Premade vs Promade: All About Fans
Lately, our inbox has been STACKED with your questions about promade fans…
What’s the difference between premades & promades?
Which is easier to apply?
Which ones look better?
Which ones last longer?
Where do babies come from?
In this little blog post we’re going to answer those questions and more (okay… maybe not that last one, but we’ll definitely answer the rest) so get ready to take notes while we break it down…
PROMADE FANS
How are Promade Fans made?
These babies are made exactly the same way you would make your own handmade fans in the salon. A trained lash technician takes individual extensions, bunches them together at the base and dips them into lash adhesive. They’re then packaged up in a pretty looking tray for you to use.
What are the upsides of using Promades?
Apart from the huge time saving benefits, promades provide you with a fan that looks just like one you’d create by hand with a narrow, pointed base (unlike premade volume fans which have thicker bases).
Promades can also be packaged in a few different ways (in a tray, loose or in rapid form) with loose and rapids being more cost effective options for the budget conscious.
Always keep in mind however, that the time you save during an appointment has a dollar value as well, and should always be weighed up against the money you save by purchasing more time intensive stock.
What are the downsides of using Promades?
The main downside is that 2 lots of glue need to be applied to each fan (first when they are created, and then again when you apply them to your clients lashes). This isn’t a major issue but keep in mind that they will be slightly heavier than equivalent sized premade & hand made fans which will cause slightly more stress to the natural lashes.
Promades may also vary slight from fan to fan, which again isn’t a major issue and will actually provide an overall look closer to what you’d get with a handmade set than you would achieve using premades.
What kind of look can I achieve using Promade Fans?
Anything from light volume, to hybrids, to mega volume. The lower dimensions (3D-5D) are great for creating lighter, fluffier volume sets while the higher dimensions (10D-14D) are great for getting maximum volume from your sets.
PREMADE FANS
How are Premade Fans made?
Unlike promades, these guys are created in a factory using a technique called heat-bonding where instead of the individual extensions being glued together, they are bonded together with heat.
What are the upsides of Premades?
The heat bonding process means that premades are generally lighter than an equivalent sized promade which will cause less stress to the natural lashes.
The longer stem on long stem premades (we’ll address short stem premades further down) also means that they are generally easier to apply for beginners. Once you’re confident on the tools though you probably won’t find much benefit.
Because of how they are manufactured premade fans will generally have a more consistent look with little variation from fan to fan.
What are the downsides of Premades?
The main downside to premades are the thicker bases, this isn’t as noticeable in the smaller fans such as 3Ds, but does become more apparent the higher you go. This is generally why you don’t see premades above a 7D, yet promades are available in varieties up to 14D.
Having said that, the thicker bases can have their benefits too, in that they do provide a darker lash line, similar to an eyeliner effect which a lot of lash artists really love.
What kind of look can I achieve using Premade Fans?
First off, let’s address the 2 different types of premade fans available: Long Stem & Short Stem.
Long stem premades are a narrower fan with a thicker base. This means you can achieve really dense looking sets with a darker lash line, but used sparingly the lower dimension lashes can provide a very light, natural look.
The short stem variety of premades however feature a wider fan and shorter base which will give you a fuller, fluffier looking set (similar to a promade or handmade). 
Which type of Volume Fan Should I use - Premade or Promade?
If you’re still learning lash extensions and haven’t tried any type of volume fan before give the long stem premade fans a try first, particularly the 3D and 5D varieties. The longer, wider base will give you more contact area to bond with the natural lash and make application easier while you hone your technique.
For experienced technicians… find what makes both you and your customers happiest with the end result.
And don’t feel as though you need to choose only one. Many artists use more than 1 variety and will change from client to client depending on what gives them the best result for that particular look.
If there’s a variety you haven’t tried before we strongly encourage you to test it out and see how it works for you. You might find you prefer the end result to other varieties of lash, or you might find that application is easier or faster. Good things can happen when you step outside your comfort zone.
