Bespoke mascara from Eyeko

A customised approach to eyelashes and eyes that hypnotise

“Jeepers Creepers, where d’ya get those peepers, Jeepers Creepers, where d’ya get those eyes?” sang Louis Armstrong in the 1930s. In 2015 one could reply to Mr Armstrong with the answer Harvey Nichols, where the new Eyeko bespoke mascara service (£28) claims to be the first such personalised service in the world, aiming to get those lashes as lush, shiny and bright as possible – enough to enhance eyes to “hypnotise” – to quote Mr A again – one hopes.

Nina Leykind, co-founder and creative director of eyes-only brand Eyeko, believes “women need a customised approach to their eyelashes”. During the bespoke mascara “fittings”, Leykind, or one of her trained consultants, will look at the shape of the eye and the “needs” of the eyelash, such as lengthening, curling or thickening.

“We can create more than 100 mascaras, using various combinations for colour and need,” she says. “Along with one of our 10 brushes – and we are extending the range all the time – I like to think that we have tried to think of everything for every eventuality of problems that might arise from an off-the-shelf mascara.”

After an in-depth analysis and advisory session – what shade to wear with your eye colour, whether or not to use a curling wand or lengthening brush – the options seem endless, but the time spent at the counter is not; in around 20 minutes, two or three bespoke combinations are given a trial. Can’t find the one you like?  Try again – but these eyelash analysts are pretty accurate. Customers leave with a mirrored case with their initials on the box.

This is a fulfilling venture for the perfect lashes that one hopes would have made Mr Armstrong very happy.