Transformative Beauty: A Curled Lash

There's a saying: "It's the little things." Normally when you think about "transformative beauty," you think of major makeovers -- but in my case, something that completely transformed my beauty routine is when I started to curl my lashes.

It sounds simple, right? And you're probably wondering how it can transform your look to simply curl your lashes. But it does, and it's why I do not leave the house without curling my lashes. Maybe that's a bit dramatic, but hey, we all have our beauty vices.

I didn't start to regularly curl my lashes until my first year of college. I don't know what made me decide to be consistent about it, but one day, after curling them and applying mascara, I realized how open and awake my eyes looked.

I have smaller, almond-shaped eyes and very straight lashes. In fact, they are so straight that they cannot hold a curl unless I use waterproof mascara (regular formulas tend to be too "wet" and weigh down my lashes). Because they're so straight, they really don't make an impact at all unless they're curled. Curling them creates an illusion that my eyes are really "open" and awake, and it also defines my eyes in a way that eyeliner alone can't.

As if my lash-curling obsession wasn't enough, I also have a very distinct method that I use every.single.time. I heat my lash curler with a hair dryer. For my lashes, it simply doesn't work any other way.

So, here's the trick that works every time: Heat the head of your lash curler with your hair dryer for about 5-7 seconds. Next, place the head of the lash curler in your hand and gently squeeze to make sure the curler is not too hot to be near your delicate eye area. Then, curl your lashes as usual, holding the curler in place at the base of the lashes for a few seconds to really "lock in" the curl.

I curl my lashes before applying eyeliner and mascara. It protects your lashes to curl them when they are free of any products. I also find that for women who don't like to line their upper lash line, curling lashes right at the base can create an illusion of more thickness and volume, enough that the eye is defined without using liner.

So, are you convinced that curling your lashes will transform your beauty routine, too? Let me know if you love curled lashes as much as I do -- or if you're planning to try it out.

This post is part of BlogHer's Transformative Beauty editorial series, made possible by Sonia Kashuk at Target.