Straight, fine and pointing downwards is all well and good for the hair on our heads, but it's not OK when it comes to our eyelashes! In this article, we look at ways to put more muscle into those puny lashes - from mascara and eyelash curlers to eyelash lengthening treatments and salon treatments like eyelash perming and eyelash extensions.

Eyelash Curlers

Always use an eyelash curler before you apply mascara - it really opens up the eyes, especially if your lashes are stick straight and point downwards. Clamp your eyelash curler at the base of your lashes for 10-30 seconds and 'walk' it up your lashes to avoid an unnatural-looking '90 degree' crimp.
To make the curl last longer, blast your blowdryer onto your lash curler for about 5 seconds to heat it. Make sure it's cooled down enough to avoid burning your lids. You can also try heated eyelash curlers.

Mascara

We highly recommend using waterproof mascara after you curl your lashes - it holds the curl much better compared to washable mascara.Waterproof mascara also tends to smudge less.

Our mascara recommendations:

Maybelline Volum Express Turbo Boost Mascara
Maybelline Sky High Curves Mascara
Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara

Eyeliner

Eyeliner gives your eyes the illusion of having more lashes. However, when wrongly applied, it can make your eyes look smaller.
There is one method, which is called 'tight-lining' which makes the roots of your lashes look more dense. To do this, look upwards and apply pencil eyeliner underneath your eyelashes in short strokes. Try it out!
We've found a nice selection of videos from Koji-Honpo Japan which demonstrates how to apply eyeliner to Asian eyes (the models are Japanese and all the videos are in Japanese).

In the next page, we'll look at more eyelash-enhancing techniques like false eyelashes, eyelash lengthening treatments, eyelash extensions and eyelash perming.

False Lashes

False lashes are a bit OTT for daily use but if you're going to a party, its worth spending some time and effort to apply some. Use liquid liner to "blend" the fake lashes to your natural lashline.

Lash-Lengthening Treatments

Lash-lengthening treatments are great for short lashes, and also for those who's lashes are weakened by frequent application and removal of mascara. These nutritive treatments are applied directly to the lashes to make it grow longer, thicker and stronger. Some people even apply it on their eyebrows to fill in 'bald spots'. Many people have reported that they have seen positive results within 2-4 weeks, provided that they religiously apply it on their lashes/eyebrows every night.

Two of the most popular brands are Mavala Switzerland Double Lash and Talika LIPOCILS Eyelash Treatment Gel. Both have received lots of positive reviews from users. Even those who don't see any lengthening report that their lashes are stronger after using it.

Eyelash Perming

Eyelash perming is a salon treatment which offers a more long-term alternative to curling your lashes with an eyelash curler every day. Lash perms last between 4 to 8 weeks (the lifetime of an eyelash) and remain curled even when wet.

Lash Extensions

Lash extensions originated from Asia but have become very popular among Hollywood celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton. Lash extensions involve glueing false eyelashes one by one to your own eyelashes. The process takes 2 hours, lasts about 2 months and cost between $300 to $500.
A less costly alternative would be to use semi-permanent eyelashes, which lasts for up to 10 days, takes only a minute to apply and costs only $50 a pair. However, because semi-permanent lashes use waterproof glue, avoid oil-based eye makeup removers. You can apply semi-permanent eyelashes at a salon or use DIY kits.

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