The Ordinary Lash Curl Finisher and the Best Ways to Hold a Curl

The Ordinary Lash Curl Finisher and the Best Ways to Hold a Curl

The Ordinary lash curl finisher is a clear gel that sets a curl you already made, so it makes a good starting point for a lash routine. Here are the primers, serums, curlers and curl-holding mascaras I would pair with it.

The eyelash curler is almost a hundred years old. A Rochester, New York company started selling the Kurlash Natural Eyelash Curler in 1923, based on a device invented by Charles Stickel, and the basic idea of two curved arms and a rubber pad has barely changed since. What has changed is what happens after the curl, because a curl that drops by lunch is the oldest complaint in lashes.

That is where The Ordinary lash curl finisher comes in. The Ordinary describes it as a transparent anhydrous gel that coats each lash to hold lift and curl for a natural, defined look, with squalane to keep lashes flexible. It is vegan and cruelty-free, and it goes on clear, so it works as a top coat or on bare lashes. The rest of this grid is the lash prep shelf around it. The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum is a lightweight serum the brand says supports the look of fuller lashes and brows in as little as four weeks. Olaplex Lashbond and GrandeLASH-MD are the serums with a longer list of claims, so read each label. DIOR Diorshow Maximizer 4D, Lancome Cils Booster XL, tarte opening act and Too Faced Better Than Sex Foreplay are the primers that sit under mascara.

A quick test: curl, add a single coat of finisher, then look in the mirror again after two hours. If the curl is still there, you have your answer.

Big numbers collage for The Ordinary Lash Curl Finisher: six products from The Ordinary, Dior, Shiseido, Grande Cosmetics and Benefit, each set beside a large numeral
The Ordinary Lash Curl Finisher

Lash primers, serums and curl sealers

Curlers that do the lifting

Now the tools. A curl finisher only holds what the curler gives it, so the shape of the curler matters more than most people think. Shiseido Eyelash Curler has an edge-free design meant to prevent pinching, with a broad curve that reaches inner to outer corners. TWEEZERMAN ProCurl is angled at 60 degrees for round and prominent eyes. The universal Eyelash Curler with a handle that curves to the shape of your face and comes with two replacement pads. tarte picture perfect has easy-grip handles and a purple silicone pad. Dior BACKSTAGE Lash Curler is meant to adapt to all lid shapes with one squeeze of the handles.

If you dislike the pinch, look at Grande Cosmetics GrandeLASH-LIFT. It is a rechargeable heated curler that the brand says lifts lashes without crimping or pinching. The NARS Eyelash Curler and the CHANEL Le Recourbe Cils de Chanel are here too, and I am leaving them at their names because I have no details beyond that.

How to use any of them: curl at the root, then again mid-lash, then lightly at the tips. Press, do not yank. Set the curl with the finisher or a coat of mascara while the lashes are still lifted.

What I would skip: a curler that does not match your eye shape. If you feel pinching at the outer corner, the curve is wrong for you, and no gel will fix that.

Eyelash curlers

Mascaras that keep the curl

Some mascaras are designed to hold a curl themselves, and they are a good backup when you want fewer steps. Benefit Roller Lash uses a Hook n Roll brush and, per the brand, holds its curve for 12 hours. Lancome Lash Idole Curl Goddess is made so you get curled lashes with no curler, and the brand says it is suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-eyes promises a double curl effect and up to 28 hours of volume. YSL Lash Latex wraps each lash in a flexible film and, according to the brand, gives 24-hour lift. MAKEUP BY MARIO Master Mascara in Super Black is a clump-resistant volumizing formula.

Then the tubing mascaras, which coat lashes in tiny tubes that slide off with warm water. caliray Come Hell or High Water in secret spot is an espresso brown waterproof formula. Urban Decay Tube Job in Intense Black and tarte tartelette in Black are both tubing formulas that claim up to 24 hours of wear.

Pairing tip: curl first, finish second, mascara last. A clear finisher under a tubing mascara gives the curl a little extra grip.

What I would skip: layering a heavy primer, a finisher and a thick mascara all in one morning. Lashes clump, the curl gets weighed down, and you lose the point of the finisher.

Curl-holding mascaras

Building your curl routine

Start with the curler that fits your eye, since that is the one tool you will use every day. Add the finisher if your curl drops, a serum if you are building lashes over weeks, and a primer only if you like the look of extra volume. Mascara is the last step, and a tubing formula is the easy choice if you want to remove it with warm water.

If you want the shortest routine, use a curler, The Ordinary lash curl finisher and one coat of a curling mascara. If you want more drama, add a primer such as Dior Maximizer and a second coat. Either way, curl gently, and let the curl set before you blink a lot.