set accordingly. You never want to force a lash to carry too much weight or you might cause damage. In some cases, a full, lush set of American Volume lashes can help give a monolid eye a more open, brilliant look.

Hooded eyes are eyes which have a second crease in the skin between the eyelid and the browline. Sometimes hooded eyes are a result of age. When applying lash extensions to hooded eyes, it is important to focus the longest eyelash extensions in the middle of the eye. You’ll also want to choose a lash that is suitable for the client but which is as curled as possible. This will help give hooded eyes a more open, natural look.

Read more: How to Apply Lash Extensions to Hooded Eyes

Protruding Eyes or Deep-Set Eyes

If your client’s eyes bulge slightly, these eyes are considered to be “protruding eyes.” For a protruding eye shape, you can mitigate the bulging factor by choosing a shorter lash, like our Classic set of lash extensions. Going with a longer, more full set of lash extensions has the danger of making your clients’ eyes look even more protruding than normal.

On the flip side, if your client has eyes which are recessed in their face, these eyes are considered to be “deep set.” For deep set eyes, you’ll want to help enlarge the eyes with a longer, fuller set of lash extensions. You’ll want to try for curlier lashes as well, as this will also help bring your clients’ eyes to the front.

How to Find Your Client’s Eye Shape

To find your client’s overall eye shape, take a look at each of these attributes and make a judgment call based on what the most dominant eye feature is. If their eyes are mostly round, for instance, that means that your client’s eye shape is likely round. If your client has hooded eyes, because that’s the most particular eye shape attribute, you should consider their eye shape to be hooded. All in all, when making lash extension recommendations to your client based on their eye shape, make sure to take all of the attributes of their eye shape into account.

How to Talk to Your Clients about Eye Shape

Lash extensions are designed to enhance our natural beauty by highlighting the existing features of our eyes, eyelids, and face. Knowing your clients’ eye shape can help you decide which lashes will look best on them. Many clients will come into consultations with you with an idea of which lashes they’d like, so it’s important to know how to chat with your client about which lashes work best for which eye shapes. The last thing you want to do is recommend a lash extension that might not fit your client’s eye shape. If a client wants a look that might not work well for their eye shape, talk them through the ways in which different eye shapes require different kinds of emphasis. You are their trusted advisor in beauty—you should make sure they feel confident and understand the reasons why certain lash extensions are more suited to their eye shape.

To learn more about determining eye shape and about which lashes are more suited to certain kinds of eye shapes, register for one of our classic or conversion training sessions.