When I was little, my childminder always used to tell me of “the little girl who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. And when she was good, she was very very good, but when she was bad, she was horrid!” I couldn’t possibly guess as to whom she was referring…

Anyway, the stubborn curl in my baby hair could at least have had the grace to stretch, not to my temper, but to my eyelashes. As if it’s not bad enough that at my sleepiest, I already resemble a rabbit with myxomatosis, eyelids poised to flutter shut at the slightest opportunity.

Eyelash curlers have traditionally been my saving grace in these circumstances, but when it became clear that mine were no longer up to the task, I did what any sensible girl would do…and ran to Liberty.

I ended up ordering these online under the seriously misguided impression that it would be quicker. Let’s take a moment, shall we, and consider my track record for being around to accept home deliveries? Yeah, not happening. They eventually arrived in a disproportionately large box with enough plastic balloon padding inside to fill it. So much for environmental friendliness, Liberty, but at least the package looked big enough that it merited being collected from the local depot.

The curlers themselves are very simply presented – and so they ought to be, really – and come with one set of refill pads. They don’t feel too flimsy, and it’s easy enough to make sure that even the least coordinated among us (ahem…) don’t end up with crimped eyelids.

before

after

As you can see, even without mascara, the effect is definitely perceptible. My lashes will win no awards on their own merits, but they are all the better for fluttering with, post-curling.

These cost £20 at Liberty, which didn’t strike me as being too expensive – more than the average mascara, but the pad lasts for three months’ daily use, so it’s more of a beauty “investment”, if such a thing exists. Packaging and delivery snafus aside, I would definitely recommend these. They’re currently being put to the test at London Fashion Week!

  9/10