Eyelash fans are an easy-to-make DIY beauty item you can use in your everyday routine. They come with instructions on how to create them, but they’re not difficult at all. If you have time and want a cheap yet stunning addition to your makeup collection, give this project a try.

how to make eyelash fans for beginners

Step 1: Materials Needed

  1. Scissors
  2. A pair of scissors or any other sharp tool
  3. An eye pencil
  4. A mirror
  5. A bowl filled with water
  6. A small spoon
  7. A hair dryer
  8. A comb
  9. Some glue
  10. A brush
  11. A toothpick
  12. A pen
  13. A ruler
  14. A plastic container
  15. A piece of paper
  16. A pencil
  17. A pair of tweezers
  18. A sewing needle
  19. A thread
  20. A pair of scissors
  21. A safety pin
  22. A nail file
  23. A pair of pliers
  24. A pair of tweezers
  25. A pair of forceps
  26. A magnifying glass
  27. A pair of twine

Preparing Your Tools

The first step is to prepare your eyelash extension tools. You will need a pair of scissors, an eye pencil, a mirror, a bowl filled with water, a small spoon, a hair dryer, a comb, some glue, a brush, a toothpick, a pen, a ruler, a plastic container, a piece of paper, a pencil, a pair of tweezers, a sewing needle, eyelash tape, Lash Extension Supplies Kit, a thread, a couple of twister, Plain Gel Remover, Heads with eyelids, a magnifying glass, a pair of twine, a pair twirling branches and a pair of twirling branches, baby lashes, etc. Of course, you can use alternative products as well. 

You should also get yourself a pair of tweezers and a nail file. If you don’t have these lash kits, then you can just go ahead and buy them from your local drugstore. You can find different types of everyday lash kits there. 

Step 3: Cutting Out The Shapes Of Your Amazing Volume Lash Fan

It’s grafting time which means exciting time. Now that you’ve prepared your tools, it’s time to start cutting out the shapes of your handmade volume fans. Make sure you cut out each part carefully so you won’t lose any parts later on.

Start by drawing out the shape of your fan using a pencil and a ruler. Then, draw out the shape of your eyelash fan in a way that makes sense to you.

Once you’re done with the outline, draw two lines across the top of your fan. Then, draw another line along the bottom of your fan.

Next, draw out the shape of your handmade volume fan. Again, it needs to be symmetrical. So, draw out the shape again, but this time, place one side of the fan on top of the other. This should help you see your fan’s appearance when it’s finished.

After you’ve drawn out all the parts of your fan, it’s time to move on to the next step.

Step 4: Gluing All Parts Together

Next up, you’ll need to glue every single part together. Start by gluing down the sides of your fan. To do this, simply use a little bit of glue and spread it evenly over the entire surface of your fan.

Then, glue down the top of your fan as well. After that, glue down the bottom of your fan as well, ensuring no gaps between the bottom and the rest of the fan. 

Finally, glue down the middle of your fan. This is where your beautiful eyelashes would be placed. Again, 1-2 sec drying time might be needed. Also, have plenty of eyelash extensions so you have the luxury to practice if you are a beginner. 

Step 5: Adding The Eyelashes

Now that you’ve glued everything together, it’s time to add the classic lashes.

To begin, take a pair of tweezers and remove the excess skin around your eyes. Next, apply a thin layer of glue around the edges of your lashes.

Finally, stick your lashes into the glue. Once they’re stuck in place, let them sit for about 10 minutes before moving on to the next step. Handmade volume fanning is an exciting process, but you would need lots of practice to be a professional lash artist. However, you can try to perfect different types of eyelash extensions. 

What makes a perfect volume lash fan?

The perfect volume lash fan must have equal spacing between the individual eyelashes, a ratio of ⅓ size between the body and the base of the fan, and a 2~3mm area for glue application, and it also must be symmetrical.

We, as human beings, love seeing perfection around us, so anything that’s a bit off tends to be considered ugly. (We may not want to admit that about ourselves, but it’s true for many things.) For this reason, a perfect volume lash fan must have the exact right proportions. If it doesn’t, then, well, it can’t be perfect, right?

Even a few weeks past the application, the evenly spread-out fans retain a much better overall appearance than the uneven fans.

Using ‘Imperfect fans’ can be tempting but look at the result here. When using perfectly crafted fans, the set’s overall look is much neater and more pleasing. You can find many eyelash extension tips online and follow them.

