Curling does more to open an eye than any mascara. Lifted lashes stop hanging over the lid and hand the eye a couple of millimetres of height. The question is how to curl eyelashes so the curve survives the day and the lashes survive the curler.
The three-squeeze method
One hard clamp at the root produces a crimp — lashes standing at ninety degrees, which looks bent rather than curled. A smooth curve comes from three short squeezes:
- At the roots. Get the curler as close to the lash line as you can without pinching skin. Hold five seconds.
- Mid-length. Move forward two or three millimetres. Hold three seconds.
- Near the tips. One more shift forward. Hold two seconds.
Open the curler gently each time. Most lost lashes happen in a hurried final release, not during the squeeze itself.
Order and safety
Always curl before mascara. Clamping coated lashes glues them together and snaps them — there is no version of this that works.
Replace the silicone pad the moment it shows a groove or a split. A worn pad cuts rather than cushions. Wipe the curler with an alcohol wipe about once a week.
On heating: warming a metal curler with a hairdryer is a genuinely bad idea. Metal holds heat longer than it feels like it does, and the lid is thin skin. If you want warmth, a comb warmed in your palm or a purpose-built heated curler is the safer route.
Curling without a curler
- Warm spoon. Heat the back of a teaspoon between your palms, press the lashes against the curve at the root, and lift gently with a fingertip.
- Finger and wet mascara. Apply one coat and, while it is still wet, press the lashes upward with a fingertip for ten seconds. They set in that position.
- Cotton bud. The same idea with more precision — useful for lower lashes and outer corners.
- A curved brush. A curved wand lifts as it coats; combine it with a zigzag motion from the roots for real lift. See the current catalogue on faberlic.com for available mascara formats.
Why the curl drops
Three usual culprits: residue on the lashes from eye cream or serum, squeezing too fast for the shape to set, and skipping mascara afterwards. Mascara is what fixes the curve in place — curling alone rarely lasts on its own.
If your lashes are naturally thick and straight, expect a few good hours rather than a full day. That is the lash, not the technique.
More ways to open up the eye are in the makeup section.