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People / Alli Waataja
Let’s face it: False eyelashes can be uncomfortable, messy, and hard to apply. Same goes for even the best mascara from time to time. An easy way to avoid the chaos and the wasted time? Invest in a high-quality eyelash growth serum that will give you the doll-like, natural lashes of your dreams.
Whether you have sparse or thinning lashes or just want to see how much longer your flutters can grow, lash serums simply enhance your natural features. “With consistent daily use, they can boost growth of new hair, thicken, lengthen and even darken existing hair,” Dani Vincent, celebrity makeup and brow artist, tells PEOPLE.
In search of the best serums on the market, we tried 30 different lash serums to determine which ones actually worked and which can be left behind. After taking them home and testing for 10 weeks, these eight products are really worth the lash-lengthening hype.
Best Overall
RevitaLash Cosmetics Advanced Eyelash Conditioner
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Nearly doubled our lash length in one month
Formula is as thin (and non-irritating!) as water
Lashes felt much stronger and less prone to breakage
Most expensive serum we tested
We weren’t sure what to expect when we started using what would soon become our favorite lash serum over at PEOPLE Tested, approaching the test with a bit of skepticism. That is, until we became acquainted with the RevitaLash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner (which also happens to be one that Meghan Markle previously used).
To our shock and amazement, we noticed eyebrow-touching lash growth in just one month that had people stopping us to ask if we got extensions (this had never happened before). Its thin formula feels like water and dries quickly, leaving the conditioning components to soak into our lash follicles and stimulate gradual growth. Though we were applying this serum once per day for 10 weeks, we saw our lashes nearly double in length over the course of just a month, all the while becoming thicker and less brittle as a result. The price is high, but this product delivers on its return, so we couldn’t recommend it more.
Key ingredients: Biopeptin complex, ginseng, swertia japonica, saw palmetto, amino acids, B vitamins | Size: 0.67 ounces | Application frequency: Once daily (AM or PM)
Best Budget
Maybelline Lash Sensational Eyelash Serum
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Delivered noticeable results despite the low price
Glossier, thicker, and overall more conditioned lashes over time
Mascara-like bristle applicator is easy to use
Easy to get excess serum on the brush, which can lead to clumps
This pick from Maybelline is made with a bristled wand that applies like a mascara — making the application feel like second-nature to even total newbies. We loved how glossy and luscious this serum made our lashes look as we swiped it on and noticed a visible change in the volume of our lashes after 10 weeks.
Its composition of arginine (a protein-building amino acid) and pro-vitamin B5 help strengthen lashes and keep them from becoming brittle, which is super helpful for lash curler users. Just be sure to wipe the excess product off of the wand before applying it to your lashes because it can get a little goopy.
Key ingredients: Arginine, pro-vitamin B5 | Size: 0.18 ounces | Application frequency: Twice a day (AM and PM)
Best for Brows and Eyelashes
Grande Cosmetics Lash Enhancing Serum
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Brows grew in thickness and strength
Dries within 20 seconds of applying
Beneficial skin and hair ingredients like peptides, amino acids, and hyaluronic acid
Irritation occurred when a bit got into the corners of our eyes
Chock-full of powerhouse ingredients like peptides, amino acids, and hyaluronic acid, this serum acted fast on our hair follicles, drying down within 20 seconds of application and giving us thicker strands by the end of our 10-week trial. We saw a noticeable difference in the volume of our eyebrow hairs specifically, improving the fullness and density of our brows in addition to strengthening our lashes (though there was less of a lengthening effect here).
However, when excess serum got into the corners of our eyes (which was only enhanced by wearing contacts at the time), it did sting a bit. We advise you to be sparing with the serum and avoid eye contact. The product’s instructions advise to swipe on the serum above your lashes like a liquid liner instead of applying it directly onto your lashes.
Key ingredients: Amino acids, hyaluronic acid, grape seed extract, honey, aloe vera extract | Size: 0.07 ounces | Application frequency: Once daily (AM or PM)
Best for Sensitive Eyes
Lancôme Lash Revitalizing Serum
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No interactions or irritation
Less eyelash fallout while using
Works well with other skincare products, including night eye cream
Tube bottom is round instead of flat, making it inconvenient to store
The Cils Booster Lash Revitalizing Serum from Lancôme has mastered sensitive eye-safe formulas, causing zero irritation or reactions during testing (and one tester had pre-existing eczema on their eyelids, which says a lot about the gentle nature of this serum).
Its fast-drying formula doesn’t drip into the eyes and requires just one dip into the tube to glide over both eyelids, coating each lash line evenly. It worked well with our nightly routine of eye creams and other potions, and truly did lengthen and thicken our lashes over time, and we noticed far less lash loss than we did before using it. Our only qualm? We wish the tube had a flat bottom, so we could display the pretty gold product with the rest of our go-to nighttime skincare.
