Oh-oh! As you examine your client’s lashes, you suddenly notice a big gap or two in her lash line. How can you create a full set of lash extensions without ending up with highly visible missing spots? Thankfully, there’s a quick trick that will help you hide those gaps in her lash extensions.

The trick to hiding gaps in eyelash extensions is to apply two wide-volume fans to the adjacent lashes. In this post, I explain exactly how to do that, step by step.

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How to Hide Gaps in Eyelash Extensions (Step by Step) 

Step 1: Create a Wide Fan

Create a volume fan, and make sure the lashes are fanned out widely so that you can cover a lot of space. If you don’t know how to do this, I’ve written a complete guide with a few methods for creating volume lash fans.

You can also purchase premade lash fans, but I think all lash stylists should prioritize learning to make their own.

Step 2: Isolate Lash Closest to Gap

With the help of your tweezers, identify and isolate the healthy lash that’s closest to the gap in the lash line.

Step 3: Apply Fan Angled Towards Gap

Dip your wide fan in the lash adhesive, and then attach it 1 mm away from the base of the lash line. Make sure to angle it slightly towards the gap. This way, the majority of lashes on the fan will end up covering it.

Step 4: Repeat on the Other Side

Now, isolate the healthy lash that grows closest to the gap on the other side, and attach a wide-volume fan to it as well. Angle the fan so the lashes overlap slightly with the lashes of the volume fan already attached.

Using your mirror, you’ll be able to check from below and see just how well this method works to camouflage any gaps! The gap might still be noticeable from above, but anyone looking at your client will be none the wiser. Finally, you can finish applying the rest of the set. 

To see this step-by-step process in action, I highly recommend this demonstration from Eslashes:

Why Do Gaps Occur?

It’s our responsibility as lash stylists to understand the fundamentals of lash health, so we can better care for and educate our clients. That’s why it’s important to understand what factors could be leading to gaps in the lash line.

• Bad lashing. Bad lash application procedures like using overly-large lashes or gluing one extension lash to multiple natural lashes can put stress on the natural lashes, leading to lash loss and gaps.
• Poor lash care habits. Clients that don’t care for their lashes correctly or sleep on their stomach will likely experience more lash loss than clients that do.
• Pulling. Some clients pull or pick at their lashes as a stress response, which can lead to gaps¹. You may want to gently encourage your client to prioritize their mental health if this is the reason for the gaps in their lashes.
• Health. There are both temporary conditions, like blepharitis, as well as more significant illnesses or deficiencies that can lead to lash loss². If you can’t identify a non-medical underlying cause for your client’s lash loss, you may want to recommend they speak to a doctor.
• Timing. The lashes move through a natural cycle of growth and shedding³. While natural shedding is usually randomly distributed across the lash line, the occasional gap in otherwise healthy, well-cared-for lashes could be coincidental.

How Not to Fix a Gap

You may come across the “bridge” technique for fixing lash gaps, which I strongly urge you to avoid.

In this technique, you essentially connect the two natural lashes on each side of the gap with a horizontally-placed extension. Then you apply extensions vertically to that “bridge”.

I think this is a terrible idea. First, it puts a ton of weight on those two natural lashes because of all those extensions on the bridge. Second, it becomes incredibly difficult for clients to do aftercare properly. Each time they brush the lashes, the spoolie will get stuck on that bridge, leading to pulling.

Considering that your client’s lashes may already be in need of TLC, it’s truly a recipe for disaster.

What to Tell Your Client

You can fix your client’s lash gap in the short term but it’s also so important that you set her up for success in the future.

Make sure to conduct a thorough consultation asking her about her sleeping habits, health, and any other factors that might impact the health of her lashes. Once you understand why she has gaps, you can make an appropriate recommendation. You can also suggest a lash serum, which is almost always useful for repairing the damage.

Also, consider whether the rest of your client’s lashes seem thin or fragile. If there’s too much damage for healthy lashing, let her know and suggest rebooking her for a few weeks later. While some clients might be dismayed, most will appreciate this responsible approach.

If your client’s lashes are in good enough shape, explain the importance of excellent aftercare for maintaining the health of her lashes.

References

1. Kierstan Boyd (2019). American Academy of Ophthalmology. Trichotillomania: Hair-Pulling Disorder and Eyelashes. Retrieved from https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/trichotillomania-hair-pulling-disorder-eyelashes (Accessed on Feb 26, 2023)
2. Reena Mukamal (2021). American Academy of Ophthalmology. Why Are My Eyelashes Falling Out?. Retrieved from https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/why-are-my-eyelashes-falling-out (Accessed on Feb 26, 2023)
3. Sarah Aumond and Etty Bitton (2018). Journal of Optometry. The eyelash follicle features and anomalies: A review. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6147748 (Accessed on Feb 26, 2023)