Lash mapping styles, and who each one suits.
Every named lash look, from cat eye to doll eye, is really one thing: a pattern of where the length sits. Once you can read that pattern, choosing a style stops being guesswork. Here are the maps worth knowing, each with a simple diagram.
Lash mapping styles are named patterns for where the length sits along the lash line. Cat eye carries length to the outer corner for a lifted look, doll eye keeps it longest in the centre to open the eye, kitten eye sits between the two, and natural follows the eye's own shape. Each one suits a different eye and effect.
People talk about lash styles as if they were different products, but a cat eye and a doll eye use the same lashes. What changes is placement. Move the longest length to the outer corner and you have a cat eye. Move it to the centre and you have a doll eye. That is the whole secret of mapping, and it is why one good map matters more than any single lash you own.
Below, each style has a small diagram. Read it left to right, from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner. The taller the lashes in the diagram, the longer the extensions sit in that part of the eye. Find the shape you want, then see which eye it tends to flatter.
Try all eight maps on a real photo.
From doll to cat eye, see each mapping style on your client before you start. Lash Create drops the preview onto their eyes so you can switch styles in a tap and pick the map that suits the look they want. Free to start.
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How to read the maps
Each map is a real Lash Map from the app. The numbers are the length in millimetres for every zone along the lash line, set shorter or taller to show where the eye is drawn longest. The far left is the inner corner by the nose, the far right is the outer corner by the temple, and the peak is what gives each style its name. Treat the lengths as a starting guide, then scale a whole map up or down while keeping its proportions so it flatters the real eye in front of you.
Lash mapping styles
Doll Eye
The longest length lands right in the centre of the eye, which opens it up and makes it look rounder and more awake. It is the go to map when a client wants bright, wide eyes.
Best for: almond and close set eyes, a wide awake look.
Natural Cat Eye
A softer cat eye. Length builds gently from the inner corner out to a longer outer edge, lifting and elongating the eye without a hard flick, so it reads natural and easy to wear every day.
Best for: most eye shapes, a soft everyday lift.
Free Style
Taller spikes set along the lash line for a soft, feathery, piecey finish. It is the textured, wispy look to reach for when a client wants definition and edge rather than a smooth wall.
Best for: any eye shape, a soft and fluttery, textured finish.
Kitten Eye
A baby cat eye that climbs to length just past the centre for a soft, lifted flick, then eases off at the very outer corner. Plenty of fluff with a gentle pull that flatters most eye shapes.
Best for: round and downturned eyes, a gentle lift.
Cat Eye
Short at the inner corner and building to its longest at the outer corner, the cat eye pulls the eye out sideways and lifts it. It is sultry and elongating, and one of the most requested maps there is.
Best for: round eyes, wide set eyes, a lifted and sultry look.
Choosing a style by eye shape
A map only flatters when it works with the eye in front of you. The quick version: round eyes love a cat or fox map that lengthens them, downturned eyes are lifted by a squirrel or cat map, close set eyes open up with a doll map that keeps the inner corners light, and hooded eyes want height through the centre with a stronger curl so the length clears the lid. For the full breakdown, read our guide to the best lash style for your eye shape.
It also helps to know your length and curl options before you commit to a shape, since the same map reads very differently in a soft B curl versus a dramatic L. Our guide to lash curl types walks through each one, and the step by step lash mapping guide shows how to plan a full set from scratch.
The fastest way to compare styles
Reading diagrams is one thing, seeing a style on your own eyes is another. Lash Create lets you drop any of these maps onto a photo of the real eyes and switch between them in seconds, with 8 styles, 6 curls and full colour built in. A cat eye, a doll eye and a kitten eye, side by side on the same face, tells you more than any chart can, and the client can see it too before they ever book.
Pick the map by what it does, not by its name. Once you can see where the length peaks, every trendy style turns out to be a small change to the same idea.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main lash mapping styles?
Lash Create ships with five ready made maps, the doll eye, natural cat eye, cat eye, kitten eye and a spiked free style. Each one is a length pattern, decided by where you place the longest lashes from the inner corner out to the outer corner.
What is the difference between cat eye and doll eye mapping?
A cat eye keeps the inner corner short and builds the longest length at the outer corner, pulling the eye out and lifting it. A doll or open eye peaks the longest length in the centre, making the eye look rounder and more awake.
Which lash mapping style is most natural?
The natural map is the softest. It follows the lashes you already have, with a gentle rise toward the middle and short lengths at both corners, so the set looks like fuller versions of your own lashes.
What is a squirrel lash map?
A squirrel map builds length to a peak just past the centre, around the outer third, then drops slightly toward the very outer corner. That kick gives a textured, lifted look between a doll eye and a cat eye.
How do I pick the right style for a client?
Start with the eye shape and the effect the client wants. Round eyes suit a cat or fox map, downturned eyes are lifted by a squirrel or cat map, and hooded eyes want height through the centre. Previewing a few maps on a photo of the real eyes is the fastest way to decide.
Can I try lash mapping styles before booking?
Yes. In Lash Create you can drop different maps onto a photo of your own eyes and switch between styles, curls and colour in seconds, so you see how a cat eye or doll eye actually looks on you before you book.
See every style on your own eyes.
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