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The Guide to Curled Lashes

To follow on from yesterday’s ode to the little bundles of lashline oomph-ing joy, individual lashes, in the second part of my two-day lash lovin’ special I’m talking curled lashes. Now there’s not really any new ground to cover here; my tips, tricks and crimping favourites have all in some way or another leaked into posts, but I thought I’d group them together in conglomerate of all things curled: a definitive guide to a full-on flutter.

PREP. The key to a good curl is all in the prep. Now you don’t want any moisture hanging around, no oil or water, so wait for them to dry (probably one of the more bizarre snippets of advice I’ve given). Then you want to whip out your curlers – unless you are naturally equipped with a beautifully fanned-out lashline, not jealous at all – and get crimping. My personal curling companion is Shu Uemura’s one, though Japonesque’s offering is pretty up there too. Stick to the three pump rule – cosy in right to the roots and pump once, holding for a few seconds, move mid-lash and repeat and then do a final pump right on the tips.

PRIMP. If you have stick straight lashes that resemble those of an elephant *raises hand*, then waterproof mascara formulas are the way to go. They tend to be wax-based and the lack of moisture in the formula helps keep lashes from dropping and falling back into their natural poker straight position. My favourites? L’Oreal’s Telescopic Waterproof (if you can manage to track it down), Clinique’s High Impact Waterproof and MaxFactor’s False Lash Waterproof (what I’m sporting in the picture above). Comb on and brush through the lashes up and and out.

REMOVAL. Here’s the tricky bit. Oh yes, your lashes are looking kick ass but being loyal to the waterproof mascara variety means things can get a little tar-like at times and removal can be time consuming at best. Stick to all things oily when it comes to removers – you need a bit of slip to get things moving. I’ve handpicked my favourites (and some duds to to be wary of) here, though I find Clarin’s Instant Eye Makeup Remover to rule the mascara mover roost. Soak a cotton pad with your potion or lotion of choice, hold over the eye for a good 10 seconds then wipe away. Repeat until your lashes are squeaky clean.

Lash lovin’ love-in concluded. You should now be equipped with all the knowledge to curl and coat and if you’re ever in doubt? Then whip on an individual lash or two. Simples.

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