The eyelash curler Reddit keeps recommending (and what a professional actually thinks)

The eyelash curler Reddit keeps recommending (and what a professional actually thinks)

Reddit's beauty communities have strong opinions about eyelash curlers. Surprisingly strong. You'll find threads with hundreds of comments debating the same 3 or 4 curlers, people swearing by $6 drugstore options, others insisting nothing works until you spend $25, and at least one person in every thread who says curling your lashes is pointless without the right mascara.

Some of that is right. Some of it is nonsense. And some of it is genuinely good advice that I'd give to a bride sitting in my chair.

So here's my take as someone who has used every curler type professionally, on every lash type, under every condition.

The verdict upfront

Reddit's most recommended curler, the Shiseido curler, is genuinely excellent. The praise is earned. But it's also not the right tool for everyone, and the conversation usually skips the part where fit actually matters more than brand.

A curler that doesn't fit your eye shape will never give you a good curl, no matter what the thread says.

Why fit matters more than brand

An eyelash curler has a curved opening that's supposed to sit flush against your lash line. If the curve is too tight for your eye shape, you'll pinch the outer or inner corners. If it's too wide, the center lashes do all the work and the sides stay flat.

Most Reddit discussions skip this entirely and just list favorite brands. That's fine if you happen to have the eye shape that fits the most popular curlers. But plenty of women spend years thinking they have "uncurlable lashes" when the real issue is that the curler they're using was never the right shape for them.

Two things to look for:

What Reddit actually recommends (and my honest take on each)

Shiseido Eyelash Curler

The Shiseido 213 is the one you'll see recommended most often, and it genuinely deserves it. The wide, flat curve fits a lot of different eye shapes well. The grip is solid. The rubber pad lasts longer than most before it starts to crack or flatten. Check current price.

Who it's for: most eye shapes, especially flatter or almond-shaped eyes. It's the curler I'd recommend to someone who doesn't know their eye shape yet and just wants something that works.

Who should skip it: deep-set eyes, very round eyes, or prominent eyes where a wider curve creates a gap in the center. If you've tried this curler and still get flat center lashes, your eye shape is the issue, not your technique.

Surratt Relevée Lash Curler

The Surratt Relevée is the one I actually reach for on brides with deeper-set eyes. The curve is tighter and the hinge mechanism is smoother than almost anything else on the market. Reddit mentions it less often because the price point is higher, but the women who find it tend to stay loyal to it. Check current price.

It's not a beginner curler. The tighter curve means you have to position it carefully or you'll miss lashes at the outer corner. But once you get the placement right, the curl is legitimately beautiful.

Japonesque Go Curl Eyelash Curler

The Japonesque Go Curl is the curler I'd put in the "slept on" category. It comes up in Reddit threads occasionally but gets overshadowed by the bigger names. Wide pad, comfortable grip, and the replacement pads are easy to find. Check current price.

I've used this one on brides with monolid and hooded eyes because the opening is wide enough to catch more lashes in a single press. It also tends to work well for shorter lashes that slip through more standard curlers.

e.l.f. Lash 'N Curl Eyelash Curler

The e.l.f. curler is the drugstore option Reddit debates constantly. Half the comments say it's just as good as anything expensive. Half say the pad is too thin and the hinge is stiff. Both things can be true depending on when you bought it, since the formula has changed slightly over time.

My honest take: it's a solid backup. I wouldn't choose it over the Japonesque or Shiseido for professional work, but if your budget is limited and you want to know whether curling makes a difference for you before spending more, start here. Check current price.

The thing Reddit gets right about curlers

The replacement pad conversation is actually important and I'm glad it comes up. The rubber pad on any curler will degrade over time. A flat or cracked pad creates uneven pressure and can actually pinch or crease the lash rather than curl it. Most pads need replacing every 3 to 4 months if you're using the curler daily.

I've seen women blame their lashes, their mascara, their technique, and their DNA when the real problem is a pad that gave up 6 months ago. Check the pad first.

The thing Reddit gets wrong about curlers

Heating the curler with a blow dryer. This comes up in almost every thread and it drives me crazy.

Heating a metal curler and then placing it near your eye is not a beauty hack. It's how you burn your eyelid. The "test it on your wrist first" instructions that always follow this tip exist because the margin for error is small and the consequence is a burn right above your eyeball.

If you want a heated lash option, buy an actual heated lash curler. The Panasonic heated curler uses controlled heat and is actually designed for this. The DIY blow dryer method is not the same thing. Check current price.

Curler technique: the two things that matter

This site isn't a tutorial channel, but curler technique is so often what's failing people that I can't skip it entirely.

First: get as close to the lash root as you can without pinching skin. Most people start too far out on the lash and end up with a sharp bend in the middle instead of a natural curve from the base.

Second: pulse, don't clamp once and hold. Press gently at the root, release, move slightly toward the tips, press again. Three pulses across the lash creates a natural lift. One hard clamp creates a crease.

If you're working on a full eye look and wondering how your mascara is affecting the overall result, the piece I wrote on the waterproof mascaras Reddit actually swears by goes into the mascara side of this in detail.

For hooded or mature eyes specifically

If you have hooded lids or if your lids have started to drop a bit with age, a standard curler can be genuinely hard to use because there's less visible lash to work with.

A few things that help: use the curler before mascara always, look slightly downward instead of straight ahead when curling, and consider a half-jaw or individual lash curler for the inner corner where a standard pad often can't reach without catching skin.

Makeup for hooded lids is its own conversation, and the professional guide to hooded eyes over 30 covers the full picture if that's something you're navigating.

My actual ranking

Final recommendation

If you have no idea what your eye shape is and you just want to buy the one that works for most people: get the Shiseido. Reddit is right about that one.

If you've tried the Shiseido and it never quite worked, you probably need a tighter curve. The Surratt or a smaller-jaw curler is worth trying before you write off curling entirely.

And regardless of which curler you use: replace the pad. Seriously. Check it right now. If it's flat, cracked, or you genuinely can't remember the last time you replaced it, that's probably why your curl isn't holding.

Filed under Brushes & Tools