Stop my eyelashes from curling so much!

July 10, 2013 11:35 AM

I have naturally long eyelashes. On my left eye they curl just the perfect amount, but on my right eye they curl too much, and when I put mascara on they curl even more it seems and I sometimes get a "tube" of eyelashes (the tips curls back down to the bottom of the hair). I would like to know how to make eyelashes less curled.

My eyelashes are really long. People say I am blessed with them, and in some ways, yeah, it is nice, but they are also a hassle and a half. They brush uncomfortably against every pair of sunglasses I have ever tried, they tangle, and if basically have to keep my eye nearly shut when I put on mascara or else I get a smear of mascara below and in to my eyebrows. I have never owned or had to use an eyelash curler because they have a natural curl, but the right eye curls WAY more and it makes things complicated and not-so-good looking.

For what it's worth, I don't use "curling" mascara because, jesus, then I'm effed. And frankly it hasn't mattered what kind of mascara I use, this happens with all mascaras. I have tried applying the mascara from the "front", I have tried applying mascara from the back and sort of holding it straighter with the wand while the mascara dries. No dice. The lashes always just curl up. Not wearing mascara isn't really an option either because my eyelashes, while long, are pretty pale, so I need to dark mascara to make them show up.


Any suggestions on how to get those right side eyelashes to not curl up in to a weird eyelash tube?

posted by PuppetMcSockerson to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (10 answers total)

As counter intuitive as it sounds, have you tried a mechanical eyelash curler? If you do it at the very base of the lash, you can get them to do a 90 degree kind of thing.

You can use it to crimp them at various stages and it can straighten them a bit. I too have long lashes that scrape agains my eyeglass lenses. I stopped using mascara for the most part, I just curl and go.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:45 AM on July 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

Some ideas, you could try one or all:

1) Get an eyelash curler and use it upside down. I would think this would make your eyelashes straight or at the very least less curled back?

2) Trim your eyelashes on your right eye? I don't know, it seems like as long as you're careful and just trim a bit with nail scissors it wouldn't be a big deal. People trim eyebrows all the time (or at least I do), this seems kinda the same. Especially if they interfere with wearing sunglasses, etc.

3) Get your eyelashes tinted dark at a salon. I've done it before and I don't recall it being that spendy. Not sure if it would help with the problem or curling but at least you wouldn't have the mascara issue anymore.
posted by stellaluna at 11:45 AM on July 10, 2013

It takes some practice, but you can trim your eyelashes. Use an eyelash curler (get a cheap one) to hold them and cuticle/eyebrow/moustache scissors to trim.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:47 AM on July 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

You can use a felt-tipped liquid eyeliner to darken eyelashes without depositing much product on them; that might help. Jordana makes one that I really like for this.

For trying to un-curl your lashes a bit, you could maybe hold your lashes (gently) between the pads of your thumb and index finger for a minute or so and see if that flattens them. I'm not sure if that makes sense.. but if your fingers are warm, it might work.
posted by cp311 at 12:35 PM on July 10, 2013

You could try combing them with a heated lash curler, I haven't used one to straighten but they're more effective on my stubborn lashes than a regular curler.
posted by waterlily at 12:42 PM on July 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

I agree with the idea of a heated eyelash curler. It's pretty much the same concept of relaxing really curly hair into softer waves with big hot rollers, I think.
posted by lemniskate at 2:00 PM on July 10, 2013

I've had this problem; try applying the mascara to the tops of your eyelashes, rather than the underside.
posted by Specklet at 3:53 PM on July 10, 2013

I have the same problem, I use a heated eyelash curler, but work it from the top down and use it as a straightener brushing it down towards my cheek. I got the idea from this guy he does it with a heated mascara wand but a heated eyelash curler does the same thing. It's not perfect but it helps quite a bit.
posted by wwax at 8:00 PM on July 10, 2013

Put mascara on the bottom lashes 1st - you'll smear less.
posted by theora55 at 8:16 PM on July 10, 2013

Use an eyeliner to basically just dot in between the eye lashes at the root of the lashes to give the illusion of extra thickness and definition and see if you can't get away without mascara - the idea of mascara is to enhance and emphasise eye lashes and it doesn't sound like your eye lashes need a lot of help.
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:08 AM on July 13, 2013