How to Apply W-Shape Lashes Step by Step

Course: W-Shape lashes course · Module 3 of 4

This module explains how to apply W-shape lashes step by step: setting up your room and adhesive, isolating, picking up the W with your tweezers, controlling the adhesive, placing the base, setting the direction and designing the set with the 8–15 mm MIX tray of the W Shape Technological Volume lashes. The technique is the same as for any premade fan, with two critical points specific to the W: the adhesive must not travel up to where the tips split, and isolation has to be flawless. The figures below come from brands’ technical guides and do not always agree, so we give them as ranges with their source.

Module objectives

Prepare the room and adhesive for working with premade fans.
Isolate and pick up the W without distorting it.
Control the adhesive so it does not climb into the tips.
Place the base at the right distance and with the right contact.
Design a lash map with the 8–15 mm MIX tray.

Before you start: room, kit and adhesive

Kit

As well as the W lash tray, you will need a straight or very fine isolation tweezer, a volume tweezer to pick up the fans (you will find both among our tweezers), a professional adhesive from our glue and liquids range, primer, eye pads, disposable spoolies and a hygrometer.

Room conditions

Cyanoacrylate adhesive cures with moisture in the air. Lash Affair puts optimal performance at 45–65% humidity and 20–22 °C (68–72 °F). Lash Jungle explains that above 65% humidity the extra moisture speeds up curing, so the glue can set before it reaches the lash, while cold, dry conditions slow it down. Use a hygrometer and always work to the ranges given by your adhesive’s manufacturer, which are the ones that count.

Preparing the adhesive

Shake. Lash Affair says to shake the bottle for 60 seconds before dispensing; Lash Jungle says at least 30 seconds. Follow your manufacturer.
Fresh drop. Both sources recommend replacing the drop every 15–20 minutes.
Adhesive in good condition. Lash Jungle asks for glue opened within the last 4 weeks; Lash Affair suggests replacing it 4 to 6 weeks after opening. If it turns stringy, it will not bond properly.

Preparing the client

Swaniya sums up preparation for premade fans in three steps: cleanse the natural lashes, apply primer and place the eye pads. Lash Jungle stresses a thorough lash bath with lash shampoo before application, and Lash Affair explains why: natural oils create a barrier between the adhesive and the lash.

Step-by-step application

Isolate a single natural lash. Use your isolation tweezer to separate it completely from its neighbours (Swaniya). With a W this is critical: because the tips are wider than the base, any lash that is not fully separated will stick to it (SENSELASHES).
Pick up the W by the base. With your volume tweezer, hold it by the base, not the tips; gripping the tips distorts the fan (Swaniya). Do not squeeze the base too hard.
Inspect it. Before dipping, check that the spread is even and the base intact; discard any distorted units (Swaniya).
Dip the base only. Dip into the centre of the drop (Lash Jungle), without a “scooping” motion: slide the base in and draw it out slowly (London Lash).
Place the base. Lay it on the isolated lash 0.5–1 mm from the skin, without touching it, and make sure it wraps around the lash rather than sitting on top (Lash Affair, Swaniya).
Secure the contact. The base should lie flat and be in contact with at least 2 mm of the natural lash (LashBase, Lash Jungle).
Hold the isolation briefly. Swaniya suggests 2–3 seconds; the real time depends on how quickly your adhesive sets. Then release the isolation tweezer without pulling.
Check. Make sure the W has not bonded to the neighbouring lashes before moving on (Swaniya).

Adhesive amount: the critical point

Source	Suggested dip depth	Context
SENSELASHES	1–1.5 mm of the central stem	W-specific: if adhesive reaches the split between the tips, capillary action pulls it upwards
Swaniya	1–1.5 mm of the base	Premade fans in general, whose base is wider than a handmade fan’s
Lash Jungle	Bottom 2–3 mm	Premade fans in general

Lash Affair describes the goal visually: a thin, even coat on the lower third of the base, barely visible. Too much adhesive cures more slowly and adds weight, and too little gives a weak bond (Lash Affair); London Lash adds that the more glue there is, the greater the risk of stickies. With a W, stay at the low end of the range and do not let the glue reach the point where the tips split.

