Struggling to keep up with client demand for volume lashes? The time it takes to create handmade fans can really eat into your schedule and profitability.

Both Premade Fans and Easy Fan Lashes can significantly reduce application time compared to handmade volume. However, Premade Fans generally offer the quickest application as they are ready to apply instantly, while Easy Fans still require a moment to create the fan from the strip.

Deciding between Premade and Easy Fan lashes involves more than just speed; it’s about balancing time, cost, client preferences, and your own skill level. Let’s explore which option might be the best time-saver for your specific needs.

What Exactly Are Premade Fans and How Do They Work?

Heard about premade fans but unsure if they’re right for you? They promise speed, but how do they actually function in a lash set? Let’s clarify.

Premade fans are just that: volume fans (ranging from 2D to 20D or more) that are already created and bonded at the base by the manufacturer. Artists simply pick them up and apply them like a classic lash.

Premade fans are designed to offer the look of volume lashes without the time-consuming process of hand-making each fan. This is a huge draw for busy artists or those newer to volume. I remember when I first encountered them at a trade show; the appeal of instant volume was undeniable.

How They’re Made and Used

• Manufacturing: Multiple fine lash extensions are expertly arranged and heat-bonded (most common and preferred) or sometimes minimally glue-bonded at the base by the supplier.
• Variety: They come in various curls, lengths, thicknesses, and dimensions (e.g., 3D, 5D, 10D). You can find short stem, long stem, and even pointed base options.
• Application: The lash artist selects the desired premade fan from the tray, dips the base in adhesive, and applies it to a single isolated natural lash, similar to applying a classic extension.

Key Characteristics

• Instant Fans: No fanning technique required from the artist.
• Consistency: Fans are generally uniform in appearance, which can be a pro or con depending on the desired look.
• Base Types: Heat-bonded bases are typically thinner and blend more seamlessly than older glue-bonded types.

They offer a straightforward way to provide volume sets, making them appealing for artists looking to maximize appointment turnover.

And What About Easy Fan Lashes – How Are They Different?

Curious if Easy Fan Lashes are just another gimmick? They claim to simplify fan creation, but how do they compare to traditional volume or premades? Let’s see.

Easy Fan Lashes (also called self-fanning lashes) have multiple lengths of lashes lightly adhered together at the base on the strip. When picked up, they automatically splay out to create a fan.

Easy Fan Lashes are a fantastic middle-ground. They aren’t instant like premades, but they take a lot of the struggle out of creating volume fans from scratch. For someone like Sophie, who is a lash trainer, these could be a great tool for students learning volume.

How They Work

• Unique Base: The lashes on the strip have a very small amount of adhesive at their bases, keeping them aligned. Some strips might also have multiple layers of lashes.
• Fanning Action¹: When you grip a small section of lashes with your tweezer and gently pull them from the strip, they "bloom" or fan out automatically. The artist can slightly adjust the fan’s width before dipping in adhesive.
• Customization²: You control the number of lashes in the fan by how many you pick up, offering more customization than a fixed premade fan.

Key Differences from Premades and Regular Volume

• Artist Input³: You still "make" the fan at the moment of pickup, unlike premades.
• Speed: Faster than hand-making fans from individual loose lashes, but slightly slower than applying a premade.
• Base: The base can sometimes be a little bulkier than a perfectly handmade fan or a very thin-based premade due to the adhesive that helps them fan.

These are a popular choice for artists who want more control over their fans than premades offer but still want a significant time-saving advantage over traditional volume techniques.

For Pure Speed, Which One Typically Wins: Premade or Easy Fans?

Time is money in a busy salon, right? So, when you’re back-to-back with clients, which lash type will get that volume set done faster: premades or easy fans?

For the absolute fastest application time per fan, Premade Fans typically win. They are completely ready to apply, requiring only pickup and placement, with no fan creation step by the artist.

While both options are faster than hand-making volume fans from scratch, there’s a subtle difference in the workflow that gives premades the edge in raw application speed. Think about the micro-moments. I’ve timed myself and observed other artists, and the motion for premades is simpler.

Time Breakdown:

• Premade Fans:

  1. Select fan from tray.
  2. Dip in adhesive.
  3. Place on natural lash.
     Total Time per Fan: Very short, minimal steps.

• Easy Fan Lashes:

  1. Select desired number of lashes from strip.
  2. Gently create the fan (it blooms automatically, but may need slight adjustment).
  3. Dip in adhesive.
  4. Place on natural lash.
     Total Time per Fan: Short, but includes an extra micro-step for fan creation/adjustment.

Factors Influencing Speed:

• Artist’s Dexterity with Easy Fans: Some artists become very quick at creating fans with easy fan lashes, minimizing the time difference.
• Quality of Easy Fans: Higher quality easy fans bloom more consistently, reducing fuss.
• Desired Fan Customization: If you’re frequently adjusting easy fans for specific widths, it adds time. Premades are what they are.

Here’s a simple comparison of the application action itself:

While premades are generally quicker per fan placed, the overall time saved in a full set also depends on organization and familiarity. However, if every second counts in the direct application step, premades have a slight advantage.

Do Premade Fans Require Less Skill Than Making Fans Manually?

Thinking of offering volume but worried about the steep learning curve? Premade fans might seem like an easy solution, but what skill level do they really demand?

Yes, using Premade Fans requires significantly less specific volume fanning skill than making fans manually. The primary skills needed are good isolation, classic lash application technique, and proper adhesive control.