Key ingredients: Amino acids, arginine, panthenol | Size: 0.13 ounces | Application frequency: Twice a day (AM and PM)
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People / Cindy Mathieu
Best Anti-Aging
Vichy LiftActiv Supreme Eyelash Serum
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Feels cooling on our eyes and spreads easily
Lost far less lashes while removing makeup at night than before
Stimulates lash follicles and helps reduce appearance of fine lines
More serum comes out in one pump than you need
We love a product that can do it all (or at least serve several purposes in one small bottle), which is why we love this eyelash growth serum that doubles as an anti-aging product. In fact, after several weeks of testing, we noticed a significant change in the fullness of our lashes, especially when it came to our bottom lash line. We found ourselves no longer losing as many eyelashes when removing makeup at night and loved the cooling effect as we dabbed this serum onto our eyelids before bed.
People with mature skin and younger skin alike will both benefit from this serum, whether it be for more luscious strands, preventative measures, or anti-aging purposes, as this serum really does it all. We just wish it came in a brush or wand format rather than a pump; a lot comes out this way and we don't want to waste product.
Key ingredients: Rhamnose, pure hyaluronic acid, volcanic water | Size: 0.51 ounces | Application frequency: Twice a day (AM and PM)
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People / Emma Phelps
Best for Quick Results
RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum
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No gloppiness or dripping during application
Lashes physically and visibly grew in strength and length
Super comfortable to wear, even on sensitive eyes
Didn't do much in terms of volume
This speedy-fast iteration from RapidLash was able to deliver visible results in just a few weeks, cutting our original 10-week testing period down significantly. We loved how gentle this serum was while still working hard to generate longer lash growth, as our testers have sensitive eyes yet experienced zero discomfort when it came to this product. Its super thin consistency ensured that it didn’t get clumpy or drip into our eyes, either.
Our lashes were looking longer and growing stronger after just a few weeks of use, resulting in less lash fallout than we experienced before and extending our flutters significantly. While we do wish we saw a bit more thickness in our lashes after the trial period, we can’t be mad at the lengthy lashes (and the speed at which we got them).
Key ingredients: Polypeptides, biotin, panthenol, amino acids, soybean oil, pumpkin seed extract | Size: 0.10 ounces | Application frequency: Once daily (PM)
Best Lengthening
Borboleta Lash Serum
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Truly weightless on our skin and dried almost instantly
Length grew substantially and even produced a curl pattern
We got compliments on our lashes for the first time!
One of the more expensive we tested
This fast-acting, lash-lengthening serum was a total standout among others that we tested for its quick results, gentle formula, and compliment-garnering growth. We started seeing visible results just a few weeks into testing, but ended up being stopped by colleagues (who didn’t know that we were testing serums) on week eight just to tell us how luscious our lashes looked.
This serum was super intuitive to use and glided onto our lids with no drippage, absorbing quickly and remaining irritant-free throughout the process. We noticed much less lash loss throughout the testing period, meaning our strands were getting stronger, and even observed a curl pattern being brought out in our lashes — something we’d never seen before!
Key ingredients: Biotin, keratin, peptides, Swiss apple extract, pumpkin seed extract | Size: 0.10 ounces | Application frequency: Once daily (PM)
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People / Ashleigh Morley
Best Thickening
Velour Lashes Lash Serum
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Mascara-like wand is easy to control
Lashes grew stronger with time, and increased in thickness and quantity
No irritation or sensitivity was experienced
Not the most profound lengthening results
This thin, non-sticky formula is packed with peptides, which resulted in our lashes appearing much fuller by the end of the testing period. Its comprehensive wand applied just like a liquid eyeliner and dried down within one minute, making it easy to move onto the next step in your skincare routine like eye serum, eye cream, or a facial moisturizer (this serum is meant to be applied nightly).
After some time, we noticed that we were shedding a lot less lashes than before, even with our regular use of a lash curler. While we were very pleased with the way our lashes thickened up over the months, we didn’t see as much action in terms of lengthening — but still, the hairs looked and felt healthy, conditioned, and stronger than they did prior to using this serum.
Key ingredients: Peptide complex, chamomile flower extract, ginseng root extract | Size: 0.14 ounces | Application frequency: Once daily (PM)
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People / Sarah Brekke
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People / Sarah Brekke
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People / Sarah Brekke
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What to Know About Eyelash Growth Serums
Ingredients to Look for
The ingredients are very important when selecting the right kind of lash growth serum. “The most effective lash growth products contain peptides, amino acids, vitamins, and natural ingredients (like red-clover extract and ginseng),” says Vincent.
