Eyelash Curler

A quick review on the Charlotte Tilbury Life Changing Lashes Curler this weekend. I managed to get it from Selfridges as it is a very popular product from the brand. Obviously I have a thing for gold packaging, so I’ve also bought the limited edition Shu Uemura X15 Curler in gold from the 2015 Maison Kitsune Holiday Collection which will be used as a comparison in this post.

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Generally speaking, the packaging of Charlotte Tilbury products look better than how they feel. This eyelash curler looks stunning in the rose gold color, but it feels light and a little on the flimsy side. The spring does not feel as tight as the other high end lash curlers, and it doesn’t feel very sturdy when clamping compared to my holy grail Shu Uemura’s curler.

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Apart from the flimsy aspect, this eye lash curler does work very well. The performance is pretty much on par with the Shu Uemura’s. I have quite flat eyes (not as curved), and my eye lids are slightly hooded, and my lashes are medium length (Asian standard!) and straight. This curler fits my eyes very well – it doesn’t pinch the skin and it catches all the lashes in one go which is important for me so I don’t need to curl the lashes at different angles multiple times.  It is easy to curl the lashes from the roots with this tool, and it lifts the lashes up within a few seconds (2-3 clamps only).

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Overall I recommend this eye lash curler if you like Shu’s or the Shiseido Curler. It is quite lightweight, perhaps that’s what makes this curler work! I have used some well made and highly raved curlers from Suqqu (reviewed here) and Le Metier De Beaute, but they didn’t work for me. As a general guide, you should replace the rubber band every 4-5 months, and replace the curler every 1-2 years as the spring tends to lose its pressure depending how much you use it.

I bought the Charlotte Tilbury lash curler here that ship internationally, and it comes with an extra rubber band. It is also available here and here but they are all on back-order for now.

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My quest for the perfect lash curler never ends. This year I have acquired two – one good and one bad, and let’s talk about the good one today and I’ll leave the bad one for another day. The Mirenesse iCurl is a revolutionary heated eyelash curler with two heated pads which has totally blown me away. Despite the fancy design, when I first received the product I wasn’t really sure what set this product different to the other heated eyelash curlers in the market, until I roadtested on myself…OMG…the performance of iCurl has exceeded way beyond my expectation, and whoever invented this innovative device is simply a genius!

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As mentioned earlier, it has twin heated pads to curl lashes at the same time. As soon as you switch the button on, they heat up speedy fast (within 10  seconds). Once they are fully heated the pads turn from red to clear, and the temperature is just about right – hot enough to curl and hold the lashes in place, but it doesn’t burn your eyes or harm your lashes.

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Still confused about what the additional pad is for? Here you go, I hope my pictures below will explain everything.

Basically you place the lashes in between the gap as with any other curlers. The device comes with a lever, and as you lift the lever up, it pushes both pads up at the same time to curl the lashes. One pad (where it is placed traditionally) is to clamp the lashes from the base. With the second pad, as it is sliding up the lashes  it bends the lashes from the roots to the ends to create a natural curve (rather than just crimping the lash). And as you all know, the heated mechanism helps to curl the lashes faster and last longer.

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Mirenesse claims that iCurl is designed especially for girls with stick straight lashes – that’s me! I can’t say it for all girls, but as for me who has medium volume and length lashes, the device is a cinch to use and works brilliantly for me.

Applied a coat of mascara after curling the lashes with Mirenesse iCurl. I am quite embarrassed to show you my natural lashes, but I hope this picture is just to give you an idea of the natural curve it creates.

The iCurl can be purchased at www.mirenesse.com

Disclaimer: this product was provided to me for consideration of review at free of charge.

 

 

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Suqqu Eyelash Curler Review

August 19, 2011

I have such mixed feelings about the Suqqu Eyelash Curler. I am in denial that this is not the perfect eyelash curler for me – it just falls short of my expectation after I have read so many wonderful reviews about it (mostly from Asian bloggers).

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Where do I begin..I was not in desperate need of a new eyelash curler. I have been content with the performance of my Shu, Koji and Shiseido eyelash curlers – they work great for me. I caved in after seeing Suqqu eyelash curler featured in numerous Japanese beauty magazines, as well as praise from everyone. Knowing that the design is tailored for Asian eyes and hooded eyes, I was attracted to it because I am an Asian with slightly hooded eyes!

The special feature of  the Suqqu eyelash curler is that the tip is extended out in the center. When you hold the curler against your eyelid, this enables you to push and lift your eyelid up so it gets to the roots of your lashes for a more curled and lifted effect. A great feature for people who have hooded eyelids, short and straight lashes.

suqqu-eyelash-curler-1This is the instruction that comes with the eyelash curler. As you can see, the first step is to hold it horizontally against the lid and gently push it in to lift the lash line . It took me a while to get use to it.

