Comments on: Unitasker Wednesday: USB-powered eyelash curler

By: Leszek Cyfer

Leszek Cyfer — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:01:48 +0000

Reading this I had a recollection of “Total Recall” with the secretary changing nails color – she’d be thrilled with this product

By: catmom

catmom — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:34:17 +0000

I have a regular eyelash curler that I have used for many years and it works just fine for me. If I didn’t have one (regular or USB-powered), I don’t believe the world will end! Thanks for a good laugh!

By: Molly

Molly — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:06:31 +0000

Wow, of all of the strange things I have ever heard of, this one is really up there. I may be a guilty multitasker, but I’ll skip curling the eyelashes before I curl them heated in front of my computer. Thanks for the laugh.

By: Mikey's mom

Mikey's mom — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:43:35 +0000

USB makes every object cooler. right?

By: alfora

alfora — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:05:08 +0000

@WildcatMom9902: Regarding the “energy saver” comment.

You have to transform the power to a lower value for the heating element in the eyelash curler somehow. But using AC at high voltage is much more efficient than transforming it to 12V DC for the computer, letting it run around the motherboard for a bit, transform it to 5V for the USB port, and use that to power the heating element.

Even if you use a power supply that has a USB socket (or a USB wall outlet) you still have to transfrom from AC to DC which is less efficient than using AC directly.

By: Karyn

Karyn — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:26:15 +0000

This is even more useless than the Pet Rock–with or without the USB cable.

By: julia

julia — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:13:07 +0000

“hen I’ll be able to create make-up templates in Photoshop and have them automatically applied to my face with a USB-powered airbrush make-up system.”

Oh, WANT!!!!

By: Anita

Anita — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:32:28 +0000

@Erin — I don’t have a built-in webcam (my laptop really needs an update… sigh), but all the webcams I’ve owned have a setting/option to invert the image into a mirror. Skype lacks that option, though, at least in the Windows version.

I’ve never curled my lashes (I find mine quite curly enough… I think), so I’m out of touch with the eyelash curler world — are USB-powered eyelash curlers the latest rage among make-up artists?

For my part, I’m looking forward to the day when I’ll be able to create make-up templates in Photoshop and have them automatically applied to my face with a USB-powered airbrush make-up system. Now THAT I might pay for, given that (1) I’m better at Photoshop than at applying make-up, and (2) Photoshop has an Undo button.

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:21:42 +0000

Sadly, I have used a heated eyelash curler and liked it. And I can imagine a use for this one—just switch on Photo Booth and BAM! I’ve used it as a mirror before when mirrors were lacking, so…

I guess what I’m saying is, can I get a USB powered flat-iron?

(I jest, I jest. But only about that last part.)

By: Magchunk

Magchunk — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:21:35 +0000

Ok, as someone who blogs about design, fashion, and yes, sometimes makeup, I have to interject. This is definitely a ridiculous unitasker. HOWEVER many makeup artists do recommend using a warm (not too hot) eyelash curler because, similar to a curling iron, the heating, pressing, and cooling process makes the curl stick around longer. But their suggestion is usually to use a blow-dryer for a few seconds to heat up the regular eyelash curler you already own.

Or to eliminate the curler unitasker all-together, many makeup companies make mascara whose formula promotes curl all on it’s own.

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:37:13 +0000

@Lori — This is weird. Photobooth is also a mirror for me, but not Skype. Is it possible I have the settings off?

By: SN

SN — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:26:23 +0000

I have been reading lately that USB powered items are a good solution for people who travel a lot. Unlike wall socket plugs, USB ports are standard around the world. Popular Science this week showed a wall socket that includes USB ports. It may not yet be at the point where you can go anywhere in the world and expect to find USB ports in your hotel room, but I suspect that’s coming soon.

That said, I personally think this is a bit ridiculous, but I’m a non-makeup-wearing female who couldn’t curl my eyelashes if my life depended on it.

By: Lori Paximadis

Lori Paximadis — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:14:54 +0000

One small point: using Photobooth on my MacBook Pro with the built-in camera, the image shown on the screen *is* a mirror image, albeit not a very high-res one.

But yeah, this is still ridiculous.

By: Cole Brodine

Cole Brodine — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:37:47 +0000

@WildcatMom9902 – I’ve been eyeing that device to install in the power outlets in my home. It would drastically reduce the number of AC/DC adapters that I needed and might actually make some of those silly USB devices a little less silly.

If you read the description on the item, it uses 0 watts when there are no USB devices plugged in, so no more nasty vampire power running up my power bill!

By: Dawn F.

Dawn F. — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:13:26 +0000

No. Freakin’. Way. I don’t know if this is scary or weird or hilarious – maybe all of the above!