11 best eyelash curlers that enhance, lift and add drama to your lashes
Eyelash curlers are a small but mighty make-up bag essential for lifting lashes and adding a lengthening effect. The handheld beauty tool can range in size and style, with popular versions including heated eyelash curlers and ergonomically shaped frames.
You’ll find the most classic types have two plates which, when pressed together by closing the handles, curl and separate lashes.
Within the curler plates sit refillable pads offering a comfortable base, so the frame doesn’t stick to lashes. These are mostly made from silicone or rubber and should be cleaned between use, as well as replaced every three to six months. That’s for hygiene purposes and to retain the curler’s springy hold.
Experts recommend keeping lashes in place with an eyelash curler for around 10 seconds, before releasing them and adding mascara. You could use one on a make-up-free day too, to naturally fan eyelashes outwards. Either way, reaching for an eyelash curler is the easiest beauty shortcut for creating extra eye-fluttering drama.
From lightweight to lengthening, read on for our list of the best eyelash curlers to buy.
How we tested
Our tester has been putting these eyelash curlers through their paces for several months. To make our list, they had to offer a visible lift and curl without pulling or pinching. We tried eyelash curlers at different price points, across budget buys and designer picks.
Awakening your eye make-up in one quick move, they should be easy to use with no discomfort and maximum lash lifting results. From designer brands to budget buys, loop hold and push handles, we’ve got all options covered, so read on and discover our best eyelash curlers list.
The best eyelash curlers for 2022 are:
Best overall – Laura Mercier artist eyelash curler: £20, Boots.com
Best for almond-shaped eyes – Tweezerman 38° lash curler: £19, Tweezerman.co.uk
Best for fanning out lashes – Dior backstage eyelash curler: £21, Boots.com
Best for a gentle grip – Mac full lash curler: £16.50, Johnlewis.com
Best for lengthening – Hourglass lash curler: £30, Spacenk.com
Best for an even effect – Kevyn Aucoin the eyelash curler: £23.42, Amazon.co.uk
Best for a natural look – No7 lift and curve eyelash curler: £7.95, No7beauty.co.uk
Best for an upwards lift – Suqqu eyelash curler: £19, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Best lightweight lash curler – Eyeko eyelash cushion curler: £12, Lookfantastic.com
Best heated eyelash curler – Lash Star heated eyelash curler: £32, Feelunique.com
Best budget buy – Brushworks glitter lash curler: £6, Beautybay.com
Laura Mercier artist eyelash curler
This sturdy bronze-coloured eyelash curler has double looped handles to offer a secure hold. Plus, the tall, lightweight frame sits neatly in place on the face without digging into cheeks. The recyclable box includes a spare silicone pad replacement, and we found this cushioning layer hugs lashes while offering a springy-feeling squeeze minus any nipping. The curling plate appears quite wide at first, but this is because it effortlessly reaches every single eyelash.
After using the curler, we instantly saw an impressive, heightened lift to lashes. They looked dramatically curled upwards and appeared significantly lengthened. Adding mascara emphasised this volumized effect further, and our lashes kept their curl for several hours too.
Buy now £20.00, Boots.com
Tweezerman 38° lash curler
A recent addition to the Tweezerman collection, this gold lash curler was created for almond-shaped eyes. That is reflected in the particularly wide shape, which easily covers the entire lash parameter. There are a generous three replacement pads included in the box, offering excellent value for money at under £20.
The silicone pads are noticeably thick for extra cushioning comfort and maximum lash lifting potential. After holding the eyelash curler in place, we watched our lashes being separated and propelled upwards. We saw a satisfying curl, and our eyelashes were fanned both upwards and outwards. They stayed in place throughout the day too.
Buy now £19.00, Tweezerman.co.uk
Dior backstage eyelash curler
Presented in classic Dior showstopping packaging, the box is silver with black branding. Its chic black metal frame is held shut with a clear plastic clip, which makes for compact storage. Opening the eyelash curlers up, we noticed that its smooth sturdy handles were comfy to hold.
Getting in extremely close to the lash line, we found these curlers grip and curl eyelashes without pinching skin. We think this is also because of the almost bouncy cushioned pads, of which one replacement is included. As a result, we saw a lifted upwards and fanned out baby doll-esque look, with our mascara application reaching each individual eyelash.
Buy now £21.00, Boots.com
Mac full lash curler
A metal eyelash curler made of a light loop handled frame, you’ll find one replacement rubber pad in the box. The curling plate is wide with soft cushioning and reaches all lashes. But the tool doesn’t fit too tightly on your eye. We discovered that while you don’t get a massively dramatic heightened lift, it does make for a gentler grip on sensitive lids. Satisfyingly subtle, we saw eyelashes that were evenly lifted up and outwards in a naturally curled effect.
