Handmade Vs. Premade: Finding The Best Volume Eyelash Extensions

Everyone wants long, fluttering lashes that look naturally voluminous and create a show-stopping lash look. Some lucky ones are born with naturally full lashes that just need some mascara for an added oomph. But many others opt for extensions to give them the best volume lashes that can make their eyes pop!  

Thankfully, you can use either handmade or premade lashes to give your clients the best volume lash extensions. We’ve covered both options below to help you decide which would be the right choice for your client.

Premade Lashes

Premade lashes are volume lash extensions bonded together into fans by manufacturers. These lashes are machine-made and are delivered and ready to use.

Premade volume extensions typically consist of two to eight lashes glued at the base to create a fan. They are quicker, easier, and more convenient, as a lash technician can use them straight out of the box.

Premade lashes can be applied in two ways:

• Glue-bonded — These are attached to the natural lashes with the help of an adhesive. Making the extensions look cleaner and more natural but heavier. 
• Heat-bonded — These are sealed at the bottom with the use of heat. Because of this, heat-bonded lashes are more lightweight and a great choice if your client is worried about added weight or adhesive clumping.

Handmade Lashes

Handmade lashes, as the name suggests, are handcrafted individually by professional lash artists or technicians.

These types of lash extensions can be fully customized as the technician works with lightweight individual lashes in real time . Depending on the client's desired look, the number of lashes used can be changed. 

Once made, the fan is carefully dipped into an adhesive and applied to the lashes.

Lash artists create every fan by removing extensions from a strip, fanning them out as preferred, and attaching them to the client’s natural lashes.

Handmade Vs. Premade: Which Is Better?

To pick the best volume eyelash extensions, there are certain things you’d want to consider when selecting between handmade and premade lashes. 

Handmade Lashes: The Rundown

Making handmade lashes involves a learning curve. So, lash artists need to put in some time and effort to practice and polish their skills.

However, the cost for these lashes is relatively lower than premade lashes.

Advantages of Handmade Lashes:

• They are bespoke lashes that can be fully personalized to every individual client. The thickness, and lenghts can all be customized.
• Handmade lashes are wrapped around the natural lash, improving their retention and lasting longer.

• Handmade fans offer a more natural appearance as you can add variations to mimic the subtle differences in natural lashes, which allows them to blend better.
• Individual lashes are relatively inexpensive when compared to premade lashes.
• These lashes offer value for money even though the procedure costs more, making them appealing for both clients and lash artists.

Disadvantages of Handmade Lashes:

• It requires practice and persistence to get the process right, which means investing time, hard work, effort, and dedication.
• It is a relatively time-consuming process requiring the technician to be precise.

Premade Lashes: The Rundown

Since premade lashes are delivered ready to use from the manufacturer, they can be significantly more efficient in terms of the time required to complete the process.

Furthermore, applying premade lashes requires less skill and experience, as the technique is more straightforward than handmade lashes.

Advantages of Premade Lashes:

• The lash technician can apply premade lashes much faster as the lash fans are already made during manufacturing. The artist doesn't have to create them in real time.

• They are easier to apply as the procedure is less technical, requiring less skill or precision.

Disadvantages of Premade Lashes: 

• The fans cost more than individual lashes, which can drive up costs compared to handmade lashes.
• They are less flexible and offer little room for customization, as premade lashes are only available in a limited amount of styles, thicknesses, colours, etc.
• Lash technicians may need to stock up on a large range of fans to suit the needs of different clients. It can also be difficult for clients to find the right premade lashes for their natural lash strengths.

Key Takeaways

Generally, handmade fans are the better option for clients and lash artists, as they cost less and offer impressive results. However, premade fans provide many  conveniences, both for lash technicians who don't wish to invest a lot of time and effort into perfecting the best volume lashes and for clients who want a quick procedure. 

Both premade and handmade fans can create equally stunning results. You just need to consider the client’s natural lashes and their requirements to choose between the two.