What a lash map is
A map is the plan for which length goes where across your lid. Two sets with the same lashes, the same curl and the same price can look completely different because of the map. I decide it at the consultation with your eyes open and closed in front of me, and every set includes it: the consultation, the mapping of your lashes, the application and the aftercare walkthrough [3].
Doll eye and cat eye are the two maps people ask for by name. There is a third, the natural sweep, that sits between them.
| Map | Where the longest lengths go | What it does | Often suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doll eye | Over the center of the iris, shorter toward both corners | Opens the eye and makes it look rounder and brighter | Almond eyes that want to look bigger |
| Cat eye | Builds from the inner half to the outer third, with soft fans at the corner | Lengthens the eye and lifts the outer corner | Round, deep-set or close-set eyes |
| Natural sweep | Between the pupil and the outer third, following your own lashes | Adds depth and darkness without changing your eye shape | Anyone who wants it to look like their own lashes |
The table follows the maps I describe in my Hybrid guide. In a doll-eye map the longest extensions sit over the center of the iris and taper toward the inner and outer corners. A cat-eye map uses shorter extensions along the inner half and gradually increases length toward the outer third [1].
The doll eye
A doll eye lifts the middle of the lid. Because the longest lashes sit over the iris, the eye reads as bigger and rounder from the front, and softer in photos.
Where it goes wrong is on eyes that are already very round, where it makes the roundness stronger, and on hooded eyes, where long center lengths push into the fold. On a hooded eye I keep the center shorter and put the longest lengths over the outer edge of the iris instead [2].
The cat eye
A cat eye draws the eye outward. Short at the inner corner, building toward the outer third, it gives the look of a flick of liner without any liner. It flatters round, deep-set and close-set eyes by pulling attention toward the outer corner [1].
The version to be careful with is the extreme one, where the very longest lashes sit right at the outer corner. On a hooded eye that weight at the corner tends to drag the eye down, so I stop the peak short of the corner and taper from there [2].
Which one suits your eyes
- Almond: either works. Doll eye for a wide, open look; cat eye for a longer, lifted one.
- Round: a cat eye elongates; a doll eye makes the roundness stronger.
- Hooded: a soft cat eye or a natural sweep, with the peak over the outer edge of the iris and shorter lengths in the center. My hooded eyes guide has the full map.
- Deep-set or close-set: a cat eye pulls the eye outward [1].
- Not sure: a natural sweep follows your own lashes, and next time you can ask for more of either.
The two eyes are rarely the same, so I map each one, not one map copied across [2].
Curl and length still decide how far it goes
A map only moves length around. How long the longest lashes can be is set by your own lashes: an extension should not be more than 2 to 3 mm longer than the natural lash it sits on [4]. A dramatic cat eye on short lashes is a softer cat eye. The curl matters too: a C or CC curl gives a soft lift, and the flat-based L and M curls are made for straight or downward lashes.
Does the map change the price?
No. The map is part of the set, and any set can take it. The set decides the texture: Classic ($140) for definition, Hybrid ($160) for texture, Wet Set ($175) for spikes, Volume ($190) for fluff, Mega Volume ($240) for drama [3]. A cat-eye Hybrid and a doll-eye Hybrid cost the same.
If you want the spiky, anime version of a doll eye, my anime lashes guide explains how I build it on a Wet Set.
A Hybrid fill is $90 within 2 weeks of your last set and $110 at 2 to 3 weeks; past three weeks it is a new set [3]. Fills are only for sets I did. If another artist did your set, book a new set and tell me in the notes, and I take the old one off first. A $25 deposit holds your time and comes off your total. Reschedule with more than 24 hours notice and your deposit moves to the new time at no charge. Cancel inside 24 hours and the $25 deposit is not returned, plus a $20 cancellation fee.
First time booking a full set? Use code FIRST20 at checkout for $20 off. One per client, and it comes off the balance you pay on the day, not off the deposit. It does not apply to fills.
Questions about cat eye and doll eye lashes
What is the difference between cat eye and doll eye lash extensions?
Where the longest lashes go. A doll eye puts them over the center of the iris and tapers toward both corners, so the eye looks rounder and more open. A cat eye keeps the inner half shorter and builds toward the outer third, so the eye looks longer and lifted at the corner.
Which is better for hooded eyes, cat eye or doll eye?
Usually a soft cat eye or a natural sweep, with shorter lengths in the center and the peak over the outer edge of the iris. Long center lengths push into the fold, and the longest lashes right at the outer corner tend to drag a hooded eye down.
Does a cat eye or doll eye map cost more?
No. The mapping is part of every set, so the price is the price of the set you choose. A cat-eye Hybrid and a doll-eye Hybrid cost the same.