I have used Shu Uemura's eyelash curler religiously ever since I got into makeup. I don't think I've ever replaced the one I first got so it's probably over 5 years old now. I recently indulged in Shu Uemura's New Generation S Curler, because I had seen reviews of similar shaped eyelash curlers and thought, why not.
Firstly, the old model allows for a one time curling. All the lashes are curled at the same time, and that cuts down on time. The new one requires you to curl one section and then another. So if you are looking for something quick, the New Generation S Curler is probably not for you.
The New Generation S Curler, I find, allows me to get closer to the base of my lashes. By angling the curler for specific parts of my lashes, I could curl them tighter whereas the old model hurt my eyelashes if I curled too close to the base. This meant that my shorter lashes (near the tearduct) were usually not curled as well. For my short Asian lashes, the New Generation S Curler is much better.
Both of these curlers do not suffer from the problem where cheaper curlers do. The black rubbery part that protects your lashes from the metal does not get cut from the upper portion. The ELF one does that after a while, and that is nasty.
Now this is where my review will become more muddy. The old model I have is about 5 years old versus the new one, which is only a few months old. I found the New Generation S Curler to be much tighter (in terms of how much strength I would have to put in to open the curler), and my old one to be much looser. I cannot guarantee that the old one is just as tight when it is new, because I no longer remember. They're both lightweight though.
I did find that the New Generation S Curler kept my lashes curled longer than the old one did. I don't know if that's contributed to how "tight" the curler is though...
Overall, is the New Generation S Curler worth the increase in price? Not particularly, especially if you find that the old one works just as well. I do find myself reaching for it more often than the old one though, but I see the benefits after having used it on my short Asian lashes.
