Premade, Promade, & Handmade Volume Fans. What's the Difference and Why Should You Care?
Posh volume lash extensions applied to naturally curly eyelashes.
When I first started as a lash artist back in 2007, the options for lash extensions were simple - real mink or synthetic lashes.
Each material had its own unique benefits and drawbacks however, the one thing they had in common was that the only styling option available was to apply a single lash extension to a single, natural eyelash. The result was light and natural-looking.
As the industry evolved, the lash styles and materials we have access to has exploded with choices. The lash extensions we use today range in thickness, curls, lengths, and materials.
In 2010, a new technique took the lash industry by storm called, “Russian Volume” or RuVol for short. This technique allowed lash artists to apply up to three micro-thin lash extensions to each natural lash. We fanned these lashes out to form a V shape, which created a much fuller look than applying one extension to each natural lash.
If I’m being fully transparent, I was hesitant to learn this technique at the time because in my opinion, it looked very unnatural and I didn’t think my clients would like it. But I put my opinions to the side and learned this advanced technique.
I learned that making handmade volume fans takes a lot of practice and it’s more of an advanced technique. The creation of handmade volume lash fans requires special tweezers, adhesives and skill to get them just right. Making handmade volume fans is a higher level of difficulty and getting them attached to the natural eyelash while keeping them in the same shape requires patience, skill and a lot of practice because rather than attaching them to one side of the natural lash as you would with a single lash extension, they’re wrapped around the natural lash for the most secure attachment.
I also learned that volume lashes don’t have to look fake and unnatural. In time, I applied my own artistic flair to volume lash application and these days, it’s the look the majority of my clients wear.
Fast forward to today… Lash manufacturers began to take notice of volume lashes gaining popularity and found a way to make lash fans used for volume lash application in their factories. So these days, many lash artists consider the art of making volume fans by hand prehistoric and don’t bother learning the technique. Why should they when they can just buy them pre-made and bypass the practice time it takes to master the technique?
It’s a great question and today, I want to explain the differences between the pre made, promade and handmade options lash artists use to create volume lash looks. Before I do however, I want to share the basic composition of a lash fan, regardless of the materials used.
Volume Fan Composition
Volume fans consist of 3 parts. The stem, the body and the opening.
THE STEM
The stem is where all of the lash extensions within a single volume fan bundle together. This is the area of the volume fan that attaches it to the natural eyelash.
THE BODY
Above the stem and in the center of the volume fan is the body. This is the area where the extensions within the volume fan begin separating and spreading outward, beginning to give that appearance of fuller lashes.
THE OPENING
This is the area where the extensions are the widest. The opening is the end of the volume lash fan and it’s the area that gives volume lashes their full and fluffy appearance.
Various Types of Volume Fans
There are various types of volume fans - each providing a unique end result. Here is a brief description of each:
Narrow - this volume fan has the least amount of space between each extension within the volume fan. The opening of narrow fans are tight and flow in the same direction. Narrow volume fans help to create lash designs that appear thicker and darker and give lash designs their shape.
Standard - An standard volume fan is slightly wider than a narrow fan and creates a full and fluffy effect. The opening of a standard fan is slightly wider than a narrow volume fan however, the extensions used within the fan are all aiming in the same direction. A standard fan produces a lash design that’s softer in appearance than narrow volume fans.
Wide - Wide volume fans is wider than both the average and narrow volume fans. The opening of the fan point outward- where the lash extensions don’t flow in the same direction. Wide fans create a less defined, messy end result.
In addition to this, there are different stem types that can be created with each fan. The various stem types are short, mid and long. Here is a brief description of each:
Short - short stems account for about ⅛ of the entire volume fan. This stem is shorter compared to the other 2 options and it’s the most ideal stem type for sparse natural lashes to fill in gaps and for clients that want the most natural look.
Mid - mid stems account for about ¼ of the entire volume fan. This stem is the most commonly used for volume lash application and creates a balance of density and coverage.
Long - long stems account for about ⅓ of the entire volume fan. This stem is long, thin, and provides the most contact with the natural lash. Long stems make the root of the eyelashes look thick and dense.
And lastly, there are 2 different stem shapes that can impact the look and longevity of volume lashes. They are square (flat) and pointy (round).
