I know how you feel! I have stick straight Asian eyelashes that won't hold curl no matter what I do, mainly because I have a monolid/single eyelid, and when I open my eyes, the 'excess' layer of skin folds down over my eyelashes and pushes them down..does that make sense?
So here's my solution (after years of misery):
Normal days out, curl with Shiseido curler in the morning, and carry around E.L.F's curler for touch-ups. Forget mascara et al...it will only cause problems.
Dressier days when I have more time to fuss: Curl, Shu Uemura Last Xtension (really holds curl and lengthens but doesn't deliver volume!), one coat of Too Faced Lash Injection (incredible length and volume, risk of being spidery), let dry completely, then curl again.
Uber-dressy nights: Follow as above, and then add falsies!
P/S Lately I've been using Talika's lash conditioner twice a day for the last week and have noticed considerably longer and fuller...I'm going to keep up with it and hopefully at some point I'll have nice thick lashes that will somehow want to curl up on their own? Wishful thinking..I know...