Review (4/5): The good, the bad and the ugly...
My review consists of the good, the bad and the ugly. First,
the good - I finally found a curler that 'fits' my eyelid. Huh, you say? Well, it appears that most of the manufacturers believe I have golf balls instead of human eyes. The tool's shape is long and shallow enough of a curve to catch most of the eyelashes. It is comfortable to use, but takes a bit of practice. Once you are comfortable with the scissor motion (sorry, no other way to describe it) used to make the curl, you are rewarded with a nice, non-crimpy curl. The pad in this one is the best I have used. This tool also opens wide enough that even the most nearsighted or lush lashed amoungst us can get it close to the base of the upper lashes. The design over all is very well thought out. I recommend using an magnifying mirror if you have to use bifocals (I do). All that said, now...
the bad - there is no replacement pad and I am questioning how sanitary this is going to be in the long run. I agree completely with folks here who advise to REMOVE ALL EYE MAKEUP before use. Ain't nothing pretty about an eye infection. I am wondering out loud how to properly clean this curler to be certain it remains safe. If you are prone to sties and other types of infection, I would be asking the same questions. Which leads to...
the ugly - until you practice and are used to it (won't take long) the results are a bit odd looking. The black pad is plushier and looks to be made of silicone and not the usual hard rubber. I have found that the hard rubber pads are chiefly responsible for that weird ugly crimp you can get. Not so with this one. I mentioned before the squeezy scissor action your thumb and index finger have to use can be tricky. If you have coordination issues, well - things could get ugly.
SUGGESTIONS for use...wash your hands before use. I keep the little plastic clip to keep the tool closed. You could follow the advise of one person here to heat the tool with a dryer, but I think I may skip that. Use a makeup mirror to assist you. Practice when you have some time. Enjoy, Ladies - get out there and be lovely.