Have you heard of lash conditioning serum? Commercial serums work to strengthen and enhance your lashes and brows, making them shinier and fuller looking. And, no surprise, they can be super pricey! Also not a surprise, you can make a super-easy version at home with just a few simple ingredients. Left and right, beauty products are promising consumers the natural lashes of their dreams, but the truth is that most of those products won't work in the long-run or even at all unless you use a prescription product. Independent studies into the effectiveness of eyelash growth serums are sparse, however anecdotal approval is widespread. Many users report visible improvement in the density of their lash line after around four weeks of daily (or nightly) use. Are lash serums safe? Although the pump applicator might be hard to control (it can dispense too much product), the results make using the serum well worth the inconvenience. After the full ten-week testing period, we saw a real improvement in the strength and fullness of our lashes. We also love that the formula helps reduce the number of lashes that fall out during makeup removal. I’ve been following Dr. Bhanusali’s instructions and combing Rogaine through my brows with a spoolie once a day for about four weeks. And my best friend recently noticed how full my brows looked on FaceTime when I had no makeup on (a sign that it’s def working, because my bare brows are usually thin af). Because I’m only spreading it on my brows, so I’ll probably have this bottle for six to eight months at least, making it hella cost effective too.

Combine the ingredients in a clean jar or empty mascara tube. Apply nightly with a cotton-tipped swab or mascara wand. Use daily and you’ll see improvement in 2–4 weeks. Yes! Olive oil is amazing for hair and lashes. You can use it in place of coconut, argan, or castor oil in any of these recipes. Can I add essential oils to my eyelash serum?FYI : We updated this article in June 2023 to give you the most up-to-date info on eyebrow-growth serums, including two tried-and-tested formulas our editors swear by, a dermatologist’s take on if eyebrow-growth serum actually works, and how to choose the best eyebrow-growth serum for yourself. The conditioning treatments in lash serums contain ingredients like peptides to promote healthy hair follicles, vitamins like biotin to strengthen lashes, and amino acids, plant extracts, and oils (such as pumpkin seed extract and castor oil) that may prevent existing lash hair from falling out. These ingredients work by moisturizing and strengthening existing lashes and the surrounding skin, which in turn helps promote healthier and fuller-looking lashes. Peptides: Jas Imani, a New York City-based licensed esthetician and certified Yumi Lash esthetician, recommends looking for formulas that contain peptides, which she says are great for fortifying lash hair and helping lashes grow stronger. Peptides are also great for nourishing lashes that are brittle and frail, so consider them a must if you’ve been too rough with mascara removal or wear waterproof formulas on the regular. GrandeLASH-MD Lash Enhancing Serum is an excellent choice that contains peptides. Biotin: You’re probably already familiar with biotin in supplement form, which is great for helping the hair and nails grow strong and healthy. Imani recommends looking for lash growth serums that also contain this powerful ingredient to help your lashes grow long and strong, too. Both RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum and RevitaLash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner contain growth-promoting blends of biotin, peptides, and amino acids.

That being said, if you get oil in your eyes, it might sting. So it's best to apply serum sparingly, and try to keep it out of your eyes if you can. Can I use Vaseline to help my lashes grow? Many of the best lash serums also contain a supporting cast of nutrients and vitamins to condition the lashes. Biotin, which helps the body to metabolise protein, is a common addition, as is moisturising panthenol. Are lash serums really effective?An eyelash growth product should help stimulate the growth of hair of the eyelash," explains Birnur Aral, Ph.D., director of the Beauty Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. "For hair growth, a product’s actives must reach the hair follicle, and as such ... should be regulated as a drug." The FDA allows lash growth products to be marketed as both a drug and a cosmetic as long as they comply with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) requirements for both. Are eyelash growth serums safe? Caitlyn Martyn is a commerce writer on staff at Byrdie, where she covers beauty and style. She gathered insights and testimonials from our experienced team of editors and in-house lab testers to curate this list of eyelash growth serums. Eyelash serums, growth enhancers, lash perming, and lash extensions are extremely popular lately. While the desire for strong, long lashes never goes out of fashion (mascara, curling wands, and false eyelashes have been around for decades!), the tools and treatments used today are most definitely new.

Carefully following the directions is crucial when using a lash growth serum. Some formulas are meant to be used daily, while others might call for twice-daily use. We updated this article in April 2022 to include additional information about lash growth serum safety following the settlement of three class-action lawsuits made against Rodan + Fields Lash Boost, and removed five products that contain isopropyl cloprostenate. The remaining lash growth serums below have been vetted by the Good Housekeeping Institute's Health, Beauty & Environmental Sciences Lab. Alyssa Kaplan is an experienced writer in the beauty industry and a product tester specializing in cosmetics. She received a bachelor’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she studied marketing and product development in the cosmetics industry as well as fashion business marketing. Alyssa has been a commerce writer at Byrdie since 2022, where she covers all things beauty. Combine equal parts of all three oils in a container. Shake well before each application with a disposable wand. Apply nightly to clean lashes and or brows. 3. Vitamin E Eyelash Serum Biotin, also known as vitamin H, is usually sufficiently found in the foods we eat, such as egg yolk, cauliflower, nut butters, mushrooms, and bananas, but we occasionally need additional biotin if we are deficient. The daily recommended allowance for adults is 30–100mcg, and if your body doesn’t need the extra, it just passes through and is expelled through urination. Lash Serum FAQs Do homemade eyelash serums actually work?While I can't speak for commercial lash conditioning serums, natural serums (like these) are safe for eyes. While this all natural eyelash enhancing serum was easy to apply and non-irritating, our tester saw no improvement in the appearance of her eyelashes. Velour Lashes Long & Strong Lash Serum

Personally, I like to avoid Vaseline because its made from petroleum byproducts. But you're free to use it as a moisturizer if you like. Is olive oil good for lashes?We spoke to two experts to get valuable insights to inform our selections for this story, including: The only eyelash serum that “works” for growth is Latisse, which is the one FDA-approved eyelash serum that has been scientifically proven to encourage eyelash growth. It works by enhancing the growth phase of your lashes (FYI: hair has a growth phase, a resting phase, and a shedding phase), says dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD. What Latisse does—or, specifically, what its active ingredient called bimatoprost does—is help stretch the timeline of the growth phase, so your lashes can grow longer before they naturally fall out (the shedding phase). In a clean glass container, add castor and coconut oil. Pierce and drain the vitamin E capsules into the container and mix well by shaking.