This is one of the biggest attractions of premade fans, especially for artists trained in classic lashing who want to expand their services quickly. I’ve seen many technicians successfully introduce volume looks this way.

Skill Comparison:

• Handmade Volume:

  • Requires learning various fanning techniques (pinching, lonely fan, wiggle, etc.).
  • Mastering consistent fan symmetry, base thinness, and pickup.
  • Significant practice time to achieve speed and quality.
  • Deep understanding of weight and balance for multi-lash fans.

• Premade Fans:

  • Isolation: Still crucial, just like any lash application.
  • Adhesive Control: Knowing how much adhesive to use for a slightly thicker base.
  • Placement: Applying the fan correctly to the natural lash for direction and retention.
  • Weight Selection: Understanding how to choose appropriate premade fan dimensions (e.g., a 10D 0.03mm fan vs. a 3D 0.07mm fan) to ensure natural lash health. This is vital.

What You Don’t Need to Learn (for Premades):

• The intricate motor skills of creating a fan from scratch.
• How to get multiple lashes to adhere perfectly at the base.
• How to make fans quickly under time pressure.

Essentially, if you are proficient at classic lashing, you can transition to using premade fans relatively easily. The main new consideration is managing the slightly different weight and base of the premade fan compared to a single classic lash.

So, while you still need to be a competent lash artist, the specific, time-consuming skill of creating the volume fan is removed with premades.

Are Easy Fan Lashes More Forgiving for Artists Learning Volume?

Nervous about the jump from classic to handmade volume? Easy Fan Lashes are often marketed as a bridge, but how forgiving are they really for learners?

Yes, Easy Fan Lashes are generally more forgiving for artists learning volume techniques than trying to make fans from individual loose lashes. They simplify the fanning process considerably, helping to build confidence.

For lash trainers like Sophie, incorporating Easy Fan Lashes into volume training can be a game-changer. They allow students to grasp the concept of a fan and practice placement without the initial frustration of fans collapsing or bases splitting, which is common with traditional volume lash practice.

How They Help Learners:

• Simplified Fanning¹: The lashes are designed to bloom with minimal effort. This removes a major hurdle for beginners who struggle with getting lashes to fan out evenly.
• Focus on Fundamentals: Learners can concentrate on other crucial aspects like isolation, adhesive control for volume bases, direction, and attachment, rather than getting bogged down solely in fan creation.
• Building Confidence²: Successfully creating fans, even with assistance from the lash design, boosts morale and encourages further practice.
• Understanding Fan Structure: Working with Easy Fans helps new volume artists visualize what a good fan looks like – the spread, the base – which can then inform their practice if they move to handmade volume.

What Still Requires Practice:

• Controlling Fan Width³: While they fan easily, controlling how wide they fan requires a gentle touch.
• Pickup Amount: Grabbing the right number of lashes from the strip to create the desired dimension (3D, 5D, etc.) takes a bit of practice.
• Base Management: Ensuring the base doesn’t become too thick or chunky after dipping in adhesive.

While they don’t replace the skill of creating a handmade fan, Easy Fan Lashes act as excellent "training wheels." They allow artists to produce beautiful volume sets much sooner and can make the transition to mastering handmade volume feel less daunting.

So, Which Saves More Time Overall: Premade or Easy Fan Lashes?

You want faster volume sets, but which product truly delivers the biggest time-saving impact in a real salon environment? It’s a crucial decision for busy artists.

Overall, Premade Fans save slightly more time during the direct application process because they eliminate the fan creation step entirely. Easy Fan Lashes save significant time compared to handmade volume but still involve a quick fanning action.

Considering the entire workflow from picking up the lash to placement, premades offer a more streamlined action. Let’s think about a typical full set. If each handmade fan takes, say, 10-30 seconds to create perfectly, and an easy fan takes 2-5 seconds to bloom and adjust, while a premade takes 0 seconds to create (it’s already done), those seconds add up over 100-200 lashes per eye.

Time Saving Breakdown:

• Handmade Volume:

  • Fan Creation: Longest step, variable.
  • Application: Standard.
  • Overall: Most time-consuming.

• Easy Fan Lashes:

  • Fan Creation: Quick (2-5 seconds), minimal effort.
  • Application: Standard.
  • Overall: Significant time saved compared to handmade. Offers good balance of speed and customization.

• Premade Fans:

  • Fan Creation: Zero time (already made).
  • Application: Standard, like a classic lash.
  • Overall: Fastest application per lash, maximum time saved on the fanning process itself.

Factors Beyond Direct Application Speed:

• Setup Time: Negligible difference.
• Artist Skill: A highly skilled handmade volume artist might be very fast, but generally, premades will still be quicker for most. An artist clumsy with easy fans might be slower than one proficient with them.
• Desired Look: If heavy customization of each fan is needed, easy fans might allow for this more readily, but it could negate some time savings if much adjustment is done.
• Rework/Fixing: Poorly made premades or struggling with easy fans can lead to wasted product and time. Quality of product matters.

Time Efficiency Comparison:

For artists like Sophie, whose pain points include delayed production times from suppliers and inefficient communication, choosing a reliable supplier for either Premade or Easy Fans (like UBLash!) is crucial to actually realize these time savings in her salon. If the product isn’t available or consistent, the theoretical time saving is lost.

Ultimately, if the primary goal is to reduce the time spent physically applying lashes during a volume set, Premade Fans offer the most direct route to that goal.

Conclusion

Both Premade and Easy Fan lashes significantly cut down volume application time. Premades are fastest for pure application, while Easy Fans offer speed with some customization. Choose based on your priorities!