Square - all of the extensions in the stem lay side by side. This stem shape requires more adhesive to apply to the natural lash. Square stems are easiest to apply to one side of the natural lash and provide a more dense appearance from the root of the natural lashes.
Pointy - all of the extensions are bundled like a flower bouquet, forming a round shape. This stem shape requires less adhesive to apply to the natural lash and rather than it being applied to one side of the natural lash, the stem wraps snugly around the natural lash, for the strongest attachment.
All of these elements can be mixed and matched to create a wide range of lash designs that are unique, depending on the lash artist. Now that you understand the composition of volume fans and the various types of fans lash artists apply, let’s move on to learn about the differences between pre made, pro made and handmade volume fans.
Handmade
As I mentioned earlier, handmade volume fans are micro-thin lash extensions that are first fanned into a V shape, then placed onto the natural lash. The number of lash extensions in the volume fan can range between 2-20 extensions depending on the diameter (thickness) of the extensions. Typically, the diameters of lash extensions used for handmade volume fans range between .02-.10 (diagram below of various diameters used for volume lash application).
As I mentioned, mastering the skill of making each fan by hand, while it looks easy, requires a lot of practice. It's not something an absolute beginner can do.
PROS: Handmade volume fans are the gold standard of volume lash application. They can be customized on the spot based on what each natural lash can safely support. Since they’re handmade, they can be wrapped onto each natural lash so your lash extensions last as long as possible - until your natural lash is ready to shed on its own.
CONS: They require more skill to make on the spot and depending on the lash artist’s experience, they may take more time to make, resulting in longer lash appointments.
Pre Made
Next are pre made volume lash fans. These fans are made by a machine using the same thinner diameter extensions used for handmade volume lash application.
There are two methods used to seal the stem of the volume fan - heat sealed or glue sealed.
Heat sealed volume fans are melted together by a machine, while glue sealed volume fans use an adhesive to seal the stem.
Both of these methods are unable to wrap onto the natural lash since the stem is sealed prior to use. Instead, they’re attached to each side of the natural lash. Pre Made lash extensions tend to cost more in price for lower quantities than the extensions used for handmade volume fans due to the added labor of making them by machine.
PROS: Premade lash extensions are great for beginner lash artists that haven’t learned or mastered the art of handmade volume application. These lash extensions allow beginners to provide their clients with volume lashes without the added time of making volume fans by hand.
CONS: Premade lash extensions come in trays that have a set number of lash extensions within each volume fan. This means they aren’t as customizable as handmade volume fans and cannot be modified to support the health of the natural lashes. Also, since they’re more in price for low quantities compared to lash extensions used for handmade volume fans, the artist could potentially pass the cost on to you, making your lash extensions more expensive.
Pro Made
Pro made volume fans are designed to look like handmade volume fans. They are made by a human or by a machine. Typically, these fans have a sealed stem however, a handful of companies offer them with the stems unsealed.
Compared to handmade volume lashes, pro made lash extensions tend to cost more for lower quantities.
PROS: Just like pre made volume fans, these lash extensions are great for beginner lash artists that haven’t learned or mastered the intricacies of making volume fans by hand. Pro made lash fans give lash artists the flexibility to offer volume lash extensions for their clients without taking the time to learn handmade volume lash application. For the few that use pro made lash extensions that don’t have sealed stems, they can wrap the extensions around the natural lashes for the most secure attachment, similar to handmade volume fans.
CONS: Pro made volume fans have a set number of extensions within each volume fan, making them less customizable than handmade volume fans. Because of this, the lash fans cannot be modified based on the health of each individual natural eyelash. Due to their higher price for the artist, it may result in higher prices for your lash extensions if the artist passes on the cost to you.
As you can probably see, volume lash application is very nuanced and there’s a lot that goes into it. Volume lashes have gained popularity worldwide and there are so many creative ways it can be applied.
At Dela Antoinette’s, I only apply handmade volume fans for my clients. With over 18 years of experience, my priority is lash health. Having the ability to customize every extension I apply based on the health of each of your natural lashes allows me to apply lash designs that are both beautiful and safe for your eyelashes.
I genuinely hope you found this article helpful and if you’re ready for custom lash design that made just for you and not the masses, I’d love to create something beautiful just for you. Schedule a consultation so we can work together.