Quick Answer:
Choose a lash map by four traits: eye shape, lid type, corner tilt, and spacing. Start with cat or squirrel for round or close-set eyes, and doll or open-eye for hooded or wide-set eyes.
By Muhammad Rehan Iqbal, founder and developer of Ovalfaceshape.com.
A lash map is the plan for which length, curl, and thickness go in each zone of the lash line, chosen to suit your eyes. To find the right lash map for your eye shape, match cat-eye, doll-eye, squirrel or open-eye styles to four traits: eye shape, lid type, corner tilt and spacing.
First, use our Eye Shape Detector to identify your eye shape before exploring this complete guide to eye shapes and their characteristics.
Who this guide is for:
In short, put the longest lashes toward the outer corner to lengthen round or close-set eyes, and toward the center to open hooded or wide-set ones. This guide is for anyone choosing lash extensions or clusters, and for new lash artists. Your lash artist confirms the final design.
Find the Right Lash Map: Check Four Traits First
Photograph your eyes straight on, relaxed, with hair pushed back. Then note four traits.
| Trait | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Eye shape | Almond tapers at both corners; round shows white above or below the iris | Sets how much length or openness the eye needs |
| Lid type | Monolid (no visible crease), hooded (fold covers the crease) or standard crease | Decides curl strength |
| Corner tilt | Draw a line through both corners: outer corner higher, level or lower | Decides whether outer length lifts or drags |
| Spacing | Gap between your eyes compared with the width of one eye | Decides whether weight goes inward or outward |
Lashify’s guide points out that monolid and hooded describe eyelids, not eye shapes, so an almond eye can have a hooded lid. lashify
Tilt is the angle of a line through the inner and outer corners. Across 76 Korean patients the average tilt was about 8 degrees upward, and none tilted downward. A South Indian adult sample averaged roughly 5 degrees for men and 6 for women.
Because averages in both samples tilt upward, confirm a suspected downturn in a photo before ruling out cat-eye maps. In the facial-assessment tools I build, both corners are standard anchor points.
For how tilt reads on the whole face, see hunter eyes vs prey eyes.
Spacing is judged against face width. Pallett, Link and Lee (2010) found attractiveness peaked when the distance between the eyes was about 46 percent of face width, matching an average face. They tested only Caucasian female faces. Treat that as a reference for average spacing, not a target. mcmastersciencedaily
Lash Map Styles by Peak Position
Every map is defined by where the longest lashes sit. Brands name styles differently, so judge by peak position, not label.
| Map | Longest lashes at | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Doll or open eye | Center, above the pupil | Round, bright, wide-awake |
| Squirrel | Just past center, before the outer corner | Subtle lift without full elongation |
| Cat eye | Outer corner | Lifted, elongated |
Squirrel is the loosest label. Lashify places its peak halfway between center and outer corner, while Lash Affair places it slightly past center toward the outer third. lashify
Learn what the eye spacing ratio means, how it works, and how to understand your eye spacing in our complete guide.
Matching a Lash Map to Your Eye Shape
| Your eyes | Start with | Adjust |
|---|---|---|
| Almond | Almost any map; cat eye and squirrel suit it well | Avoid very long lashes that overwhelm |
| Round | Squirrel or soft cat eye | Taper the outer corner |
| Close-set | Cat eye or squirrel | Keep inner corner short |
| Wide-set | Doll or open eye | Place length nearer the center |
| Hooded | Doll, open eye or squirrel with strong curl | Place length and curl higher |
| Downturned | Squirrel or open eye | Shorten the last millimeters at the outer corner |
| Upturned | Cat eye or squirrel | Natural lift supports outer length |
Guides disagree in places. For round eyes most elongate with cat or squirrel maps, while some cluster guides center the longest lashes. For downturned eyes, some recommend cat eye and others warn it exaggerates the droop. Choose by the problem you want to fix, and ask for the map to be marked on the eye pad before application. moxielash
Wearing frames? Lashify suggests an open-eye map or one that defines the outer corners; the Face Shape Detector and Glasses by Face Shape guide help with the frames themselves.
Lash Map for Hooded Eyes
Lash mapping for hooded eyes depends on curl as much as the map. Lash Affair recommends D or L curls, and L+ for monolids, so lashes stay visible above the fold. Pair them with a doll or open-eye map, or a squirrel map as some guides suggest. lashaffair
Lash Map for Round Eyes
Round eyes show white above or below the iris, so the usual goal is to lengthen them. A squirrel map with the peak just past center, or a soft cat eye with a tapered end, extends the line outward without a harsh flick.
Lash Map for Almond Eyes
Almond eyes are the most versatile shape, which is why most standard maps are drawn for them. Lash mapping for almond eyes is flexible: One professional formula runs 7–8 mm at the inner corner, peaks at 11–14 mm over the center, and tapers to 9–10 mm at the outer corner, adjusted for natural lash strength. The best lashes for almond eyes are simply the ones that match the look you want, from cat eye to doll. lashaffair
Map Each Eye Separately
Most people have slightly different eyes, so a copied map rarely sits evenly. Lash Affair advises adjusting the map for each eye so the result looks symmetrical when both are open. Natural lash strength also sets the length limit. A 14 mm extension on a weak natural lash can droop and pop off.
Safety Before You Book
The American Academy of Ophthalmology warns that lash extensions and their adhesives can cause corneal or eyelid infection, eyelid swelling, and temporary or permanent lash loss. See an ophthalmologist for any irritation or allergic reaction. This guide is styling education, not medical advice. aao
Key Takeaways
- Match a lash map to four traits: eye shape, lid type, corner tilt and spacing.
- Define maps by peak position: center (doll, open eye), just past center (squirrel), outer corner (cat eye).
- Lengthen round or close-set eyes; open hooded or wide-set ones.
- For hooded and monolid lids, curl matters as much as the map.
- Guides disagree in places, so have the map marked before application and map each eye separately.
Next step:
Measure your eye spacing with the Eye Spacing Ratio guide, then take your marked-up photo to your lash artist.
FAQs
How do I know what lash map suits my eye?
Check four traits: Eye shape, lid type, corner tilt and spacing. Lengthen round or close-set eyes with cat or squirrel maps; open hooded or wide-set eyes with doll or open-eye maps. Have the map marked before application.
Are C or D lashes better?
Neither is better outright. Swaniya Lashes pairs C or CC curls with almond eyes, while Lash Affair recommends D or L for hooded lids. Choose by lid type and the direction your natural lashes point.
What is the prettiest eye shape for a girl?
No eye shape is objectively prettiest. Attractiveness research points to average proportions: Pallett and colleagues (2010) found preference peaked near average feature spacing, using Caucasian female faces only.
How can I identify my eye shape?
Take a straight-on photo with relaxed eyes. Check whether the corners taper (almond) or white shows above or below the iris (round), then note lid type, corner tilt and spacing from the table above.
Is a cat-eye map right for everyone?
No. Lash Affair says cat-eye maps suit almond and upturned eyes but can emphasize downturned or round shapes, where a squirrel map usually lifts more gently.
Do I need a lash map for DIY clusters?
Yes, in simpler form. Lashify advises measuring any printed map against your actual eye length and using fewer fans, such as five instead of six, if your eyes are small. lashify
Is there a lash map app that finds my eye shape?
Some lash brands offer virtual tools. Lashify’s Virtual Eye Shape Calibrator scans your face and recommends maps, so treat results as a starting point and confirm with a lash artist.