A Heated Eyelash Curler for Lashes That Drop by Lunch

Eyelash curlers have been around for about a century. A company in Rochester, New York was selling them in the 1920s, and by 1924 it had already brought out a second model. The basic design, a hinged metal frame with a soft pad, has barely changed since, because it works. What has changed is heat. A heated eyelash curler sets a curl the way a hot tool sets hair, and for straight lashes that drop by lunch, that is the difference.

Most heated curlers look like a slim wand. You let it warm up, then press it at the base of your lashes and gently lift for a few seconds. Grande Cosmetics's GrandeLASH-LIFT is the one I would start with. Blinc's Heated Lash Curler is another, and Pursonic's heated curler has a comb built in, which helps separate lashes as it curls. Always test the heat on the back of your hand first, and never hold it against the skin of your eyelid.

Classic clamp curlers still do the first pass best. Shiseido's Eyelash Curler, NARS's and Chanel's are all classic clamp curlers with soft pads. Tweezerman's ProCurl is made for round and prominent eyes, a shape that many curlers pinch at the corners. MAC's Full Lash Curler is another good one.

My routine uses both: clamp first on clean, dry lashes for a gentle lift at the base, then mascara, then a quick pass of the heated wand once the mascara is dry to lock the curl in place.

Mascara can make or break a curl. Heavy, wet formulas weigh lashes down, while lighter lengthening and tubing mascaras tend to hold the shape much longer. If your lashes are straight and fine, the formula matters more than the brush.

Tubing mascaras are the ones to try first. They wrap each lash in tiny tubes that hold their shape and slide off with warm water instead of rubbing. caliray's Come Hell or High Water is a volumizing and lengthening tubing formula, and Urban Decay's tubing mascara is made to build lashes the same way.

Lancôme's Lash Idôle is lengthening and volumizing and separates well. Benefit's They're Real lengthening mascara has a spiky tip for the corners. ILIA's Limitless Lash is a clean lengthening formula. Prada's Pradascope is a lash lifting and lengthening mascara, and Too Faced's volumizing and lengthening formula is the more dramatic option. tarte's lights, camera, lashes is a 4-in-1 volumizing mascara.

Apply mascara from the root and wiggle the wand upward, which pushes lashes into the curl rather than dragging them flat. Two thin coats beat one heavy coat, and a clean spoolie separates anything that clumps. Let the first coat dry for thirty seconds before the second.

If lashes still droop by the afternoon, the formula is probably too heavy for them. Try a tubing mascara, or keep your favorite for the tips only and use a lighter one at the roots.

The last layer of help happens before and after mascara. A lash primer goes on first, usually as a white or clear coat, and gives the mascara something to grip. It also adds a little length.

Lancôme's Cils Booster XL is a classic mascara primer. Dior's Diorshow Maximizer 4D is a primer and serum in one, and tarte's opening act lash primer is simple and light. MAC's MACStack Legit Lift primer is made to lift lashes before mascara. The Ordinary's Lash Curl Finisher goes on after mascara, a clear top coat that helps the curl stay.

GrandeLASH-MD is different. It is a lash enhancing serum, made for longer, fuller looking lashes over weeks of nightly use. Serums like this can irritate some eyes, so follow the instructions exactly, apply along the lash line only, and stop if your eyes feel red or itchy. Check with your eye doctor first if you wear contact lenses or have any eye condition.

What I would skip: clamping a classic curler over wet or dried mascara. It can bend lashes at a sharp angle, and with enough pressure it can pull some out. Clamp first, mascara second, heated wand last. I would also skip sleeping in mascara, however good the curl looked. Remove it gently with an oil or micellar water every night, since rubbing breaks lashes over time. Press a soaked cotton pad on closed eyes for a few seconds first, then wipe down and outward.

Curlers need a little maintenance. Replace the rubber pad on a clamp curler every few months, or as soon as it has a groove, because a worn pad creases lashes instead of curling them. Most come with a spare. Wipe the heated wand with a little alcohol on a cotton pad once it is cool, so dried mascara does not build up.

Charge a heated curler every few uses, so it reaches full heat quickly on a busy morning. And be gentle. Lashes grow back slowly, so a curl that lasts all day should never take any of them with it. If you notice lashes on the pad after clamping, press more lightly and hold for less time. Five gentle seconds is plenty. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together The Best Tubing Mascara for Lashes That Stay Put From Coffee to Cocktails and Lashes 101.