Japanese eyelashes are getting a superior twist thanks to the invention of a crimper with a miniature heating element to give them a delicate curl.

Traditional eye curling tongs, which look more like instruments of torture than make-up tools, have never done the job properly, according to the makers Matsushita Electric Works (MEW), which is marketing its battery-powered curler in Japan. The Matsuge Kuron incorporates a heating element that is pressed gently against the eyelashes, resulting in a satisfactory curl in three seconds. The Matsuge Kuron has an element that heats up in around 30 seconds and is powered by a single AAA battery.

MEW is a division of the electronics giant Panasonic and developed the curler after research showed that traditional metal crimpers were regarded as necessary evils by most Japanese women. According to MEW's survey, about 70 per cent of the women in their early twenties use a metal eyelash crimper. However, they were not happy with its performance. "!The conventional curler doesn't give a natural-looking curl and it sometimes hurts when it pinches the skin," said MEW spokesman Tom Kado. Although the curler is designed to prevent the heater element from touching the skin, people with extremely short eyelashes should avoid using it, said Kado. The miniature eyelash curler is not yet available outside Japan.