Lash CreateThe best lash style for your eye shape.
The same set of lashes can flatter one person and fight another. The difference is almost always eye shape. Here is how to read yours and choose the map, length and curl that suits it best.
Lashes are not one size fits all. Where you place length and how much curl you choose can open an eye up, lift a droopy corner, or accidentally make a round eye look rounder. Get the shape right and a set looks like it was made for you, because in a way it was.
This guide walks through every common eye shape and the lash style that flatters it. If you are a client trying to describe what you want, this gives you the words. If you are a technician, it is a quick reference for the consultation. Either way, the best move at the end is to see the look on the real eyes before anyone commits, and we will get to that.
How to find your eye shape
Stand in front of a mirror with your face relaxed and your eyes open. Three questions place you most of the way there.
- Can you see a crease above your lash line when your eye is open, or does the lid cover it? A covered crease points to hooded or monolid eyes.
- Does the outer corner lift up, sit level, or drop down? That tells upturned from downturned.
- Does the eye read long and tapered, or more open and circular? That separates almond from round.
You might be a blend of two, and that is normal. Pick the description that fits best and adjust from there.
The three lash map effects to know
Almost every set is a version of three effects, and naming the one you want makes choosing easy.
The doll eye
Length peaks in the center of the eye and stays shorter at the corners. It opens the eye, makes it look bigger and rounder, and feels bright and youthful.
The cat eye
Length builds toward the outer corner while the inner corner stays short. It pulls the eye out and up for a foxy, lifted look. Some artists call a softer version the kitten or squirrel set.
The natural set
Length follows the eye gently with no strong peak, just a touch more through the middle and outer zones. It enhances rather than reshapes, and it is the safe everyday choice.
Almond eyes
Almond eyes are longer than they are round, with the outer corner sitting level or slightly up and a visible crease. They are the shape most lash maps are designed around, so almost anything works. A natural or doll eye map with a C curl is effortless, and a cat eye adds drama whenever you want it. Lucky you, really.
Round eyes
Round eyes are open and circular, with plenty of lid on show. The goal is usually to stretch the eye longer rather than emphasize the roundness. A cat eye or kitten map carries the longest length toward the outer third and gives a soft elongated lift. Skip an even doll eye map here, since peaking in the center only makes a round eye look rounder.
Hooded eyes
Hooded eyes have a lid that folds down over the crease, so a flat lash can disappear the moment the eye opens. The fix is lift. A stronger D or L curl pushes the lashes up and out from under the hood, and a little extra length through the middle and outer zones keeps the set visible from the front. Test the curl with the eye fully open, not closed.
Monolid eyes
Monolid eyes have little or no visible crease, so the lashes can sit hidden when you look straight ahead. Like hooded eyes, they need real lift to show. Reach for a strong D or L curl and build length through the middle and outer zones so the set reads from straight on. A bolder volume style gives the lashes the presence to stand out.
Downturned eyes
On a downturned eye the outer corner drops below the inner corner, which can read a little sleepy. The trick is to lift rather than follow the droop. Keep the very outer lengths shorter and hold the height nearer the middle so the eye looks raised. A doll eye leaning map flatters this shape, where a heavy cat eye can drag the corner down even further.
Upturned eyes
Upturned eyes already lift at the outer corner, so you have a natural cat eye to work with. You can lean into it with a soft cat map for extra drama, or balance it out with a touch more length through the inner and middle zones so both ends feel even. Most curls suit this shape, so choose by how bold you want the result.
Close set eyes
Close set eyes sit nearer together than one eye width apart. To create space you draw attention outward. Keep the inner corners light and short, then build length toward the outer corner with a cat eye map. That pulls the focus out and makes the eyes feel further apart.
Wide set eyes
Wide set eyes sit more than one eye width apart. Here you do the opposite of close set eyes and carry a little more length through the inner and middle zones. That brings the visual focus inward and makes the eyes feel closer together. A doll eye or natural map suits this beautifully.
See it on your own eyes first
Every chart in the world is still a guide. The real test is how a set looks on your face, with your coloring, your lid and your natural lashes. That is exactly what Lash Create is for. You upload a photo of your own eyes and try the maps above on them, switching between 8 styles, 6 curls and full color in seconds.
It works as an eyelash try on for clients and as a mapping tool for technicians, so you can settle the look together before a single extension goes on. If you want the planning side in detail, our guide on how to do lash mapping walks through it step by step.
Pick the effect that suits your shape, then prove it on your own eyes. Seeing beats guessing every time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know my eye shape for lashes?
Look in a mirror with your eyes relaxed and open. Check whether you can see a crease above the lash line, whether the outer corner lifts up or drops down, and how round or long the eye reads. Those three things place you in almond, round, hooded, monolid, downturned or upturned territory.
What is the best lash style for round eyes?
Round eyes suit a cat eye or kitten map that carries the longest length toward the outer third. That stretches the eye and adds a soft lift, where an even doll eye map can make a round eye look rounder.
What lashes suit hooded eyes?
Hooded eyes want height and a stronger curl so the lashes clear the lid when the eye is open. A D or L curl with a little extra length through the middle and outer zones opens the eye and keeps the lashes visible.
What is the best lash style for almond eyes?
Almond eyes are the most forgiving shape and carry almost any map well. A natural or doll eye map with a C curl flatters them, and a cat eye works beautifully when you want more drama.
What lashes are best for monolid eyes?
Monolid eyes have little visible crease, so they need real lift to show the lashes from the front. Reach for a strong D or L curl and build length through the middle and outer zones so the set reads from straight on.
What is a cat eye lash map?
A cat eye map keeps the inner corner short and builds the longest length toward the outer corner, which pulls the eye out and up for a foxy, lifted look. It is the classic choice for round and close set eyes.
What is a doll eye lash map?
A doll eye map peaks the length in the center of the eye and keeps the corners shorter, which opens the eye up and makes it look bigger and rounder. It suits almond and downturned eyes that you want to lift and widen.
Can I see how a lash style looks on my eyes before booking?
Yes. With Lash Create you upload a photo of your own eyes and try styles, curls and maps on them, so you can pick the look that suits your shape before you sit in the chair.
Try every style on your own eyes.
Download Lash Create and preview the perfect set for your eye shape before you book.