You know what kills my interest for a product? When it gets so immensely coveted online or "hyped up" - like the cool kids say. If I wasn't already a fan of Surratt and hadn't made my mind about ordering these lash curlers ages ago, I would've probably skipped them. It took me some time to place the initial order as the price tag felt horrendous for such a small tool and they were out of stock for a long time after being mentioned by a couple of big Youtubers. The reviews I've seen online have been mostly positive, so I was optimistic to see the performance myself. But was it worth it?
Surratt Relevée Lash Curlers
Designed by world-renowned make up artist, Troy Surratt, these curlers are meant to create a natural, doll-eyed look without "harsh edges". According to the copywriting, the curlers have been hand-calibrated in Japan.The matte black eyelash curlers come in velvet pouch and cardboard box. Gums not sold separately. $35.8/£28/32€, I purchased mine on Cult Beauty.
Packaging
Surratt's packaging strives to be very convenient, customisable and minimal. The eyeshadows and blushes come in light-weight, see-thorough plastic cases, making them easy to pop into a palette. I was expecting something along the same lines from the curlers,you can only imagine my surprise as I saw the actual outer box. Don't get me wrong,I do enjoy a luxurious packaging, but this time the slip, box and pouch made me feel I'm paying mainly for the presentation. In the end, I'm not storing my curlers like a piece of jewellery, but tossing them in my make up bag.
Relevée Lash curlers feel
The matte black is very chic, I do like the way these curlers sit in my hand. They're very comfortable to squeeze, no chance of wobbling.The charm does come off easily if you're bothered by a tag hanging from the curlers. The curlers are not stiff per se, but do have some resistance when you press them. No force or pressing multiple times is needed to curl your lashes, which feels like a great improvement to my old pair of Shu Uemura curlers.
Surratt vs Shu
Other classic eyelash curlers like Kevyn Aucoin or Shu Uemura were up there in the price, but not nearly as expensive as the Surratt. I'm happy I decided to bite the bullet as upgrading your eyelash curlers is like taking your make up to next level, an immense improvement in daily ergonomics (at least for a make up addict).I've used Shu for years, replacing the gums and curlers whenever needed. The Surratt comes with one replaceable gums (I think I misplaced mine right away..), but I've read online you can also use Shiseido gums.I feel Shu Uemura has a very bouncy pads/gums and the curlers feel "floppy" after some time, making the Surratt feel nicely stiffer, firmer and easier to control. What used to annoy me in my old pair of curlers was pinching - every time I tried to get them close to my lash line I managed to get some skin between the curlers, which obviously hurt. I haven't had this problem as nearly badly with Surratt.
Curling the lashes
I have pretty mediocre lashes and annoyingly they tend to stick down if I don't curl them. You can see in the first image my lashes curled (left) and natural (right), 2nd image is lashes curled with some Shiseido Integrate mascara. I could double curl my lashes to get a more doll-eyed effect, but I try to avoid curling my lashes after adding mascara as it may cause the lashes to break. I like the soft curl: there's no hard edges or the lashes sticking straight up. The look is natural, pretty and believable, but I wouldn't mind if there was some more drama.
Final thoughts
Overall they're excellent eyelash curlers, but if you can't afford them I'm sure there are other curlers that get the job done. The most important is to find curlers best for your eye shape, which is unfortunately a trial and error. I don't regret purchasing new curlers, but I'm dreading the day I need to replace the Surratt as I'm not mentally prepared to spend the same amount of money again.You might want to opt for the most affordable first, such as Shiseido. The SUQQU curlers are next on my wish list as I've been hearing a lot good things about them.
What's your trusty pair of eyelash curlers?
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beauty, review
Laura Loukola
surratt, eyelash curlers
