Seeing Double

November 23, 2010 Beauty

Are double eyelids double the fun? Faking it is one of Asia’s most popular beauty trends.

After being away for a few weeks, Beauty Goodies is back! While jet-setting through Asia I must share one of the most interesting beauty trends I have come across while visiting technologically savvy Japan. Perusing the aisles of a local store in Nagoya, I came across a few interesting and out-of-this-world beauty products and gadgets. But the most interesting to me were eyelid glue and tape. Glue for the eyes? I had to learn more about this, test it, and see what this was all about!

Asians are identified by their eyes more than any other feature. The majority of Asians are characterized with single eyelids, whereby the upper eyelids appear to be taut from brow to lashes, rather than segmented by a crease. A “double eyelid” uncovers a portion of the eye’s natural contours, making the eyes appear slightly larger and rounder, as well as exposing more of the eye’s lashes. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, blepharoplasty (cosmetic eyelid surgery) is the country’s third most popular cosmetic surgery, surpassed only by liposuction and breast enhancement. For those those who do not want the permanency (or pain) of surgery, eyelid glue was the key to temporarily achieve the look.

Being Asian myself, I never really paid too much attention to the contours of my own eyes. Curious about how it was to be used, I purchased myself a tube to test out. The glue applicator looks like typical clear liquid liner. Following the picture instructions, the glue was to be placed on the center of the eyelid where you would want the crease to appear. The adhesive was very thin, and upon drying didn’t feel like anything at all. Once covered by eyeshadow, no one could tell my lids had been glued together. Did I like the result? I did notice my eyes to be slightly rounder, my naturally long lashes more accentuated. I guess i could understand why it’s such a hit in many Asian countries. But considering the amount of practice and time it took to get perfectly even lids, I don’t think it will be an integral part of my daily beauty routine.

For those who are interested in temporarily achieving the “double eyelid” look, here are the steps I used to apply the eyelid glue.

1. Start off with a clean canvas by using a makeup remover wipe to remove excess oil or makeup from the lids.

2. Focus on the curve of the double eyelid you want to create by using a thin stick ( I used a cotton swab stick) to trace the line where you want the crease to appear.

3. Slightly tilt your head up and use the glue applicator to apply a thin line to the area of the eyelid where you want to create the desired curve.

4. Use a thin stick to gently push the middle of the lid and adhere an area of the eyelids together to create a crease.

5. Apply eye makeup to camouflage the glue.

Do you do think double eyelids will get you double takes? Let us know and share some tips!