Lash CreateThe lash mapping chart, explained.
A lash map is just an eye, split into zones, with a length written into each one. Learn to read those zones and numbers and you can copy any look, repeat any set, and keep both eyes in balance every time.
The first time you see a lash map covered in little numbers it can look technical. It is not. A map is a drawing of the eye divided into a handful of sections, and a target lash length dropped into each section. Read the numbers from the inner corner to the outer corner and they spell out the shape of the set.
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Get Lash Create on the App StoreWhat a lash mapping chart looks like
Here is a simple six zone map for an open, doll style eye. The flat curve is the lash line. Each number is the lash length in millimetres for that zone, and the strokes show how tall those lashes sit. Notice how the length rises toward the centre and eases off at both corners.
What the numbers mean
Every number is a lash length in millimetres. Lash extensions usually come in steps, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and up, and mapping is the act of deciding which length goes where. Short numbers sit at the inner corner near the nose, the biggest number sits at the peak of the style, and the lengths step up and down smoothly in between so there are no harsh jumps.
Read left to right and the numbers describe the look. A run like 8, 10, 11, 12, 11, 9 peaks in the middle, so it opens the eye. A run like 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 climbs all the way to the outer corner, so it pulls into a cat eye. The shape lives entirely in where the highest number falls.
The zones
The eye is split into sections, called zones. Each zone is one length. More zones mean a smoother, more controlled set, fewer zones map faster.
- Four zones is quick and works for a soft, natural set where you do not need much shaping.
- Five to six zones is the everyday sweet spot, enough control to shape the eye without slowing you down.
- Seven zones gives the finest gradient, useful for bold or competition style sets.
Whatever number of zones you pick, use the same zones on both eyes. That is what keeps the left and right matched, which is the whole reason a map exists.
Example number maps to copy
These are starting points for a six zone map, written inner to outer. The bold middle column is the peak. Treat them as a guide and always cap the length at what the natural lash can safely carry.
| Style | Z1 | Z2 | Z3 | Z4 | Z5 | Z6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
| Doll, open eye | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 9 |
| Cat eye | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Squirrel | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
| Fox eye | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
Want to see the shape behind each of these before you read the numbers? Our visual guide to lash mapping styles shows every look with a length diagram, and the step by step lash mapping guide walks through planning a full set. To choose the curl that carries these lengths, see our lash curl types guide.
Paper chart, or map on a photo
A printed lash mapping chart is the classic tool. You fill in the numbers by hand on a generic eye template. It is cheap and portable, but it is not your client, so the finished look still lives in your imagination until the lashes are on.
Mapping on a photo of the real eyes keeps the numbers and adds the thing paper cannot, the actual face. Lash Create finds the eyes in a photo and lets you place length, curl and colour by zone, then shows the finished set instantly, so the map and the preview are the same picture.
The numbers are not the point, the shape is. A map is simply the quickest way to write a shape down so you can repeat it and keep both eyes honest.
Frequently asked questions
What is a lash mapping chart?
A lash mapping chart is a diagram of the eye divided into zones, with a target lash length written into each zone. It is the plan a lash artist follows during a set, so both eyes match and the length sits where it flatters the eye.
What do the numbers on a lash map mean?
The numbers are lash lengths in millimetres. Each zone gets a number, usually rising from short at the inner corner to longest at the peak, then easing off. A map written as 8, 10, 11, 12, 11, 9 means those lengths across six zones from inner to outer.
How many zones are on a lash map?
Most maps use four to seven zones per eye. Fewer zones are quicker and suit a simple natural set, more zones give finer control over the shape. Six is a common, comfortable middle ground.
What lash lengths should I use for mapping?
Lengths depend on the health of the natural lash, but a typical range runs from about 7mm at the inner corner to 13mm at the longest zone. Never go longer than the natural lash can carry. The numbers describe the shape, the natural lash sets the limit.
Do I need a paper lash mapping chart?
A printed chart works, but it maps onto a generic drawing of an eye rather than your client. Mapping on a photo of the real eyes in an app like Lash Create keeps the numbers but shows the finished look on the actual face.
See your map on a real photo.
Download Lash Create and start mapping your set now.