Shiseido Lash Curler, $20
Eyelashes are serious business. Often if I’m not wearing any other makeup, I’ve probably at least curled my lashes and thrown on a coat of mascara. My lashes are light brown and tend to point straight out from my eyelid so I tend to look a little worse-for-wear than I am. It’s silly, but that 30 seconds of effort makes me look a bit more awake and alive. I’d seen magazines and blogs praising both the Shu Uemera and the Shiseido Lash Curler but I initially dismissed it as hype because, back then, the idea of prestige cosmetics was comedy to me.
On the Cheap
For the longest time I used the Sonia Kashuk lash curler from Target. It was passable; I’d used better (cheaper) ones in the past. I hadn’t put much stock in an eyelash curler as an, “investment,” tool. A lash curler is a lash curler, right? After all, they’re fairly simple and straightforward. Is there that much difference between the $5 option and the $20?
Upgrade
Last year, in spite of my misgivings about spending $20 on something so simple, I splurged on my first prestige eyelash curler. I decided I was going to go with a cult favorite and selected the Shiseido Lash Curler over the Shu Uemura for, initially, accessibility’s sake.
Hands-down it is the best eyelash curler I’ve ever used. Although you wouldn’t want a tool like this to be heavy, per se, a little heft is reassuring – and the Shiseido Lash Curler has it. It feels substantial and like it will hold up well to long-term use. I like that they sell replacement cushions for the tool as well; some companies sell, “universal,” ones, but one-size-fits-all never really does, does it?
The curvature everyone’s lash lines differ based on their eye shape, but the Shiseido seems to be perfect for me. With my cheaper curlers, I’d occasionally have to reposition and repress it to get all of my lashes or I’d sometimes end up with an odd curl. This curler is one hit, one kill, every. single. time.
The Bottom Line
In five months of owning the Shiseido I’ve never had a, “bad,” curl. It never occurred to me that the tool had more of the share than user error (i.e., hasty use, half-awake use). In the scheme of things, I think it is a small upgrade; I had to replace cheap curlers roughly every two years or so, but I know people who have a 15+ year old Shiseido Lash Curler. Between quality of the curl, what appears to be sturdy construction that will promote longevity, and anecdotal reports of long lifespans, I am thrilled with this lash curler and highly recommend. Paired with my favorite (drugstore!!) mascara, my lashes have never been better.
Plus – buying one quality item that will last reduces waste!
I’ve used Tweezerman curlers my whole life. This one time I was out of town and realized that I didn’t have a curler and bought one by Revlon. It was brand new and it crimped a gross corner into my lashes and some lashes kept getting stuck, too. How?
Anyway. Tweezerman works perfectly. Never fails until I need a new pad, and I always have backups of pads. I don’t know what kind of a difference Shiseido or Shu Uemura could make, but I will not make the jump unless someone who has tried and liked Tweezerman can tell me exactly what’s different. ?
I’ve also looked into those tiny Asian curlers that can precisely get a few lashes at once. I have a few lower lashes at the outer corners of my eyes that mix in with my upper lashes and inevitably get curled upwards when I’m trying to do the upper lashes. I thought this might be a more common problem and that there was a solution, right? After reading the reviews, I wasn’t convinced that they help as much as I want them to. Anyone have this issue?