A fan fit for each client

As lash artists, we tailor everything else to our client’s needs and natural lashes, so we must do the same when creating volume lash fans. Regarding volume fans, there are different sizes and styles to choose from. It’s up to you and your client to decide on the best one. Eye shapes of the clients matter when it comes to choosing. 

Wide fan vs. narrow fan

The overall width of the fan should not be wider than 6mm (¼ inch). The fan wider than this tends to look messy and make the application quite tricky.

Narrow fans are ideal for a more uniformed, denser look. Every lash artist loves it. It also creates a stunningly dramatic top line (femme fatale vibes, anyone?). Keep the stems just long enough to prevent the lashes from looking messy and not uniform.

Thin base vs. flat base

One of the most amazing things about handmade volume lashes is their flexibility in style. As an artist, you can choose which base best suits the look you’re trying to achieve.

Lashes with a thin base can be attached anywhere from the top of the natural lash to the bottom and even to the sides. So if you’re aiming for a tidier look, then this is the way to get it. Besides that, a thin base volume fan can be wrapped around a natural lash, which gives great retention.

On the other hand, a flat base can only be placed on top or under the natural eyelash. Therefore, a flat base volume fan will not wrap the natural lash as much as the thin base fan does, but it has its merit. The flat base lash fan can create a darker impression along the lash line, which helps fill the gap if your client has sparse natural lash. 

If you somehow always end up with a flat base fan when you intend to make a thin base one, it might be your glue drying too fast even before you start wrapping the fan. Instead, try a glue that gives you extra 1-2 seconds to complete the effect you want to achieve.

What are the different volume methods out there?

Off tape technique

Great for beginner lash artists, this technique allows you to move individual volume lashes either on the same tape or on a different lash tape. Essentially, you’re picking up a fan volume lash, separating it from the rest on the tape, and then fanning out the lashes. When that is done, you can grab the lash in the middle and pull up and towards yourself to lift the lash.

Lean and pick technique

In the lean and pick technique, you pick up the fan volume lashes close to the base, ensuring it doesn’t cross over. Then you place it on the strip, lean it over, and pick the lashes open (hence the name). This method is good for easily manipulating each individual lash so that the fan opens up evenly. Use it as often as you can so that you can familiarize yourself with the lashes you can create perfect little handmade lash fans. It is one of the favorite techniques of any eyelash extension artist.  

Pinching technique

Start by taking an individual lash from the strip, then hold it firmly between your thumb and forefinger (use your tweezers to maintain the grip if you need to). You mustn’t accidentally roll the base! Continue pinching with your fingers while at the same time using your tweezers to wriggle open the handmade lash fan slowly. Once you have the fan the way you want it, dip it in glue and apply. You will need countless lashes if you are a beginner. 

Love Russian volume lashes? Here are some amazing must-have products for you

Russian volume lashes are fabulous, and there’s no match for them. However, if you’re as big a fan of them as we are, we recommend Mink lash extensions in 0.03, 0.05, and 0.07 sizes.

Depending on your lashing speed, we also recommend fast-drying thin lash glue such as Mach glue for the speedy ones among us, or viscous lash glue such as Glam glue, which has a 4 to 5-second drying time. And, of course, as with any lashing technique, you’ll need good lash extension tweezers and a bundle of lashes!

Now that you’re armed with all this knowledge and eyelash extension practice kit, we hope you start practicing your volume lash fan techniques as soon as you read this post. Then, use Practice lashes and a neat lash kit, and you’re good to go. There are many eyelash extension kit brands for you to choose from. 

Happy lashing!

Practicing at home

If you’re still not comfortable enough to attempt volume fan lashing on a beloved client, try out different sizes of fans and the fanning techniques at home first.

Sponge method

An easy way to practice is by using a makeup sponge. With a sponge, it’s easy to see how well you’ve attached the lashes, which helps you become more precise. You can even practice your angle placement. Of course, a sponge doesn’t mimic the eye well, but it’s still a better way to practice than using an actual live human!

Mannequin method

If you have a practice mannequin head or mannequin holders at home, then even better for trying out your lashing techniques. First, place the mannequin head on your lash bed and maintain good posture. Then begin creating your volume fans and applying them to the mannequin head just as you would if she were an actual client. It’s an amazing time saver. And a great choice for beginners. 

Conclusion:

We hope that these tutorials will help you get started with eyelash fanning. However, we know it takes time to master the art of fanning, so be patient and keep practicing.