- Peptides and amino acids are great for targeting the hair follicles, which stimulates growth and leads to longer, stronger, and fuller lashes.
- Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lian Mack also recommends ingredients like biotin, water soluble B-based vitamins, amino acids, and polypeptides to stimulate hair’s keratin production. Her go-to recommendation for over the counter serums is RapidLash’s Eyelash Enhancing Serum, because it “contains polypeptides to limit breakage, panthenol to nourish, and amino acids to fortify proteins.”
Ingredients to Avoid
However, there are definitely ingredients that you should be avoiding to preserve the health of your eyes. Lipids known as prostaglandins and prostaglandin analogues are at the top of Dr. Mack's "no" list. She explains how prostaglandins are molecules that were first used in ophthalmology as a treatment for glaucoma and originally thought to stimulate eyelash growth.
Researchers have discovered that this type of chemical, or synthetic versions of it (prostaglandin analogues) have been linked to a myriad of issues around eye health. “With consistent use, individuals may develop upper eyelid ptosis (drooping), deepening of upper eyelid (fat shrinkage), increased blood vessel formation, and darkening of the eyelids and under eye area,” Dr. Mack explains.
For your safety, all of our winners were free from bimatoprost, a well-known (and previously popular) prostaglandin. However, we encourage you to always check the ingredients yourself, as formulas are often subject to change, or confirm with your doctor that the serum you want to try is safe.
The More You Know
Products with prostaglandins should especially be avoided during pregnancy. Since prostaglandins are hormone-like substances, according to the Cleveland Clinic, using products with this type of lipid can affect existing pregnancies or create health issues along the way. Though all of our picks are free from bimatoprost, check with your doctor before using if pregnant.
Lengthening vs. Thickening
Some serums are best for lengthening, like the Borboleta Lash Serum, whereas others are more proficient with thickening, like the Velour Lashes Long & Strong Lash Serum. Or maybe you want luscious lashes in a short timeframe, making you opt for something fast-acting like the RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum. It’s easy to get swept up in the sea of serum options out there, so be sure to keep your ultimate lash goals in mind when picking out the right product for you.
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People / Sarah Brekke
Behind the Scenes
To kick off the eyelash growth serums test, after recording what our initial lashes looked like, we removed makeup and took out contacts (one tester forgot the latter and paid the price, experiencing irritation from having them in while testing the GrandeLash MD). We tested these eyelash growth serums in our daily lives for a span of 10 weeks to determine which products actually work, rating them based on the following attributes:
- Ease of use: We tested according to each product’s manufacturer's instructions. For example, the Vichy LiftActiv Eyelash Growth Serum was a pump-style that we applied with our fingers twice a day, morning and night, whereas the Grande Cosmetics GrandeLash-MD Lash Enhancing Serum has a thin liner brush that we swiped above our lash lines once daily. During application, no matter the product, we made sure to avoid the eye area itself.
- Efficacy: Over the course of 10 weeks, we noted the progress of our lashes in terms of thickness, length, and how quickly they provided results.
- Sensitivity: We noted which serums caused irritation or sensitivity in our eye area and stopped using the ones that were painful.
At the end of the testing period, we reflected back on our trials and rated each testing attribute on a scale from one to five, with five being the best. With these in mind, we also rated the products on value and overall look of our lashes at the end of the testing period.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do you apply eyelash serum?
Eyelash serums are applied just above the lash line, so as to not drip into your eye and cause irritation. Most serums are in brush form, which you can glide on like a liquid eyeliner, or a brush bristle form (think a mascara wand), and in rare cases, a pump like the Vichy product.
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How often should you use an eyelash growth serum?
Follow the product's instructions for application frequency. “Daily usage is necessary for tangible results and it can take up to three months to see the full result,” says Vincent.
She warns that breaking from consistent usage will return your lashes to their former state, so upkeep is paramount for lengthy, thick lashes.
Some products like the Lancôme Cils Booster Lash Revitalizing Serum require application twice a day in the morning and evening.
And some are a little more particular, like the Borboleta Lash Serum, which specifically requires nighttime application. The packaging your serum comes in should tell you everything you need to know regarding application frequency.
Why Trust PEOPLE?
Alyssa Brascia is a staff shopping writer at PEOPLE with proficiency in beauty research for her coverage of cosmetics and skincare. For this piece, Brascia analyzed the insights given by our testers as they trialed the lash serums at home for several weeks, coming back with their thoughts and opinions on each product. She also gathered expert opinions on what makes or breaks an eyelash growth serum, which ingredients are safe, and which products are really worth your money.
Our Expert Panel
- Dr. Lian Mack is a board-certified dermatologist at GlamDerm in New York City.
- Dani Vincent is a celebrity makeup and brow artist and founder of Kimiko Beauty.
What Is PEOPLE Tested?
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.
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