Curler Crazy

with a blog as obsessively devoted to perfecting your lashes as mine is, i figured it was high time i did a post on the best eyelash curlers. in my opinion, (and i'm chock full of them) having a great eyelash curler is just as important as having a great mascara in the quest for your best possible lashes. and who needs to be using an eyelash curler? EVERYONE!!! but not everyone should go blindly running out to purchase the Shu Uemura curler that all the magazines recommend; getting a great curl doesn't have to be expensive, and eyelash curlers are not one-size-fits-all.

in my own testing, i've tried dozens of eyelash curlers from expensive to super cheap, but these three stick out in my mind as the best possible buys for each price range. starting off at the lower end, the N.Y.C. (or New York Color) Eyelash Curler, $2.99, is a great buy. found at lots of drugstores and any Target, this eyelash curler gets the job done with no pinching and no damage to your lashes. the one i'm recommending is metal with purple accents-- make sure to pick up that one because the plastic one that N.Y.C. also makes is utter crap. and while we're on the topic, i just have to say that i think all plastic eyelash curlers are crap and should stop being manufactured. they just plain don't work well at all! you may have had different experiences and if you're happy using a plastic eyelash curler then by all means keep it up, but that's my story and i'm stickin' to it. also worthy of a mention for those on a fixed budget is E.L.F.'s Mechanical Eyelash Curler, $1 (pictured at right). this smash hit of a curler has a 4.5 out of 5 star rating on Make Up Alley's review boards, a rating so high it's almost unheard of! check out the amazing reviews here and read for yourself how many reviewers would pay fifteen TIMES as much for this eyelash curler.

next up on the list is the very first eyelash curler i ever purchased, Maybelline's Expert Tools Eyelash Curler, $5.79 (at Walgreen's). for those who can spend a little bit more but still aren't ready to pony up almost twenty dollars, Maybelline's curler is sturdy, dependable, and long lasting. as a matter of fact, i used mine for years before the rubber pad finally gave out and cracked! (note: never, ever use a curler with a cracked pad, it can break or pull out your lashes and those cracks are breeding grounds for all kinds of nasty bacteria that can cause eye infections!) another great reason to use and love the Maybelline curler? it's easily found at any drugstore and you can also purchase replacement pads for it when yours wear out!

now onto the high-end eyelash curlers for those who want to splurge, and the first thing i want to address is the misconception that the Shu Uemura curler is the be-all, end-all king of curlers and the only one you should have in your arsenal. i know you've read countless magazine articles singing the Shu's praise but don't be fooled into thinking you have to buy it just because everyone says it's the best. after using many fabulous eyelash curlers for years i still felt like i was always missing out on something because i didn't have the Shu, and when i finally did spring for it, guess what? it didn't even fit my eye shape! yes my loyal readers, i got better results with my $1 E.L.F. curler than i did with the Shu. now this isn't to say that you won't fall madly in love with it, i know many people swear by it, but make sure you test it out at the department store and see that it fits your eye shape before you hit the checkout. and one more negative thing about the Shu? after you've paid $18.50 for it, you can't even purchase a replacement pad once your original pad is out of commission! yes, that's right, they don't sell replacement pads. so i'm left to guess that if you're a faithful user of the Shu and your pad wears out you just...buy a whole new curler? i don't think so. moving on...if you're going to splurge on a high-end curler, my recommendation would be the Shiseido Eyelash Curler, $17.50 (at left). after my extreme disappointment with the Shu, this sleek little silver curler saved the day! the reason that this takes the #1 top spot of Best Eyelash Curler ever is because it's the first and only one i've found that gets every single eyelash curled in one quick press of the handles! usually i have to curl the inner half of my eyelashes and then reposition and curl the outer half to get everything even, but not with the Shiseido! it manages to get everything from the tiny, inner lashes to the very last impossible-to-grab lash on the outer corner of my eye. not only that, but when you're using the Shi you only have to press very gently to get a perfect, sharp curl! with most lash curlers i've found that you have to press down really hard to get a nice, even clamp on your lashes but not this one, it grabs all your lashes so easily there's no pressure needed. and two replacement pads are only $5, so if you take care of your Shi the way you should, you can keep it in tip top shape for years to come. for an honorable mention, i also really love the Japonesque Power Curl Eyelash Curler, $16.50. i used this curler for atleast 6 months until i bought my Shi and it works almost as well! it does everything correctly, from giving you a great, even curl to keeping it's shape and never pinching the delicate skin around your eyes.

some tips for getting the best possible curl?

