To all of you using a selection/curves technique - If you're happy with that go on using it. BUT a good "Professional" technique should have several qualities. It should be fast to apply, it should be controllable and it should be easily repeateble. The method I described is all three. The problem with using a selection technique is that it is SLOW... You make your selection .. perhaps the tolerance was a bit low so you increase it... that's one eye selected... Make sure you're in add mode and select second eye... Maybe select Modify and contract or expand a few pixels.... apply a feather to avoid a hard edge...... etc. Using the method I've described you could be off having a cup of tea by now.. It may look more complicated on paper but once it's mastered it is much faster.
Secondly 'Control'. Using Selection is like using Auto/Program on your Camera. You are letting the computer decide, under direction, the area to lighten and applying a carte blanche curve to the whole thing.
Selection/curves is probably adequate for 9/10 of jobs but why produce a 'Great' Photograph when you can produce an 'Exceptional' One.
For those of you who've used such a method 'for years'. Go and try the technique I've mentioned and then see which you prefer (PS don't forget to use the [ and ] keys to increase and decrease brush size 'On the fly'
And as for HelmetBox 'Auto everything - excellent technique for mediocre photos!"