The Best Way to Curl Your Eyelashes
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, think of lashes as the Venetian blinds—you want to really open them up to let the light in and get the best view.
The simple act of using an eyelash curler—it takes less than five minutes in the morning, I promise you—helps to achieve just this, and, when done properly, the process won’t damage your lashes. (And can do it safely everyday.) “Curling really highlights and frames your natural eye shape, giving you a more fresh, awake look,” says celebrity and editorial makeup artist Todd Harris, who’s worked on the faces of Padma Lakshmi and Katie Holmes. Adds Cardi B’s makeup artist Erika La’ Pearl, “It visually lifts the whole area and gives your eyes a more elongated, exotic look.”
Before you begin, you’ll want to apply the bulk of your eye makeup—shadow, liner—first (hold off on mascara until after you’ve curled). Harris recommends sticking to a waterproof liner so you don’t mess it up while you’re curling. “You’re going to have to get really close to the base of your lashes when you curl, and the pressure of the actual tool can cause liner to smudge or transfer,” he says.
After that, it’s just a few simple steps to bright-eyed. To get the best results, here's how to expertly curl your lashes.
First, make sure your lashes are clean.
Even those who are regularly curling already often miss this step—and it’s an important one, says Harris. “Take some micellar water or eye makeup remover and swipe it over the area using a cotton round,” he explains. “It removes the residue from the natural oils on your lashes, which can prevent you from getting the best curl.”
Then, choose your tools wisely.
You’ll want to pick an eyelash curler suited to your eye shape. This ensures all of your lashes—even the teeny tiny hairs on the outer corners—get into that curler. For rounder eyes, Harris loves the one from Surratt Beauty. If your eyes have a more almond shape, he recommends going with Suqqu’s version.
Consider heating your curler with a hair dryer.
Before you get started, La’ Pearl has a handy hack she says can help you get an even more defined curl: heating the curler with a warm hair dryer first. It works similarly to the way battery-powered heated curlers do, using temperature to mold lashes into a curved shape. (Just please make sure the curler isn’t scalding—slightly warm to the touch should do the trick.)
Start clamping in an upward motion.
Once you’ve chosen the right tool, get it as close to your lash line as possible—without clamping down on your skin, of course. Press down hard, pulsing once or twice, and then rotate your wrist so you’re bending the curler upward toward your forehead. Hold that position for a few seconds. “The combination of the pressure and the bending motion is what gives your lashes that lifted curl,” Harris says. Unclamp, and repeat the process once or twice more down the length of your lashes.
If you’re wearing false eyelashes, both Harris and La’ Pearl recommend applying them first and then going back in to curl, which will help meld your natural lashes with your falsies, which are often pre-curled.
Apply a waterproof mascara for a longer lasting curl.
Choosing a waterproof formula is your best bet here. “Many mascaras are water based,” says Harris. “And, just like the hair on your head, the more water you put on your lashes, the more likely it is that they’ll return to their original shape, especially if you have naturally straight lashes that don’t hold a curl.” Using a waterproof formula is key to getting a long-lasting curl.
Harris recommends Giorgio Armani’s Eyes To Kill waterproof mascara, while La’ Perl is partial to the Too Faced Better Than Sex waterproof formula. Make sure to get the wand as close to the base of your lashes as possible (“It really makes your lashes look much thicker,” says Harris) and add one or two coats through to the ends.
And there you have it: Bambi lashes for all!
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