• always curl your lashes before you apply your mascara and never after you've put it on; the mascara can make your lashes stick to the metal of the curler and rip them out or break them off!
• before you curl, turn on your blowdryer and aim it at your eyelash curler to heat it up slightly. before you put it up to your eye, make sure to test it out on your arm first so you don't burn yourself! this turns your eyelash curler into an eyelash curling iron and really helps to lock in your curl so it stays all day.
• when curling your lashes, position your curler near your lashes roots and press once, holding it for a few moments. repeat if you'd like, but don't move the position of your curler. i find that if you only curl your lashes in one spot, it helps the curl to stay longer.
  
• keep your eyelash curler in a safe place so it doesn't get bent; if it loses it's shape, it can pinch your skin and break off your lashes.
• always keep your eyelash curler clean and replace the pads as needed.
  

i hope you've enjoyed this eyelash curling manifesto, and haven't fallen asleep halfway through! if you have any tips or tricks for curling lashes or getting a great looking fringe, i'd love to hear them! meow!

UPDATES!

thank god it's Friday readers! today i've got the scoop on a few products i've mentioned previously in my blog, starting off with MAC's new Mineralize SPF 15 Loose Foundation (check it out here). i finally got to a MAC counter Wednesday night to test this out and i'm very excited about my first impression! now we all know that sampling a product at the makeup counter is a lot different from actually using it at your convenience in your own bathroom, but usually you can get a fairly good idea of how the product will work for you. the foundation comes in 9 shades and i was matched to Light which seemed to work pretty well on my NC20 skin. the problem i'm anticipating with the shades is that someone with skin lighter than mine may have a hard time finding a good match because Light is the palest shade they have and it's not that light. the powder seemed to apply really smoothly considering i already had my Maybelline Mineral liquid foundation on, and for the first time since i started using mineral makeup i could see that 'soft focus glow' that Leslie Blodgett is always raving about with Bare Escentuals. however, i've never achieved that kind of glow until i tried MAC's mineral makeup. i couldn't get a great idea of the coverage since i already had makeup on but it did seem to mask the redness i had on my cheeks and didn't look cakey, powdery or pore-magnifying at all, a problem i've had with Bare Escentuals that really bothers me being that i have very small pores. i figure if something makes my pores look big it would be hellish for someone who had bigger pores already! what i really didn't like about the Mineralize Loose Foundation was the packaging; i can't see myself using that sponge to apply the powder as i far prefer a brush and even if i did like the sponge, i feel like it would get very dirty and bacteria-filled. i don't think washing it would be easy since it's attached to the plastic lid of the packaging. it also seems like it would be very messy to apply if you chose to use the sponge. don't get me wrong, this wouldn't stop me from purchasing, but i would probably transfer the powder to another jar and apply it the regular way (swirl, tap, buff my dears). value-wise the MAC mineral makeup costs $4 more than the same amount of Bare Escentuals, but i wouldn't mind spending the extra few dollars to get a product i liked much better. i will probably purchase this when i have a chance (and some cash!) and report back further on how it's working out for me.

i also finally got my very own pot of Erase Paste! yay! i'm still very excited about this product and loving it, so if things change i'll be sure to fill you in.

when i was stalking the MAC counter i happened to take another look at the Heatherette Collection and ended up falling in LOVE with the Bonus Beat lipglass! this annoyed me greatly because i feel so relieved when nothing from a collection appeals to me since that lets me save some money! i had also tried this particular lipglass on before and felt very 'meh' towards it, but now i'm thinking that's because i tried it on over the Fleshpot (aka hideous corpse-like concealer-looking) lipstick. anyways, it's a gorgeous golden-beige gloss that gives you the most perfect summer nude lip ever! i am obSESSED with nude lips as i'm sure you'll learn from future posts and this one is going to be the most gorgeous summery looking lip to go with a (faux) tan.

another item that shoved it's way onto my To Buy list was Shiseido's eyelash curler. i know, i know, it's all about the Shu lash curler says everyone i know and every magazine i read, but i'm telling you i had absolutely NO luck with the Shu at all! it didn't fit my eye correctly and so i couldn't grab my lashes at the root and it was a big disappointment after i'd dreamed about how great it would be for years. i've been using a Japonesque curler for quite a while now (and i do like it a lot) but since i'm always looking for the next best thing, i decided to try the Shiseido and it was fab! i really loved it and it even curled the very outer lashes on my top lids which i usually have a problem getting curled in one shot.