Distance, contact and direction

Distance from the eyelid. The most quoted range is 0.5–1 mm (Lash Affair, Swaniya); LashBase specifies 0.5 mm. Touching the skin irritates the follicle; too far out, the extension loses the support of the thicker part of the natural lash and retains less well.
Direction. LashBase suggests placing each extension at roughly 90 degrees to the eyelid, and warns that wide angles at the inner corner look unflattering and can cause irritation.
Attachment zone. According to LashBase, attaching on top suits lashes that grow downwards or straight; underneath suits curly or upward-growing lashes; and side attachment helps fill small gaps.
Orientation of the W. Place the unit so its tips open along the lash line, without twisting. SENSELASHES suggests using this “horizontal footprint” to bridge gaps in sparse lash lines.

Final check

London Lash recommends working on both eyes alternately and leaving a gap of about seven lashes between applications, so each bond can cure before a neighbour touches it. When you finish, set aside at least 10 minutes to check for stickies from the bottom up with your isolation tweezer, and separate them with two pairs of tweezers. If you use a sealer or retention booster, apply it according to its manufacturer’s instructions; Swaniya applies it once the full set is complete.

Lash mapping with the 8–15 mm MIX tray

Lash Affair defines lash mapping as planning where each length, curl and diameter will go before you begin. It suggests dividing the eye into five to seven zones using the eye’s own landmarks (inner corner, inner edge of the iris, pupil and so on) and marking them on the eye pad.

Example: almond eyes

Lash Affair’s reference map for almond eyes, adapted to the MIX tray (which starts at 8 mm), would look like this:

Zone	Lash Affair	With the 8–15 mm MIX tray
Inner corner	7–8 mm	8 mm, or a shorter tray if the natural lash calls for it
Inner edge of the iris	10 mm	10 mm
Centre (peak)	11–14 mm depending on lash strength	11–14 mm, never more than about 2 mm beyond the natural lash
Outer edge of the iris	10–11 mm	10–11 mm
Outer corner	9–10 mm	9–10 mm

This is an example, not a recipe: every length must respect the rule of being no more than about 2 mm longer than the natural lash (Lash Affair).

Other styles

Natural / open: the longest lengths in the centre, tapering towards both corners (Lash Affair).
Cat eye: the longest lengths at the outer corner (Lash Affair).
Wispy or “Kim K” effect: Lash Affair describes a base layer of around 8–11 mm with spikes 2–3 mm longer than the base. SENSELASHES suggests combining 3D W lashes at 8–10 mm with 5D W lashes at 12–14 mm in the same section; remember that 5D in 0.07 is for strong lashes only (Module 2).

Working with the MIX tray

Before you begin, find the rows of each length you are going to use.
Work zone by zone, following the marks on the eye pad.
Check symmetry between both eyes as you finish each zone.

Common mistakes

Over-dipping the base and fusing the tips into a spike.
Picking up the W by the tips or squeezing the base until it distorts.
Applying with incomplete isolation: the W, wider than its base, drags the neighbouring lash with it.
Resting the base on top of the lash without wrapping it.
Placing the W twisted or out of line with the lash line.
Bonding too close to the skin or leaving more than 1 mm of gap.
Skipping the final stickies check.

Module summary

Monitor humidity and temperature with a hygrometer and follow your adhesive’s ranges.
Isolate fully, pick up the W by its base and inspect it before dipping.
Dip the base only (1–1.5 mm according to the W-specific source), without reaching the split between the tips.
Place the base 0.5–1 mm from the skin, wrapping at least 2 mm of natural lash, with the W open along the lash line.
Plan your map zone by zone and respect the roughly 2 mm rule over the natural lash.

Self-assessment

Why must the adhesive not reach the point where the W’s tips split?

Because capillary action pulls it upwards and can fuse the tips into a single, heavier spike (SENSELASHES).

Where do you hold the W with your volume tweezer?

By the base. Holding it by the tips distorts the fan.

How far from the skin should the base sit, according to the sources?

Between 0.5 and 1 mm (Lash Affair, Swaniya); LashBase specifies 0.5 mm.

How often should you replace the adhesive drop?

Every 15–20 minutes, according to Lash Affair and Lash Jungle.

In the almond-eye example, what do you do if the client’s inner corner needs less than 8 mm?

Use a tray with shorter lengths in that zone, because the MIX tray starts at 8 mm.

Note: this online course is for educational and informational purposes only and does not replace hands-on, in-person training with a qualified trainer. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for every product.

Sources

Buy the course supplies

All the supplies for this course are available at Lash Canarias:

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