To prime or not to prime, to curl or not to curl....

Hermanas!!!

Yesterday we talked about LashSaving tips. Today, continuing our Mascara'ing La Vida loca week; I want to talk about what we do -or should or could do- BEFORE we happily jump into actually applying mascara. Remember the mantra: make up is NOT a chore.

PRIMER

I was first introduced to eyelash primer by my beautiful cousin Mamita Financiera. One Christmas she gave me a tube of Estee Lauder's Lash Primer Plus. I remember it quite vividly. She said "I know, this is yet another step in your makeup routine, but you will be grateful". The woman is wise.

Not only was I hooked on primer; I realized that any mascara I applied after one or two coats of primer lasted longer, and its benefits showed more. Besides, primer helps me -and you- protect our delicate lashes. It is something worth investing some dinero on. Specially if you, like me, enjoy a good drugstore bargain for mascara.
Today, a lot of cosmetic companies make their own mascara primers; or sell the 2-in-1 sytems like, for instance, L'Oreal Double Extend Mascara, or Revlon's Lash Fantasy. My staple is still Estee Lauder's; but I am dying to try Urban Decay's Lingerie and Galoshes, and of course I always welcome sugerencias and tips from you all.

CURLER???

I must say, I do not curl. Ever. I don't for two reasons: First, I am blessed with nice and curly lashes (much with the help of mi madre, and her loving ritual of nightly ricin oil); and second; the idea of crimping my eyelashes makes my skin crawl and my poor lashes fear in terror. Even worse... I think eyelash curlers look eerily like torture devices...

However, I know that many of you simply cannot not do it. Since I am a complete ignorant of curling; I can only tell you what I have heard or seen other hermanas do. Most of you have of course heard (and if not, you kave now) of Shu Emura's Eyelash Curlers; which seem to be THE ultimate tool.



The other -and much more affordable- tool is a spoon. Yep, you heard me. My adored cousin La Beba, yet another makeup diva extraordinaire swears by this. She devotes more time with the whole eyelash pampering than anyone else I know. She curls with a rounded spoon, and then separates each lash (more on this later in the week).

I have also recently heard about heat eyelash curlers; but the idea is more than I can bear.

Sooooo....curling or not curling is up to you. My take? Don't, if you can avoid it. And if you do, keep your tools in shape and clean, always. Perhaps you can give one of many curling mascaras a try before going at it with a passion; and maybe this way you can avoid unecessary stress in your already sensitive lashes.

What is your take? Do you prime? Do you curl? I want to know!!!

Siempre, Bella.