Suqqu-eyelash-curler-instructionsCompared to the Shu Uemura and Koji eyelash curlers, the curvature of suqqu is in between – it is slighter flatter than Shu Uemura and more curved than Koji. It fits into my eye socket perfectly.

shu-umeura-koji-suqqu-eyelash-curlers-comparisonIt would have been a perfect curler if it didn’t have a square rubber pad. Why Suqqu…why?! I have to apply more pressure to curl the lashes and they are slightly crimped for my liking. The curvature along the lash line is almost straight, so it doesn’t get to the two ends of the my lashes in one go. I had to curl it in different angles. Having said that, it is subject to the shapes of your eyes. My eyes are almond shaped so Shu fits better.

shu-umeura-suqqu-eyelash-curlers-comparisonBottom Line: Overall it is a good eyelash curler, it doesn’t pinch and it curls the lashes from the roots very well. I would still prefer Shu Uemura as it requires less effort for around the same result. I found that the special feature of the Suqqu eyelash curler didn’t have much benefit for my eyelids. It might work better for you if your eyes are more hooded or monolid.

If you are interested in Shiseido, Shu Uemura or Koji eyelash curlers, you can find my review here.

 

 

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Puppy Eyes Makeup look is the opposite of cat eyes look. It has been the most popular eye makeup in Japan since it was featured in some of the top beauty magazines. A lot of girls are ditching the cat eyes for the puppy eyes look to have a more innocent and cuter appearance. With this kind of makeup,  no one will have the heart to say ‘NO’ to you haha

Basically rather than flicking the eyeliner up, I draw the eyeliner following the natural curve of my eyes till the outer corner of the lower lash line, to create a droopy eye look. Then I used a pair of corner lashes to complete the look. The rest of my makeup is kept at minimum – just a sheer wash of color on the cheeks and lips.

Final Look:

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The star product of this makeup is the Dolly Wink Corner/ Partial False Eyelash in No 4 – Feminine style. Quite expensive for false eyelashes imo but worth every penny. So easy to wear and both the hair and band are super soft.

dolly-wink-no-4-feminine-style-false-eyelashesOther than the false lashes, everything else used was really simple:

Nars All About Eve Eyeshadow Duo: perfect shades just to add a touch of sheen to the eyelids.

Shu Uemura Partial Eyelash Curler: to curl the middle part of the lashes only. It is important to keep the outer part of the lashes down.

Fairy Drop Volumising Mascara on the lower lashes. The beautiful Jade from Jade Musing did a fantastic review of it, so check it out!

Mac Creme Sheen in Partial Pink on the lips.

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Close-up of my eyes:

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From the side:

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FACE PRODUCTS:

Dior Radiant Base as a highlighting primer on the top of my cheek bones; temples and nose bridge.

Dior Nude Skin Natural Glow Foundation

Canmake Cream Blush in 03 on the cheeks, reviewed here.

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More pictures of completed look:

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Best Eyelash Curlers

March 9, 2011

When it comes to eyelash curlers,  I tend to gravitate towards Asian brands as they are designed for asian eyes. The most well known is the legendary Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler , which I absolutely adore. I have had this one for 10 years and it still works as good as it was brand new.

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My other favorite includes the Shiseido Eyelash Curler. Both Shu and Shiseido’s eyelash curlers are very identical – I can’t tell the differences in my lashes between the two of them.  They have very identical curvature – I can get them really close to the roots of my lashes and they never pinch my eyelids. They also apply the perfect amount of pressure by gently pressing them, giving a nice smooth curled look without crimping your lashes.

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Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler vs Shiseido Eyelash Curler

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Shu on left r vs Shiseido on the right

Recently I have discovered an amazing eyelash curler, which I hate to admit but it truly blows my other favorites out of the water.

It is the Koji  Curving Eyelash Curler. According to Koji, they have tested this on thousands of Japanese women and came up with a unique curvature that is suitable for every shape of eyes.

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The width of Koji eyelash curler is 38mm, so comparing Koji with Shu, the Koji eyelash curler is much wider and more curved. It gets all my lashes without pinching my eyelid.

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Left: Koji Eyelash Curler Right: Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

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Left: Koji Right: Shu

If you compare the curvature from this angle, the Koji one is flatter than Shu’s.

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Left: Koji Right: Shu

So what makes Koji more superior than the rest? The picture below is the best illustration, with its unique shape, it spreads your lashes out to 120 degrees which gives it a more fanned look.

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Left: Ordinary eyelash curler Right: Koji Eyelash Curler

Have you tried Koji? Which brand is your favorite?

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