Heated Eyelash Curler vs Regular Eyelash Curler

Old-school eyelash curlers were patented in 1931 and have been a staple in women’s makeup kits ever since. Those sultry, curly, luscious lashes were so much easier to achieve after the curler was widely adopted.

But over the last several years, a new entrant has come to make curly lashes even better: the heated eyelash curler aka the electric eyelash curler.

In this article, we are going to look at heated eyelash curler vs. regular lash curler. So what is the difference between heated eyelash curlers and regular eyelash curlers?

Let’s dive right in!

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Tale of Two Curlers

The obvious difference between heated and regular eyelash curlers is that heated eyelash curlers use heat for the desired effect, and regular curlers do not.

But they also differ in other ways as well.

The traditional eyelash curler  design has changed very little since it first came on the market in the 1930s. It consists of a metal body with curved clamps that use either rubber or silicon pads to clasp your eyelashes and curl them upwards.

Most heated eyelash curlers , on the other hand, are a heated wand that looks a bit like a mascara brush. Rather than clamping the eyelashes, it uses heat to curl your lashes.

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Heated Eyelash Curler vs Regular Eyelash Curler

Both regular and heated eyelash curlers can curl your lashes. And both are compact enough to fit into your makeup bag.

Both have the negative drawbacks of any type of tool or cosmetic that you are using close to your eyes.

If improperly used or not properly cleaned, can result in eye infections or damaged lashes.

They each also have distinct advantages and disadvantages over each other:

Heated Eyelash Curlers

Let’s start with the new entrant.

What Are The Benefits of Heated Eyelash Curlers?

The big advantage of heated eyelash curlers is that they are less likely to pull or break lashes. Unlike a traditional eyelash curler, heated curlers are typically shaped like a wand with a heated comb-tip. This shape makes them easy to use.

And since there’s no clamp, this also means no pinching or crimping!

The heated curler better shapes your lashes and the curl holds longer than a traditional lash curler. It tends to make eyelashes more curly than regular eyelash curlers.

That’s what we’re looking for!

What Are The Disadvantages of Heated Eyelash Curlers?

Many heated eyelash curlers are powered by AAA batteries. This can be a bit of a pain, if the battery dies mid-curl.

You need to keep a spare set on hand in case you run out of juice.

That said, recently, rechargeable curlers  have started becoming more popular. Better for the environment, but equally annoying if you need to recharge when you are not at home.

Heat is what makes these lash curlers more effective than the traditional mechanical version, but it’s also the thing that can damage your lashes if you are not using it properly.

The heat can also dry out your lashes.

It’s recommended to use a lash conditioning treatment, like Neutrogena Lash Enhancer Serum  or Revitalish Conditioning Serum  (which we reviewed here) if you regularly use a heated lash curler.

Do Heated Eyelash Curlers Work?

Absolutely! Heat is a great way to tame your lashes and get them all looking even, curly, and luscious. A heated lash curler gives a long-lasting, powerful hold.

Yes, as we mentioned in the disadvantage section, you have to worry about batteries, recharging, and all that stuff, but it’s generally not that bad.

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Traditional Eyelash Curlers

Now let’s take a look at regular curlers.

What Are The Benefits of Regular Eyelash Curlers?

If the thought of putting something heated so close to your eyes makes you uncomfortable, then the fact that regular eyelash curlers are not heated should be a big plus.

Regular eyelash curlers are, on average, about half the price of heated eyelash curlers. Replacement pads are also not very expensive.

Traditional eyelash curlers do not require batteries nor do they need to be recharged. You will never be caught out somewhere in need of a curl refresh and unable to do it because you’ve run out of charge.

What Are The Disadvantages of Regular Eyelash Curlers?

Regular eyelash curlers are more difficult to use than heated curlers.

If used incorrectly, with too much force, or ‘clamping’ for too long, not only will you put a crimp in your lashes, you can weaken them. This may result in breakage down the line.

Improper placement of the lash curler can have you pinching your eyelid, which will not only hurt (obviously!), but can cause other problems.

You can also pull your lashes out if you are not using it properly.

And periodically, you’ll need to replace your curler.

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Does Heating Your Eyelash Curler With a Blow Dryer Work?

So okay, you get a longer lasting effect with an electric eyelash curler. So does that mean I can just heat up my regular eyelash curler?

Though there are TONS of blogs out there that encourage you to heat your regular eyelash curlers with a blow dryer, it’s not recommended.

Because most regular eyelash curlers are made of metal, there is a very good chance of burning your eyelids, your face, and fingers because you have no control over the heat.

In addition, if your eyelash curler uses rubber, rather than silicon pads, they could melt and stick to your eyelashes, resulting in you ripping them out.

Even if you use silicon pads, which stand up to heat much better than rubber, if they are too hot, they can damage your eyelashes.

Heated eyelash curlers are not that expensive . Just pick one up if you want heat.

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How to properly use your eyelash curlers

Most of the disadvantages we listed of both types of eyelash curlers are as a result of not using them properly.

We are going to give you a quick run-down of how to use both so you can achieve the results you are looking for without hurting yourself or damaging your lashes.

Note that these instructions are general. Your specific curler may operate in a different way, and you should follow those instructions.

How to use a heated eyelash curler

Clean your lashes. Use an eye makeup remover to properly clean your lashes to make sure there is no residue from mascara or false eyelash glue or dirt or anything else, before you get started.

Especially if you are using heat, this residue will not only melt and stick to your curler but may cause your eyelashes to stick to it.

Give your curler some time to heat up. Some curlers have different temperature settings, while others have one set temperature that’s deemed safe for your lashes. If you have one of the former, run the wand along your fingertips and adjust if needed.

Place the heated wand in the middle of the base of your lash line.

Bring it forward, toward the tip, stopping halfway to gently push your eyelashes toward your lid for a curled effect.

Hold for five seconds.

Then, bring the wand to the tip of your lashes, gently push, and hold.

Because you eye has a natural curvature and the wand is straight, you will need to repeat this process on either side.

A coat or two of mascara will seal in your curled lashes and give them a boost in volume and length.

How to use a regular eyelash curler

Traditional curlers should be “pumped” as opposed to “clamped”.

The natural urge with a traditional curler is to clamp down and hold in just one spot. This will bend (and damage), rather than curl your lashes.

Instead, you want to ‘pump’ your curler, for about 5 seconds at a time. 

Start at the root, then ‘pumping’ up along the lashes to the tips.

This will give a more natural curve, rather than a crimp.

Follow up with mascara to seal the deal and you are ready to go!

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Final Thoughts

When it comes to the debate about heated eyelash curler vs regular eyelash curler, both are effective at curling your lashes.

Both are perfectly safe to use on a daily basis (if they are used properly).

Although heated eyelash curlers will give you a curlier, longer-lasting curl, you will need to worry about batteries, charging, and all that.

If you want maximum curl, aim for the heated curler. If you want decent curl and simplicity, choose a standard mechanical curler.