Handmade Fans vs Premade Fans

Volume Lashes and the Great Debate: Are Handmade Fans or Premade Fans the Superior Choice?

Let’s take a look at an often divisive topic in the lash world: pre made fans vs handmade volume fans. If you’ve been in the lash game for a long time, you might remember the days when Premade Fans were really just cluster lashes, and as such, may even still believe that they’re heavy and harmful for the natural lashes. The good news is that they’ve come a long way since those days, but how do they compare to handmade fans? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each, and see which—if either—emerges the winner.

Lash Fans: A Short Overview

First things first, what are lash fans? A volume fan is made from multiple very fine eyelash extensions, which is applied to a single natural eyelash. The result is a fuller, more fluffy look that can range from subtly chic to dramatically glamorous. You can read more about volume lashes in this blog post.

Handmade Volume Fans: The Personal Touch

Handmade lash fans are created by the Lash Tech during the application using a variety of techniques. Each fan is tailor-made to be added to a custom lash set to suit the individual client.

One of the obvious pros of handmade fans is exactly how customizable they are. Whether your client wants something full and fluffy, something light and wispy, or even something that merges the two, you can create such a huge range of looks by using handmade volume fans.

Due to their customizability, handmade fans tend to be a lot more time consuming than their premade counterparts, both in the short and the long term. In the first instance, learning how to make volume fans takes a lot of time to perfect. This begins with learning how to create fans and what fan sizes are safe for the natural lashes, and then hours upon hours spent practicing creating fans to become a true master of the craft.

If you haven’t had lots and lots of practice, volume fans can seem daunting. They’re fiddly, and it quickly becomes obvious when there are inconsistencies in your work.

During a lash appointment, creating fans by hands takes longer than simply applying single lash extensions, or premade fans. The payoff is worth it, but it can result in a less full lash look if you’re short for time.

Premade Volume Fans: A Matter of Convenience

We touched on the history of premade lash fans in the beginning of this article, but the long and short of it is that premade fans have come a LONG way! Gone are the days where premade fans meant that you were weighing down a client’s natural lashes and opening them up to the possibility of lash damage. These days, premade volume fans are still crafted by hand, just not yours!

We worked really closely with our supplier when we were developing our range of premade fans to ensure that we were on the same page where quality was concerned, which means that every single fan is uniform, safe for the natural lashes, and helps to give you a gorgeous, fluffy final look.

Another huge plus for premade fans is the time they save. They take slightly longer than classic lashes as you have to first pick them up from the base, but they are much faster than creating fans by hand, especially for beginners.

One downside to premade fans is that they’re not as easy to customize your lash looks with as handmade fans, so if your client wants wet look lashes or something with a wispier top line, it’s often better to either create your fans by hand, or using something like Easy Fan Lashes, which are much faster than traditional handmade fans, while giving a wispy, textured lash look.

Pre Made Fans vs Handmade Volume Fans

All in All…

So, how do you decide? If you’re a lash artist, it comes down to your experience level, the needs and preferences of your clients, and the time you’re able to invest in each appointment. Having premade fans on hand for those times that your clients are running late or have fewer extensions left at their lash fill appointment than you’d expected can help you to give them the lashes they dream of without causing you undue stress, or eating into the appointments after theirs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the difference between pre-made and pro-made fans?

Pre-made fans are volume fans that come pre-arranged on adhesive strips inside a lash tray, ready to pick up and isolate. Pro-made fans are loose, handmade volume fans crafted beforehand (either by hand by experienced artists or specialized suppliers) and packaged in loose containers or storage boxes for quick pickup.

Do lash techs use premade fans?

Yes, many professional lash technicians use premade and pro-made fans in their salons. They are widely used to reduce client appointment times, assist technicians who suffer from hand fatigue or arthritis, and provide quick lash fill solutions for clients with limited time.

What is the healthiest option for fake lashes?

A professional Lash Lift & Tint is the healthiest non-extension treatment. For extensions, lightweight 1:1 classic lashes or ultra-fine volume fans (using 0.03mm–0.07mm diameters fitted strictly to the length and weight capacity of the client's natural lash) are the healthiest choices.