The best eyelash curlers

• If perky, lifted lashes are what you seek, then it’s time to add an eyelash curler to your makeup bag.
• With its sleek design, flat surface, and no-pinch curling, the Surratt Beauty Relevée Lash Curler is the absolute best of the bunch.

Applying mascara without first curling your lashes is kind of like cooking pasta without first salting the water. Sure, you’ll get edible pasta, but it’s not going to taste good. Even if you’re using a curling mascara, you’ll never get the results you’d get with the help of a tool created specifically for the task.

All that said, lash curlers can seem scary to a lot of beauty newbies. Let’s be honest – they look like mini medieval torture devices. The idea of placing something made out of metal that close to your eyes is enough to make your skin crawl. What if it pinches? What if you poke yourself in the eye? Or worse, what if you pull out your lashes? Just the thought of using an eyelash curler is exhausting and intimidating.

The trick is to know exactly how to use a lash curler, which is not as difficult as you may think. All you’ve got to do is gently lay the rounded side of the curler flush against your eyelid so that the top clamp is right above your lashes. Then, gently and slowly pulse the lever two to three times to curl your lashes. If you go slowly, you’ll be able to catch yourself before you pinch your eyelid, which is probably what scares people the most about this whole process.

You can curl your lashes both before and after you apply mascara. It’s always a good idea to give your lashes a curl ahead of application to get that perfect U-shape and then a second curl after your mascara dries for some more drama – and who doesn’t love that?

But just because all lash curlers tend to look the same doesn’t mean they’re actually the same. They’re shaped, sized, and curl differently. So which are the best of the bunch? We’ve put together the top lash curlers on the market. Your perfect eye makeup look is only one curl away.

Here are the best eyelash curlers you can buy:

• The best eyelash curler overall: Surratt Beauty Relevée Lash Curler
• The best pro-approved eyelash curler: Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler
• The most versatile eyelash curler: Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler
• The best curler for hard-to-reach lashes: Preo / Prima Curl Up Japanese Eyelash Curler
• The best affordable eyelash curler: Tweezerman Classic Eyelash Curler Model No. 1034-R

Updated on 10/22/2019 by Remi Rosmarin: Updated formatting, prices, and links.

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The best eyelash curler overall

Surratt Beauty's Lash Curler has a flat, ergonomic design, and gentle silicone pad that lifts and flares out your lashes, offering the very best curl you can get.

Eyelash curlers have been around for ages, so it's difficult to imagine that a new release would truly change your life.

But when Surratt Beauty's Relevée Lash Curler hit the market, that's exactly what it did. This jet-black, lightweight curler quickly became a favorite among editors and makeup artists for a multitude of reasons, and it remains a top-seller to this day.

The biggest thing going for this curler is the design. Instead of the typical "U" shape that so many eyelash curlers have, Surratt Beauty's curler has a wider, flatter shape that sits against your lids much more comfortably. That shape also ensures your lids aren't getting snagged in the metal, which is very important when considering the user experience of a makeup tool.

Surratt Beauty's lash curler also boasts finger slots with two loops instead of the typical one. The extra metal ensures that you don't have to apply as much pressure as is necessary with other lash curlers. To use the curler correctly, the folks at Surratt Beauty suggest pumping this beauty three times along your lashes - once at the very base, once in the center of the lashes, and once at the very top.

This technique seems to be a winner. Surratt Beauty's Relevée Lash Curler has a near-perfect rating across Sephora, Influenster, and Amazon. "So it doesn't matter if you're using the best mascara in the world," one commenter wrote. "If you aren't using this lash curler, you are missing out on a world of gorgeous lashes." The pros agree - This little black tool is regularly spotted in the kits of top makeup artists at Fashion Week and on photo shoots.

Surratt Beauty's Relevée Lash Curler isn't the cheapest curler on the market. But it will save you money in the long run because it lasts for ages. And as one editor at Refinery29 wrote, proper use of this curler may make you reconsider even using mascara in the first place.

Pros: Doesn't pinch your lashes, and is amazing for basically any eye shape.

Cons: Not the most budget-friendly curler on the market.

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The best pro-approved eyelash curler

Shu Uemura's lash curler has a serious cult following with its unique shape and patented hinge, and it's a top pick among professionals.

There is a scene in the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" where Gisele Büdchen, playing a snobby fashion editor, berates the main character for not knowing what the Shu Uemura eyelash curler is. That's some pretty incredible praise for a beauty tool that plenty of folks don't have in their makeup kits. But Shu's gorgeous silver curler more than deserves the cult-following - and the mention in a Meryl Streep movie.

Shu's lash curler is a winner for a bunch of reasons. The first is its shape. Instead of a typical U-curve, this lash curler has a more mushroom curve to it. That means you get a closer hug against your lids than other curlers might provide, which lessens the chances of pinching and pulling - especially for those with smaller, rounder eyes. Shu's mushroom shape also holds your lashes in place as you curl, ensuring no wayward lashes accidentally get snagged in the metal. Ouch.

But the best part about Shu's curler is something you might not even notice because it's more technical than aesthetic. This curler has a patented hinge that actually works to ensure you can't press too hard mid-pulse. It's like a mini failsafe. No matter how hard you press, that hinge is going to make sure the pressure is evenly distributed, which cuts down on your chances of pinching.

