A Lash-tastrophe! How to Control Even the Most Untamable Lashes
Unruly lashes? Tell me about it. Pin straight and won’t hold curl? Story of my life. Lashes sag under the weight of every mascara? My friend, I feel you pain. I was born with long, thick, pin straight lashes that feel like they grow 90 degrees off my face. Seriously, Asian lashes (as well as other stubborn lashes) are not easily tamed. You curl them, but they fall. You curl mascara curl, and they still fall. You cry and cry and wish on the brightest star that they would just hold a dang curl, and they sag under the weight of your tears. They are just uncontrollable sometimes. These are the types of lashes that I have been battling since the day I first curled my lashes.
Though I might not have the magical beauty fairy abilities (I’m working on becoming a fairy I promise but the mail is taking longer than expected to ship my wings, sorry) to just poof your lashes into those curled voluminous lashes of all our dreams, but I have found tips and tricks to help keep those rebel lashes in line. Say it with me now, “I control my lashes, my lashes do not control me.” Good, very good. Now you are ready.
First and foremost, invest in a quality curler.
Not all curlers are created equal. Some are flimsy, and actually damage your lashes the more you use them. A quality curler will be your best friend, your comrade against the most stubborn lashes. You need a dependable, strong curler to be able to battle as valiantly as we wish. My top pick is the Shiseido Curler, the most cost effective quality curler I have found on the market. What separates this curler from other curlers is the fact that they sell the curler pads (the rubber or silicone part of the curler on which your lashes lay when being curled) in a separate pack. One of the main reasons your lashes may not be curling as well as you wish is the fact that your curler pad is worn out, therefore making it harder to curl your lashes. Most brands give 1 or 2 extra pads in the box when you purchase a curler, but Shiseido sells them in a separate pack, so you never have to buy a new curler again, only the refill pads which sell for $6.00 USD on sephora. This curler is firm and reliable, I haven’t lost a single lash while using it, yet it curls my lashes impeccably.
Secondly, a secret trick I have picked up is to warm your curler before use.
I have seen people heat their curler with actual fire before, but I highly, HIGHLY advise against it. Instead, I use my blow dryer to carefully warm up the curler just til it’s warm to the touch. You do NOT want to burn your lashes (no burnt lashes here), no matter how curled your lashes may seem and no matter how tempting it may be. This will undoubtedly sear your lashes, leaving them weak and fragile, which is the opposite of what we want our lashes to be. Warm to the touch friends, warm to the touch. After you have warmed it, curl your lashes naturally and gawk at how incredibly your lashes are curled. Very much worth it. I’m not liable for any burnt lashes so please be careful!
Third, curl from root all the way to the end.
Enjoy my very mediocre drawing skills :D
Olivia! What does this mean? Oh dear reader, let me explain. (Now no matter how many I tried to photograph me curling my lashes it just didn’t show it thoroughly so I decided to try drawing it haha) Some people have fallen under the habit of curling only the base of their lashes, thinking because their lashes are now sticking straight up that they are properly curled. NO! WRONG! PLEASE DON’T! What you want to do is pump your curler 2-3 times and the root, then move gradually up your lash to the very ends. This insures that your lashes will stay curled, and that even under your mascara, that they will hold a curl. You see, when you curl just the root of your lash, it might seem like your lash is curled (since it is standing straight up) it actually will fall and end up as straight as it was to begin with because the mascara will weigh down the one curled area. (I talked extensively on my favorite mascara in the Choi’s Choice; Makeup Edit post so go check it out! Here’s the link: https://www.oliveandkore.com/blog/chois-choice-makeup-edit) That is why it is best to curl your entire lash, it gives it more body and hold so that even if the mascara sags slightly, it will still have some form of curl left. Genius!
Also lil tip, I love using a lash brush to brush out any stray lashes into place. This one is from Amazon but you can get them at free at Sephora if you ask nicely :)
Lastly, I fully fully recommend the Bondi Boost Lash Oil to strengthen, thicken, and grow out your lashes. Now I raved about this in my Choi’s Choice; Makeup Edit post, and I can not do it more justice than I did so I will include a slightly changed excerpt of what I said. The link to the full post is the same link in the paragraph above.
Bondi Boost’s Lash + Brow Growth Serum is the BEST lash and serum I have ever encountered and this is something I recommend to all that will listen. Now I know that we have all heard this and that about (lash and brow) serums and how they “never work” but trust me when I tell you this has COMPLETELY changed my brows and lashes. Lashes are thicker, incredibly defined, thicker and longer, and just over all 100% more glorious. I have tried all sorts of lash serums, but none have worked as well as this oil blend. The best part is, it’s organic and natural AND it works stupendously. It is one of my top 3 beauty must haves. I have been using it for a year and have seen significant growth and definition to both brows and lashes. It is non irritating (like most of those other serums) and it smells of lavender. A DREAM.
I believe there is beauty to be found in every unique aspect of our faces. Even these annoying lashes of mine are a trait that has been passed down to me for generations, I am SO (do you smell the sarcasm?) lucky as to have to deal with such stubborn lashes like my ancestors. But truly, I believe that if we combine our hardships, we can turn them into something to be proud of. It is a dream of mine to make a mascara for the most stubborn of lashes. Maybe one day I will get that opportunity, but until then I will fight courageously against the stubbornest of lashes.
If you read this far, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Every post you read is getting me that much closer to my dreams, and for that I am unexplainably grateful. If you have any questions, comments, or want to collectively complain about how annoying stubborn lashes can be (or if you need help interpreting my drawings oops), please don’t hesitate to reach out and either email me at oliveandkore@gmail.com or dm me on instagram, @oliveandkore. Don’t forget to subscribe to be notified when I post a new blog every Thursday and share this with some other members of the human race! I've had a lot of fun, thanks for reading! :)