Buy now £16.50, Johnlewis.com
Hourglass lash curler
Within the metallic bronze box, you’ll find this eyelash curler and replacement silicone cushioning pad. It is an angular gold frame that wins dressing table aesthetic points, with double loop handles that are ergonomic. Tightly hugging our lashes, we saw an impressive high lift upwards, rather than outwards fanning. We noticed this curler leaves eyelashes with a classic curl that was also lengthening. Offering noticeable results on bare eyes, with mascara added on top, the result was significantly longer looking lashes.
Buy now £30.00, Spacenk.com
Kevyn Aucoin the eyelash curler
A sturdy eyelash curler packaged in a slide-open box, this is really handy for hassle-free storage and daily use. The red refillable rubber cushion is striking against the silver frame, and you’ll find one replacement inside too. Notably soft to use, while efficiently lifting eyelashes, the curler created an even lift along our lash line. Because each separate lash is curled, they are fanned out while looking lengthened. We saw definition too, which meant our mascara could grip individual eyelashes much more effectively.
Buy now £23.42, Amazon.co.uk
No7 lift and curve eyelash curler
This slimline but sturdy dark grey metal frame is packaged within a plastic box. Including not one but two spare pads, we found that a big plus at this affordable price point. The light frame has sufficient room to hold your thumb and finger for moving into position and closing onto lashes. It grips eyelashes from root to tip as you place them between the pads. Bringing a curl and lift to eyelashes that’s subtle rather than overt, it’s a quick and easy tool for a natural effect.
Buy now £7.95, No7beauty.co.uk
Suqqu eyelash curler
This silver beauty tool brings a unique frame to the eyelash curler game because of its tall, wavy plate. In turn that meant our eyelashes were given an even higher lift. Packaged within a sleek black recyclable box, we found it usefully robust enough for regular storage reuse. Plus, there are two replacement pads inside too. The frame itself is slimline, lightweight, and easy to grip. Reaching the lash line from inner to outer edges, we saw both a curl and height to our lashes which lasted all day.
Buy now £19.00, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Eyeko eyelash cushion curler
A cobalt blue eyelash curler packaged in a cardboard box, it comes with one spare replacement pad. Our first impression of the Eyeko frame was how lightweight this buy is and with looped digit holders big enough for quick use without any faffing. Because the cushioned silicone pad curler is wide, it doesn’t get right up close to lashes. But the curler lifts them without much effort and is very gentle on eyes. Basically, there’s not much risk of poking yourself in the peepers. We saw lashes which were opened out and separated rather than lengthened upwards, but with impressive precision.
Buy now £12.00, Lookfantastic.com
Lash Star heated eyelash curler
What’s different about this eyelash curler is it’s designed to be used after mascara. The heated eyelash curler has four temperature settings, and we mostly plumped for the maximum 95C heat. Within the box is a USB cable for charging, a protective cap for storage, and a mini brush. The styler takes about 10 seconds to heat up, and at this point, we added our mascara, as instructed.
The heated curling wand tip has tiny grooves which gripped our lashes and curved them upwards. We kept the curler in place for 5-10 seconds and saw precise lash separation, as well as defined elongation. We found the sleek tool handy to keep in our handbag for on-the-move curling.
Buy now £32.00, Feelunique.com
Brushworks glitter lash curler
This rose-gold eyelash curler has glittery padded handles, creating a glam aesthetic and smooth hold. There’s a clip included too which holds the frame together when not in use. The silicone pad is so cushioned that we could barely feel it as the curling plates gripped our eyelashes in place. While the frame is a chunkier shape than others we tried, the curler still reaches the full lash line.
We saw gently lengthened lashes, which became even more voluminous when adding mascara on top. As a bargain eyelash curler, this cruelty-free vegan-friendly tool creates a noticeable lash boost for an affordable price.
Buy now £6.00, Beautybay.com
Eyelash curlers FAQs
What should I look for in an eyelash curler?
When purchasing an eyelash curler you should take your eye shape and lash length into consideration. For example, if you have particularly long eyelashes you should look for a longer plate to ensure you don’t miss curling one of your lashes.
The curve matters a lot, so keep your eyes peeled for ones that will suit your eye shape. Flatter curves work much better for flatter eyelids and smaller eyes, as they can fit from end to end on your lash line.
If you have more almond eyes, you would want an arch that is not too rounded but not too flat. Whereas those with rounder, bigger eyes, want a curler with a deeper curve to grab all those lashes.
Are metal or plastic eyelash curlers better?
Naturally, metal curlers are sturdier and more durable than their plastic counterparts, but if you are sensitive or allergic to some metals, plastic may be the way to go.
Are eyelash curlers bad for eyelashes?
When used correctly, there should be no damage to your eyelashes. To prevent any unnecessary lash loss, avoid applying any mascara before using your curlers.
The verdict: Eyelash curlers
Our overall favourite was Laura Mercier’s artist eyelash curler for dramatically curling lashes upwards. If you’ve got a wider-shaped eye and want lifted lashes that are also spanned outwards, we liked Tweezerman’s 38° lash curler. Meanwhile, Kevyn Aucoin’s the eyelash curler is excellent at gripping individual lashes for even definition.
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