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How a Heated Eyelash Curler Will Change Your Beauty Game

Don't leave home without it

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Here at PureWow HQ, we don’t shy away from beauty trends, tips and cool hot new tools. That’s why we fearlessly ventured into the scary world of heated eyelash curlers, aka little curling irons for your peepers.

So, do you need one? Here’s what we discovered.

How they work: Unlike traditional curlers that clamp down (and can potentially break) lashes, heated curlers hit them from just one side. The mascara-like wand is warmed by a battery (usually), and the heat creates a bend (just like your hair iron does).

What you do: Let the wand fully warm. (It takes about a minute.) While that's happening, apply a coat of mascara. Then press the wand up against your lashes and hold for 15 seconds or so on each eye. We found that using it after mascara application (rather than before) actually hardened the formula and created a more dramatic, long-lasting effect.

Our picks: The wand by Japonesque is sleek and compact and perfect for a lash touch-up on your coffee break. (Sephora also makes a comparable one.) If you're feeling extra brave, there are curlers that look like the traditional clamp shape (say, the one from Talika). They're a much more potent curler that gives an all-day hold...but proceed with caution.

Bottom line: All in all, these babies aren't really a time-saver but more of a fabulous new addition to your beauty arsenal. Then again, you could just blow-dry your existing curler.


rachel bowie christine han photography 100

Senior Director, Special Projects and Royals

  • Writes and produces family, fashion, wellness, relationships, money and royals content
  • Podcast co-host and published author with a book about the British Royal Family
  • Studied sociology at Wheaton College and received a masters degree in journalism from Emerson College