Revitalash Advanced, $156

#1 Lube up!

Always practice safe curling, ladies. Prior to curling proper, coat your lashes with a lubricating layer by way of an eyelash serum like Revitalash’s well, revitalising Revitalash Advanced, $156 – the lock-loving ingredients in the formula function like a shield to buffer brittle lashes against damage from daily primping and prepping.

The extra “slip” also allows the hairs to “bend” better for a well, curlier curl. Investing in a dedicated eyelash serum may seem like overkill for penny-pinching types, but think of it this way: It’s really not all that different from coughing up cash for conditioner to go with your shampoo.

shu uemura eyelash curler

#2 The heat is on!

This teeters right up to the edge of “treacherous” territory, but hey, no peril, no gain. Direct your hair dryer over your curling contraption for a couple of seconds, then proceed to use per usual. The hike in heat transforms your device into something resembling a mini version of a conventional curling iron.

Crucial caveat: This may sound like a beauty no-brainer, but it bears repeating that you should always test the temperature against your arm before applying the apparatus to your peepers.

Laneige lovely Volume Setting Mascara, $34

#3 Top up with a topcoat

The newest kid on the beauty block, tinted mascara “topcoats” like Laneige’s lovely Volume Setting Mascara, $34, work in much the same way as their cuticle counterparts in extending wear and sealing shine. Some are even billed as “replenishers” that soften clumps for mascara re-application anytime, anywhere. Translation? Finely feathered lashes that stay curlier, fresher and “wetter” for longer.

L'Oreal SuperStar False Lash Mascara, $25.90

#4 Technique matters most

One last thing. When wielding your mascara wand, go easy on the tips as heavy build-up can undo the good work of your curler. To circumvent the compulsion to overload your lashes with product, do as I do and imagine your mascara wand to be the corkscrew in a wine bottle. To retrieve your “corkscrew”, swivel it out in a smooth, spiralling motion. You’ll pick up the perfect amount of product for a clump-free curl.

Or really, play it safe and simply gun for an idiot-proof dual-ended device like L’Oréal Makeup Designer Paris’ spectacular SuperStar False Lash Mascara, $25.90, which comes complete with a priming end to pump up the volume without weighing down the hairs.

The result of religiously following this four-step regime? Let’s just say I had to switch to contacts because the lenses of my spectacles kept getting smudged by my now-generously girthed lashes – a most pleasant inconvenience, if you ask me!

Text: Eugene Quek / Her World Plus Additional Reporting: Arissa Ha