Here's How to Grow Eyelashes so They Look Long and Full Without Makeup
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Maybe she's born with it, or maybe ... no, she was definitely born with it. Even armed with the best eyelash curler and the best mascara on the market, my eyelashes don't look like that! Some people are just born with naturally long lashes, and the rest of us are left furiously Googling how to grow eyelashes.
Here's a quick refresher on the eyelash growth cycle: There are three stages. The catagen (dormant stage), the telogen (shedding stage), and the anagen (growth phase) — don't worry, we don't remember learning that in health class, either. FYI, it naturally takes your lashes about three months to grow. But, if you are weaning yourself off using eyelash extensions, or you've pinpointed why your eyelashes have fallen out and are trying to grow them back, three months can feel like a lifetime. Luckily, there are some products out there that can help promote eyelash growth.
Eyelash Growth Serums
"An eyelash growth product should help stimulate the growth of hair of the eyelash," Birnur Aral, Ph.D., director of the Beauty Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, explains. "For hair growth, a product's actives must reach the hair follicle, and as such ... should be regulated as a drug."
Latisse is currently the only lash growth serum approved by the FDA. The product was originally conceived as a treatment for glaucoma (high eye pressure) before researchers noticed a secondary benefit: growing eyelashes. You'll need a doctor's prescription to get your hands on the product, and for good reason. Latisse is a drug after all, and can interact badly with other medications you are taking. Consulting with a doctor is the best way to avoid some of the product's known effects, like the disclosed side effect of green or blue eyes turning brown if the serum gets in your irises.
Long story short: Latisse can cut the time it takes for your eyelashes to grow from three months to four to six weeks. But it's not without its possible side effects. Plus, when you stop using it regularly, your eyelashes stop growing. So, it's up to you if Latisse feels worth it in your situation.
OTC Eyelash Growth Serums
You may know some people who swear up and down that an over-the-counter lash growth serum is responsible for their new long and luscious lashes, and this is where we get into murky territory. These lash serums most likely contain an active ingredient that is similar to, or derived from, bimatoprost (the ingredient in Latisse that stimulates hair growth). But unlike bimatoprost, these over-the-counter ingredients are not regulated by the FDA. Therefore, they cannot receive the agency's stamp of approval for safety.
Consider Rodan + Field's Lash Boost Serum. Last year, the company was hit with a federal class action lawsuit after customers claimed that the company failed to disclose the side effects of the ingredient isopropyl cloprostenate, a derivative of bimatoprost. Some customers claimed the product caused "change(s) in iris color, eyelid drooping, itchy eyes, eye/lid discoloration, thinning and loss of eyelashes/loss of eyelash hair, eye sensitivity, eye infections, and vision impairment."
Yikes. Just because your friends are promoting OTC lash growth serums on Facebook doesn't mean they're safe or effective. So if you're looking for a lower maintenance way to get healthy lashes, try eyelash conditioning serums.
Eyelash Conditioning Serums
Think of eyelash conditioning serums like hair conditioners. They don't directly cause growth, but they do moisturize and strengthen hair to prevent existing strands from falling out. If a growth serum like Latisse works by giving you new growth, conditioning serums work by protecting new growth.
Be on the look out for products with ingredients like peptides, vitamins (like biotin!), and natural oils (especially castor oil), all of which can add strength and shine to your lashes. Our Beauty Lab has found the best serums to promote eyelash growth, including products that help keep eyelashes strong.
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