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Oh. My. Goodness. A commenter mentioned this a few days ago, and we had to pass along: According to AOL's Stylist, L'Oreal will be removing Shu Uemura from all U.S. stores by the end of 2010 — meaning our beloved eyelash curler will now be much harder to come by. We haven't found anything better than this baby, honestly, and for $19 (for now, available at Sephora) it's always struck us as a small price to pay. We heartily recommend it! shu uemura Eyelash Curler
Update 2013: The curler is sometimes available on Amazon!
eslawyer
i would also like to recommend the MAC eyelash curler. i used to use Shu Uemura but now use the MAC one b/c it curls my short eyelashes better. and i think the MAC is cheaper…$14 or so.
jojo
do you know if you can buy replacement pads separately from MAC? I love Shu Uemura’s, but it only comes with one replacement silicone pad, and to get more you have to buy a whole new eyelash curler. Bogus.
eslawyer
i don’t think they sell the pads separately. at walgreens, i think some of the OTC brands (like maybelline) sell just the pads. but i don’t know how good they are.
zee
I saw the comment and rushed to my local Sephora right away to stock up. There was only one left, so I hope they restock!
Jen
You will still be able to buy their products directly from their USA website. :)
Shayna
Yup :-) And bonus – now you get a fun package in the mail
Delta Sierra
It’s like Christmas! Half the time, by the time it arrives I forgot what I ordered!
DJ
Is this really so much better? I’m really curious, I hardly ever curl my lashes now, and instead just use the mascara wand … does this make a huge difference?
oh and relatedly, what do you ladies use to avoid eyeshadow crease? I have tried a few expensive “eye primers” to no avail, my eyeshadows run all over my eyes making my painstaking shadow application job look like someone punched me in the eye. Any thoughts? :)
Selia
I don’t know the differences between specific brands of eyelash curlers, so I can’t opine on whether one is better than any other; however, using an eyelash curler(as opposed to not using one at all) does make a big difference, in my opinion. I don’t wear a ton of eye makeup, but when I curl my lashes (pre-mascara) they look much better and longer. I actually heat up the curler with my blow dryer a bit and it works great – but feel it with your hand before you use it or the metal might be too hot!
Shayna
What do you use to put on your eyeshadow? I use a thin layer of l’oreal’s eyeshadow primer (I’m sure there’s some foofy name for it), but I found that using a brush made the difference, and not using a lot of eyeshadow was better.
Also, to avoid strange eyeliner issues, I take an eyeshadow applicator (the ones that come w/ the shadow), wet it, drag it through the eye shadow and use that to line my eyes – it gives this nice smudged effect without precision required.
Lee
Only buy eyeshadow that specifically says “creaseproof” or something of that sort. If the eyeshadow doesn’t say that, it will crease.
In my experience, primer can sometimes make creasing worse because it just adds more gunk to your eyelids. If you already use moisturizer or serum or something before your foundation/powder, you probably don’t need a separate primer.
Steph @ Stiletto Jungle
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($18) is amazing for avoiding eyeshadow crease. I prefer Eden, which is their matte nude primer, but it is also available in a sheer nude and a shimmery champagne. Too Faced Shadow Insurance ($17) is also good, but best for dry skin as it is a little oily. Both are available at Sephora.
Also, I agree with Shayna– using a brush rather than a foam applicator makes a huge difference in how shadow looks and how long it lasts.
Lisa
I second the rec for Urban Decay Primer Potion. My creases used to show up after 2 hours, and now it lasts almost all day. On days with leftover eye lotion like Regenerist, I’ve noticed the creases come back sooner. Just need to make sure the eye is clean and ready for application!
3L
I would not recommend the Urban Decay primer, it’s gunky for a primer.
J
I third the rec for Urban Decay– the stuff works magic on my rediculously oily eyelids. Plus, you can use it on lips and it makes lipstick stay on too (but, any primer might work for this too).
jojo
Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Stay-in-Place ShadowCreme (featured here quite a while ago, I believe) is a great product. It’s easy to apply and blend but it doesn’t crease, disappear, or move.
And yes, an eyelash curler can make a dramatic difference.
MelD
That eyeshadow looks great. I prefer cream eyeshadows, but like to buy them in duos or quads to do some blending. Anyone have any suggestions of good cream eyeshadows that come like that instead of in singles?
Steph @ Stiletto Jungle
I really like NARS cream eyeshadow. It comes in duos as a standard option, plus they often come out with limited edition palettes that contain several coordinated cream eyeshadows.
eslawyer
In addition to Urban Decay, MAC paint pot is also really good (I use the color “Painterly.”) It will make your shadows last longer and give a more intense color. And yes, as others have said, make sure you use eyeshadow brushes (and not the foam applicators)!
Teresa
Huge Huge HUGE difference. If I don’t curl before using mascara my top lashes get tangled and stick to my lower lashes and I end up picking at my eyes all day. But luckily the cheap, under $5, drugstore curlers work just fine for me.
spacegeek
Yes, I love this eyelash curler. I’ve used heated mascara wands and they don’t work as well as the Shu. And I’ve used many cheap-o eyelash curlers over the years too, and the Shu is the best.
jojo
fyi, not sure how many Corporette readers also read it, but Jezebel has been featuring a “Beauty 101” series:
http://jezebel.com/5503922/beauty-101-your-foundation-and-concealer-concerns-answered
and
http://jezebel.com/5498551/beauty-101-your-eyeliner-woes-solved
Forgive me if this is an illegal cross-pollination but it’s on topic and might be helpful to some.