so that's what i've been up to, what new beauty discoveries have you made this week? have you tried out MAC's new Mineralize Loose Foundation and if so, do you love it or hate it? i'd love to hear what you think so don't be shy!

by the way, the photo above of the MAC Bonus Beat lipglass was borrowed from Ebay since i couldn't find another picture of it anywhere!

private (smoky) eyes, are watching youuuu.....

hey all! a post tonight on an obsession/phobia i've cured once and for all...the simple smoky eye! this is a look i've coveted since i was about 10 years old when i hurriedly paged, wide-eyed and breathless, through Sassy magazine (which i loved and MISS so much, oh why can't Sassy please come back?!). however, i was born with a cruel affliction known to the general public as BLONDE EYELASHES! eeeeeek! if you're familiar with this curse or suffer from it yourself, you know you look like hermit crab without mascara and that it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to wear black eyeliner because you can always see your blonde lash roots peeking forth and it completely ruins the look! try and try again as you might, you'll never conquer this annoying lash-root-visibility until you have the proper tools...


1. a flat, STIFF, eyeliner brush! my personal favorite (pictured here, the Japonesque Travel Sized Flat Eyeliner Brush, around $8) is the most IMPORTANT tool i can urge you to purchase for this mission, ladies! sometimes referred to as a 'push' brush, this badboy will take those blonde eyelashes and make them wish they were born dark! the way you'll use this wonderful little brush is by taking some dark pigment (such as powder, cake, pencil or gel eyeliner) and actually 'pushing' it into your lashline, right between your eyelash roots. this masks fair eyelash roots and makes your lashline blend into your eyeliner line just like it's supposed to! also i should mention along with this first tool is how essential an eyelash curler is to helping this look come together. if you curl your lashes sky-high before you attempt to use the push brush, it will help to open up the area and give you easy access to those between-the-lashes spots. next up in order of essentialness...


2. your choice of black eyeliner! i come from the 'black is best' side of the fence, whether it comes to mascara or eyeliner, i feel that EVERYONE looks best in black. that's not to say that you might not want to rock a rich brown or shimmery purple (as i sometimes do, also) but since we're discussing the simple smoky eye, i figure we'll stick with basic black. my pick for eyeliner for this task is MAC's Fluidline in Blacktrack, $15. this, my friends, is perfection and LIFESAVER in a pot! Blacktrack is a soft gel eyeliner with the blackest black pigment and the BEST staying power, EVER! it applies smoothly and evenly in the first stroke of your brush, no retracing needed, and the economically priced pot will last you AGES. what i like to do when going for the simple smoky eye is first trace a line of this on my top lashline with MAC's 209 Eyeliner Brush, $17, and after letting it dry for a minute or so, i curl my lashes and then whip out my handy Japonesque push brush and get to darkening those lash roots! i do this by gently tapping the tips of the bristles into the Blacktrack and then wiggling them into my lashline. easy as 1,2,3 and works like a charm!

3. personalize your look! this is where you get to flex your creative muscles. you can add some black eyeliner to your bottom lashline and waterline or just go for the dark look on your top eyelid. you can smudge or leave your lines sharp! for a softer looking, pencil eyeliner for your bottom lashline, i am LOVING Rimmel's Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil in Jet Black, $3.19 (at Drugstore.com), which is so soft and sooty and black! it goes on without a bit of tugging and lasts fairly well for a pencil so soft and smudge-able. i wore this the other night on my bottom waterline and it did need a few touch-ups but for the look it gives you at the cut-rate price it comes at, no problem for me! when i'm doing a smoky eye, i like my lashes to be as over the top as i can get them, and Too Faced Lash Injection Mascara, $19.50, is my personal FAVORITE PICK for ultra lush volume and length. this mascara, another in the tube variety like Imju's Fiberwig, gives you amazing volume, holds a curl like CEMENT and never flakes or smudges. this is the mascara you will want to use for your best look at me lashes!

well i hope i've helped just one of the lash challenged girls who i used to belong to. rock your smoky eyes with all the gusto you can muster up, ladies! it doesn't have to be hard, as long as you get the basic elements of the look down pat, you can run with it! meow!