Because of all of this, Shu's curler regularly winds up in the kits of makeup artists, beauty editors, and cosmetics pros across the country. One editor from InStyle has been using this guy for years, claiming that "one or two pumps followed by a coat of mascara kept the curl in place until I washed my face at the end of the day." Buyers agree, too, with one Amazon reviewer raving that "the reviews are NOT wrong. This little gem is amazing."

One little snag, though - Shu Uemura has discontinued refills on the silicone pad. And even though this curler's pad is a bit more resilient than others, it does need to be replaced every six months or so, which means you might need to buy a completely new curler. But since the price is right on this tool, that won't hurt all that much.

Pros: Patented hinge that distributes pressure, meaning you get gorgeously fanned-out lashes every time.

Cons: No refills available on the silicone pads

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The most versatile eyelash curler

Not every curler is right for every eye shape, but when it comes to versatility, Kevyn Aucoin's curler is a top pick.

One of the hardest parts about shopping for an eyelash curler is figuring out which one is right for you. There are many different eye shapes in the world, which means that not every lash curler is going to work for every shape. But curlers aren't like shoes - you can't just try them on at the beauty counter and hope to find the perfect one that won't snag your eye. So when you're in that situation, what can you do?

The answer? Reach for Kevyn Aucoin's lash curler. You'll know it from its distinctive red silicone pad. What makes this curler so clutch for newbies is its flatter-than-usual shape. Instead of being curved, a shape which immediately disqualifies a whole host of eye shapes from using it, Kevyn Aucoin's flat curler can accommodate larger, wider eyes without missing a single lash. That cuts out a lot of the guesswork for people who aren't all that intimately acquainted with the shapes of their eyes.

But beyond the shape, Kevyn Aucoin's eyelash curler also wins for a bunch of other reasons. It's slimmer and less bulky than other curlers, which means there is less metal to snag your sensitive skin on. According to makeup artist Rommy Najor, "it doesn't require a strong pinch to the lash in order to curl the lashes." That means you're keeping things gentle around the eyes, which is always a good idea.

This lash curler has crazy good reviews across websites from Amazon to Nordstrom. "I noticed that the pad seems to be firmer than the others, and that makes all the difference in the world," one reviewer said. Others can't stop raving about how long the curl in their lashes lasts. So if you're just starting out and are looking for a curler you can trust without trying it first, Kevyn Aucoin's is an amazing place to start.

Pros: Works on many different eye shapes.

Cons: Since it's got a flat shape, some customers have complained that the lashes don't get as even a curl as happens with other curlers.

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The best curler for hard-to-reach lashes

If your curler isn't getting all the itty-bitty lashes by the inner and outer corners, try the Preo / Prima Curl Up Japanese Eyelash Curler. The unique shape gets every. single. lash, but fair warning - it will take some getting used to.

No matter how much we love our eyelash curler recommendations, everything is subjective. So if you're still finding that your eyelash curler doesn't get all the small lashes by the inner and outer corners of your eyes (which happens to me with every curler I've tried), the tiny-but-mighty Preo / Prima Curl Up Japanese Eyelash Curler will get the job done.

I wrote about it almost two years ago when I was at Marie Claire after makeup artist Romy Najor recommended it during a photoshoot, and still use it to this day. I've used it solo throughout my lashes as well as a supplement to get hard-to-reach lashes after using the Shu. Note that if you decide to use it on its own, it'll take an extra minute or two because it's designed to curl in sections as opposed to the full length of your lashline.

The brushed stainless-steel curler is probably about the width of a standard pencil eyeliner - so it's thin - and is comprised of two pieces that look more like a clamp than a traditional curler. Using is takes some getting used to - you hold it between your thumb and forefinger, hover over just a section of your lashes, and pulse a few times.

It's definitely scary at first because of how close the metal and your fingers are to your eyes, but the device feels like it's made with brushed stainless steel so there's a bit of grip to it and your fingers won't slide right off. Once you master it, even the shortest lashes will be lifted and curled - and to me, that's worth the extra effort. - Jada Wong

Pros: Unique and slim design gets every lash, refillable pads

Cons: Takes time to get used to to design, small size might not be a fit for people with large fingers

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The best affordable eyelash curler

The Tweezerman Classic Eyelash Curler Model No. 1034-R is a great affordable option that won't break the bank.

Theoretically, small tools like eyelash curlers shouldn't cost a lot - and we know that some in our list here do - but at around $10, Tweezerman's Classic Eyelash Curler Model No. 1034-R is a great budget option that doesn't compromise on results.

It has the same construction as traditional curlers with a slim metal construction, finger slots, and rounded pads. Based on personal use, it seems to have a more rounded shape than the Surratt or Shu, but according to the brand and Amazon reviewers, still works well on many eye shapes.

I've used this one a few times (though I personally prefer the Shu) and supplement it with the Preo/Prima to get hard-to-reach lashes. For $10 though, I think it's a hard-to-beat steal, and one worth trying out. I especially like that it comes with three silicone refill pads, which are hypoallergenic and great for those with sensitive eyes. - Jada Wong

Pros: Budget friendly, comes with three silicone refill pads

Cons: Rounded shape might not fit flatter or wider eye shapes

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