Nevadamtnbear
Thanks for the links. The eyeliner one was very informative. I’m a train wreck when it comes to trying to pull of formal make-up looks, so instead I’ve just resigned myself to simply a light foundation/tinted moisturizer, mascara, and occasionally a light dusting of shadow. Might be fun to experiment some.
MelD
Haha- glad to know I am not alone. I have a really unsteady hand when it comes to eyeliner and often end up redoing at least one eye to make it look decent.
K
I’m always worried that using an eyelash curler on a daily basis will damage my eyelashes over the long run. Does anyone have evidence for or against this? If any of you have been curling your eye lashes daily for years, have you seen any bad effects on your eyelashes?
v
This might be stupid, but they fall out and grow back pretty regularly, right? I don’t think any effects could be long term . . . even if they break your lashes, they’d grow back just fine.
3L
Have been using curlers for 10 yrs and see no repercussions.
Karolina
Thanks, that’s good to know! I guess they do fall out and grow back, we just don’t notice.
Nina
Big fan of the eyelash curler myself until I went to a couple of make-up counters and both reps said the same thing– they can always tell when a woman uses an eye last curler regularly or is a contact lense wearer. all that tugging around the eye area is no good. they said use the curler on special occasions only (not every day) otherwise no more eye lashes when you’re older. don’t know how scientific the advice is, but that’s what they said!
MelM
maybe I have weird eyelashes, but I have never ever been able to use an eyelash curler w/o pinching my eyelid – OUCH. will the shu uemura one really be that different and worth a trip to the Sephora store at the mall? (hate the mall)
I use a Clinique eyeshadow base, but if you use too much – and have any age on you – it seems to make the wrinkles look worse (same w/ cream eyeshadows for me). I find using brushes means the eyeshadow doesn’t stay on the whole day – I guess because less of it is on there to begin with.
Jen
I used to always pinch my eyelid too. I found a small eyelash curler at Sephora (Sephora brand I think) that is about 1/2 as wide as a regular one and barely curved at all. It has made all the difference for me.
Elle Woods
Sorry to rain on the Shu Uemura parade, but I was actually pretty disappointed with the eyelash curler. I bought one as review after review and person after person had raved about it, and it was fantastic for about the first week and then it just stopped doing anything. The spare pad was absolutely no use as it kept falling out all the time.
As I use one almost every day, I really struggle to find a curler that doesn’t lose its springiness very quickly and result in me having to spend a lot longer trying to curl my eyelashes and not gettin anywhere near as good a result.
Suggestions welcome as to how to maintain that first week impact!
A Different Liz
I bought one after reading rave reviews here. Although it doesn’t pinch my eyelid, it has no visible effect on my eyelashes.
Emily I
I, too, bought a shu after reading the rave recommendations and was rather disappointed. The first few times I used it, I was fairly happy, but a week or so in, I felt like I was using my same-old drugstore brand curler.
That said, buying a new curler prompted me to start curling my eyelashes again, which I had pretty much stopped doing. Curling my lashes, even with a so-so curler, does make a difference.
housecounsel
Let me take this opportunity to extol the virtues of heated eyelash curlers, specifically the Panasonic one. I ordered it on amazon.com after two Sephora-brand ones proved useless. The Panasonic uses a AA battery and works beautifully, with no pulling of eyelashes.
Rhonda
My skin is very dry. Powder blush only stays put for a couple of hours. Anybody have a recommendation for a cream blush that doesn’t cost a bloody fortune? Or have any tips to make it last longer?
MelD
I have Josie Maran finger paints- it’s a set of 4 that you can use on eyes, lips, and cheeks. It comes in a set that’s more warm tones and one that is cooler tones. As I pointed out earlier I just don’t do well with powder either since it never seems to stay on, but the finger paints work well. I usually mix them to get the right shade for my cheeks/eyes.
AIMS
I have actually had the opposite experience — usually cream blush does not stay on for more than an hour or two, powder lasts longer (though is not as pretty).
My recommendation is to use both. Layer powder over cream if you really want it to stay on. Just keep in mind that you will get a much more intense color so maybe go down a shade or use a lighter hand.
sf
I actually much prefer the Sana eyelash curler (the curvature fits Asian eyes better, for some reason) The Shiseido curler works for me too!
hoboken esq
Second the rec for MAC Paint. If I ever skip it, my eyeshadow creases and ‘falls’ off within hours. Don’t let the tiny little tube fool you – one tube lasts forever. Love this product.
hoboken esq
Also second/third the rec to use brushes instead of foam applicators. Spend money on a natural fiber brush once and use it for years. .. just make sure you wash it in gentle cleanser every once in a while.
Jane
Have read many rave reviews for Shu eyelash curler. Have NEVER been more disappointed in a beauty product. I like the Tweezerman version – and I think it holds that first week “springiness” a little longer than most.
Kim
I purchased Shu and Shiseido curlers at the same time so that I could do a contrast and compare – they’re basically the same and no big whoops for either. I’ll have to give the Tweezerman a try.