Eyelash Curling Tips and Tricks

Every makeup book that I've ever read has insisted upon good, old-fashioned eyelash curling to open up the eyes, draw attention to those gorgeous peepers, and wake up the face. I, on the other hand, have a hard time following this 'as-a-rule.' Morning comes way too early and goes by way too fast for me to spend any extra of my precious minutes in front of the mirror. So I skimp on the eyelash curling and as a result - I have skimpy, wimpy looking lashes. Of course the remedy is easy. All I need to do is pull out any number of eyelash curlers from the depths of my beauty stash and get to work.

Classic eyelash curler. The old fashioned eyelash curlers are not so bad. I think they sort of look like a pair of scissors. Put your fingers through the holes, and hold the curler around your lashes. Gently crimp the lashes, starting as close to the base as possible, and gently work your way up the lash so that each lash gets curled from root to tip. Apply mascara after curling; otherwise it can contribute to lash breakage. It sounds simple enough, but I must be lacking in lash coordination because I seem to crimp my eyelids as much as my lashes.

Heated eyelash curler. I do love my heated eyelash curler. There are two different varieties of heated eyelash curler. The first looks like the regular, classic eye lash curler, but with heat at its base. You use it the same way. The other is a heated stick with grooves for your lashes to fit into. When the curler is warm, you gently press up and hold the lashes in place for a few seconds. Work your way up your lashes so that the entire lash gets curled. You can apply mascara before curling with this heated curler; however, it can get a little sticky. I like this curler because it doesn't pinch my lids or break off my lashes.

Two spoons. In one desperate attempt to curl my lashes a while ago, I ended up trying the two spoons method. It's pretty simple - just take two spoons and run them under hot water to heat them up. Place one spoon behind your lashes so that the curve of the spoon is following the curve of your lashes. Place the other spoon in front of your lashes, and press them together. Now hold it....the heat will curl your lashes, and as the spoons cool, it will set them. This method takes a bit of coordination, but you're not likely to pinch your eyelid during the process. It worked so-so for me, but I bet you could get pretty good at it with a little practice. Bonus: if you carry your two spoons eyelash curler around in your purse, you'll always have a backup for your lunch.

Mascara. If I'm going to curl my lashes, I usually just use my mascara wand. After I wipe the excess mascara off of the mascara brush, I wiggle it into the bottom side of the lashes, as close to the lid as possible. I press up on the lashes and hold the wand in place. Then I gently wiggle my way up the lashes, pressing as I go. The mascara will actually help hold the lashes in place. This is easy, fast, and doesn't require one more thing hanging around in your makeup bag.

I suppose there is no real right or wrong way to curl your lashes. Just find a safe, comfortable way that works for you.

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