How to get the look of mink eyelash extensions, with the use of semi-mink

For my clients that like the "natural look" or the same tapered look of mink eyelash extensions, those clients tend to stay away from semi-mink eyelash extensions.

Mink, is without a doubt, the most natural looking, luxurious, but also the most expensive eyelash extensions on the market.

Why?

Cost:
One thing to really think about is the price point of what your client is looking for, and what they are looking to spend. Especially if they are re-peat clients coming back for fills. Depending on the brand of lashes, Mink can cost a pretty penny. Semi-mink is pretty decently priced, but buying mink lashes, can cost ad much if not more than the adhesives. Why? Most higher end brands guarantee no animal cruelty and/or no animal testing. The lashes are also dyed/tinted (to hold the color) and cured (to hold the curl). Because of quality of the lashes, where they are made and or manufactured will also raise the bar on the price of the mink lash services. Compared to semi-mink, make sure to tell you client the pros and cons of mink vs semi-mink.

Brand:
Again, depending on the brands of each eyelash extension company or products, the lashes can vary from mixtures (like semi-mink, mink, silk, etc.) Make sure to find a brand that is made and manufactured in the usa or even uk, no animal testing/cruelty, tinted, cured, and only sold to licensed professionals. This can set the standard of eyelash quality, of all kinds, and products. 

Weight: 
Mink lashes are without a doubt the lightest eyelash extensions around. That's why if the lashes are 100% mink, you will notice it has no weight dimension on the label. It will not have a 0.20, 0.15, or other weights labeled on the package. Mink lashes are great for clients with jeopardized natural lashes that cannot carry heavy lashes or heavy semi-mink(depending on the weight used.) Or they are great for clients that want the natural tapered appeal.

Flexibility:
Depending on the brand, Mink no matter what is flexible the most flexible lashes. Again, depending on the brand, semi-mink has vastly improved it's technology. More higher end brands offer semi-mink lashes that are softer (mimics the feeling of a hair follicle), flexible (not stiff or needle like feeling), and they offer a variety of lash dimentions for weight, lengths, curls and more.

The Tapered Look (lengths, types, and more): 
The "Look" of being more natural or tapered can be achieved with mink and semi-mink.
Even though mink eyelash extensions are naturally tapered, because they are natural hair follicles,
the same look can be achieved with semi-mink. The only downside to mink, is depending on the brand, it's hard to find cured (to hold the curl), tinted/or dyed (to hold the color), or that they are not offered in various lash sizes or curls.
 With this being said, unlink mink, semi-mink are synthetic black fibers, that are soft, flexible, and come a various weights, lengths, curls, colors, and types now-a-days.
Even though it may be easier for technicians to just label there clients eye/lash pattern with only using, say for example:
9,10,11 mm's of mink c curl.
Because the weights and they are tapered, tech's only have to use those lengths and the one size (mink), and they don't have to use mutiple lengths or weights to achieve a natural look.
Because, it's a natural follicle and tapered of course.
But what if you could get the same look with semi-mink?

You can.

Again, depending on how well educated or motivated each eyelash extension technician is, this could be a possibility. 
Most eyelash extensions are pretty "uniform."
Meaning they are all the same weight, and a uniformed length.
Such formula as
0.20 = 9,10,11, and 12 mm
Most times, uniformed lashes can make eyelash extensions more evident.

My guess would be 0.20 or .25 lashes from 9mm-12mm.

 From this photo you can tell that the lashes are uniformed. Which can make lashes appear like "strips" or false lashes......Which is the look of my natural clients want to stay away from.

Here's an example of false lashes.

Looks similar doesn't it? Maybe not the exact pattern, placement, or lengths, but you can tell that all lashes are uniformed.

Why do some technicians like the uniformed pattern or why is it used so often?

Well, because it's easy.....which means that either the client want's that look or the tech is lazy.

Depending on what your client wants...being able to lay out the pattern by using one size weight, curl, and lengths, is just lazy.
Now if clients want that look, than thats a diffrent story.
But again, I am outreaching for my more natural looking clients that want to stay away from the heavy or dramatic look.

Lashes that are 0.20, 0.25 or heavier, and thicker. They help achieve a thicker fuller look, and help cut down time, or the tech my not have to hit or apply a lash to every single natural lash in order to get the thicker or fuller look. Problem is, they are heavy! They can fall off faster, not last as long, or depending on the natural health or integrity of natural lashes can be jeopardized or damaged.
Again tech's, you should be able to identify this problem! Just because your client wants texas size lashes, but her natural base is short, sparse or gaps, does not mean that the lash length or weight can be accommodated. In other words, clients cant always get what they want.
Don't be the fool the jeopardizes your clients natural lashes.

So how can you get a natural look with semi-mink, without being damaging or having the "pixie" type effect?
Easy.
Use MIXTURES.
Again, find out what each client wants with client consultations, but with natural clients, (or for eveyr client.) have the ability to use multiple sizes, weights, and offer mixtures of curls. 
In the pattern of
9, 10, 11, and 12mm
where the 9's are located on the pattern, add some random 8mm's
in the 10's add some random 9's
in the 11's add some random 10's
and in the 12's add some random 11's.

Again, use multiple weights. For me, depending on the clients, I hardly ever use 0.25 or heavier.
But I tend to use 0.20, 0.18, 0.15, 0.12, 0.10, 0.07's
If a client want's fullness (volume or classic sets regardless, and say the clients natural lashes are healthy), I'll use a mixture of 0.20, 0.18, and 0.15.

Using multiple weights give a little more depth and dimension, and help chop up the texture of looking uniform.

Using multiple or random lengths (again i'd only use 1-2 mm in difference, more than that may give your a very dramatic or extreme pixie look.

eyelash extensions that have multiple widths and lengths.

You can obviously tell with mixtures it's undisputed more natural looking. And without the help of mink.
And this proves that semi-mink (synthetic) can look natural.

It's just up to the technician to use more sizes, widths (weights), pattern play, and more.

Don't be afraid to brake some of the rules and try something new.