The Secrets to Making Short Asian Lashes Appear Longer
We have Kim Kardashian to thank for setting the bar really high when it comes to eyelash length. Try these tips to fake the appearance of longer and more voluminous lashes.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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