10 Best Eyelash Growth Serums That Actually Work
Find out if that lash serum lives up to its claims.
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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.
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.
"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?
It's a good question: Like eyebrow conditioning treatments, lash growth serums that make strictly cosmetic claims (such as “nourishing” or giving lashes “the appearance of fullness”) should be safe for most people to use. But recently, Rodan + Fields faced scrutiny over its Lash Boost for using the ingredient isopropyl cloprostenate, a derivative of the active ingredient in Latisse. A federal class-action lawsuit was filed, stating that it violated consumer protection laws by failing to disclose the use of this specific ingredient, since it has drug-like activity in a cosmetic product but is not regulated by the FDA. In March 2022, the company settled for $38 million and agreed to make changes to Lash Boost labeling.
Do eyelash growth serums really work?
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.
To find the best lash serums, the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab combed through marketing claims and product ingredient lists to ensure that these cosmetics do not contain any bimatoprost derivatives, making them safe for general use. Not sold? A surefire way to achieve fuller, longer lashes is with cosmetics: find a great mascara, get eyelash extensions, wear magnetic eyelashes, or use an eyelash curler. Otherwise, here are the best serums for eyelash growth:
Pros
- FDA-approved
- Easy to apply
Cons
- Has potential side effects
- You can't buy in-store
Latisse is the only FDA-approved eyelash growth serum on the market, making it the best prescription-strength eyelash growth serum available. It's a prescription drug so you'll need to see your doctor to get ahold of it. If using, make sure to only apply on the upper lid, since spreading it elsewhere will trigger hair-growth wherever it's applied.
Just note: there have been a few reports that Latisse turned blue and green eyes brown, but this is a disclosed side effect of this prescription treatment and the generic version of Latisse, bimatoprost.
Neutrogena Healthy Lashes Lash Enhancer Serum
Pros
- Nourishes lashes
- Easy to apply
Cons
Biotin and peptides are the star ingredients in this eyelash growth serum. "I would say this serum thickens the eyelashes and lengthens them," says one reviewer. "When I look to the side and into the mirror I can see how long they have gotten. From the front, they look thicker and shiny even. Easy to apply, and I just apply once a day." To use, apply it like you would a liquid eyeliner.
Peter Thomas Roth Lashes to Die For Turbo Conditioning Lash Enhancer
Pros
- Easy to apply
- Innovative design
Cons
Behold: the 2-in-1 applicator we have all been waiting for. Instead of having to choose between a wand and a brush, this dual brush allows product to reach every lash. The serum uses an 11% peptide-based complex that claims to dramatically enhance lash length, thickness, density and fullness.
Shiseido Full Lash Growth Serum
Pros
- Repairing formula
Cons
Repair damaged lash hairs with a restorative serum like this one. It uses arginine, an ingredient that helps with blood flow, which in turn helps stimulate follicles and therefore revitalizes hair.
Elizabeth Arden PREVAGE Clinical Lash + Brow Enhancing Serum
Pros
- Hydrating
- Targeted application
Cons
Use this serum on both your upper and lower lashes to hydrate existing lashes. The mix of vitamins and active botanicals support the natural lash cycle, helping them look healthier and fuller. “The fine tip is great for precise application so that product doesn’t run into eyes and is not wasted in the process,” says Aral.
Pros
- Natural formula
- Nurtures lashes
Cons
This nourishing product uses ingredients that are 100% plant-derived and/or organic — such as aloe and castor oil — which help to nurture and enhance existing lashes. Even more: you can use this eyelash serum even if you have extensions.
LashFOOD Phyto‐Medic Eyelash Enhancer
Pros
- Natural formula
- Easy to apply
Cons
The peptide-infused eyelash treatment helps to strengthen and nourish existing hairs with a 99.49% natural formula and claims to provide longer and thicker lashes. Simply sweep the brush along the upper lash line the same way you would with eyeliner, and apply every night for best results.
Lancôme Cils Booster Lash Revitalizing Serum
Pros
- Can be applied twice daily
- Brand says it's good for sensitive eyes
Cons
This lash serum helps fortify lashes to make them healthier and stronger. Packed with amino acids, this is perfect for anyone suffering lash damage from lash extensions, lash curlers or daily makeup use. "I've been using this product for a few weeks and I have fallen in love with it," one reviewer says. "It has not only grown my lashes out a bit, but I feel like they are thicker too."
Vichy LiftActiv Eyelash Growth Serum
Pros
- Helps firm and moisturize entire eye area
- Gentle formula
Cons
Unlike many lash serums, this one is also formulated for use around the entire eye area as an anti-aging product. "I have noticed my lashes are longer and thicker after using this product for a few months," says one reviewer. "It is very gentle, unscented, and non-irritating and I have sensitive skin and tolerate it well. "
Equate Hydra-Strength Conditioning Lash Treatment
Pros
- Peptides help repair damaged lashes
Cons
This is perfect for those who want to test out lash serums without committing to a pricier product. The peptides in it help repair damaged lashes by strengthening existing hairs, giving them a fuller-looking appearance.
Katie Berohn is the Beauty Assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day and Prevention magazines, all part of the Hearst Lifestyle Group. She graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder, with a major in journalism and minor in technology, arts, and media, and earned her Master’s Degree at NYU’s Graduate Program of Magazine Journalism. In addition, Katie has held editorial internships at Denver Life Magazine, Yoga Journal, and Cosmopolitan, a digital editorial internship at New York Magazine’s The Cut, a social good fellowship at Mashable, and has freelanced for HelloGiggles. When she’s not obsessing over the latest skincare launch or continuing her endless search for the perfect shade of red nail polish, Katie can be found in a hot yoga class, trying everything on the menu at New York’s newest restaurant, or hanging out at a trendy wine bar with her friends.
Pia is a beauty and fashion editor with a decade of experience at publications including Hello Giggles, InStyle, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Prevention, People en Español and HELLO!/HOLA! She has also written for People, Elite Daily and Bustle. She received a B.A. in creative writing from NYU and a Master of Science at Columbia’s journalism school. She is based in New York City.
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