Before I started testing the best eyelash growth serums, I would tell my friends that I had “baby lashes”—eyelashes only a few centimeters long that not even a lengthening mascara could fix. Tired of the habitual application of a strip lash on each makeup wear or a pricey trip to a lash tech for extensions, I made it my mission to find something that would promote long-lasting results for thicker, stronger, and longer eyelashes. Turns out, I wasn’t alone on my quest.
A spot alopecia diagnosis about a decade ago left Vogue’s beauty shopping writer Conçetta Ciarlo with periods of lash loss and a delayed re-growth cycle. While she initially turned to Latisse (the only FDA-approved eyelash growth treatment), it required a dermatologist’s prescription and left her with some subtle hyperpigmentation along her upper lash line. Both of which were not ideal. Over time, her long lashes grew back, albeit less dense and a bit more prone to falling out. Ready to try a different approach, she started experimenting with over-the-counter options—often those trending on social media, in search of something more accessible, yet comparatively effective.
Vogue’s Favorite Eyelash Growth Serums
Sky Organics Organic Castor Oil Eyelash Serum
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“Lash growth serums work to strengthen, nourish, and condition the eyelash hairs, which may give a thicker and healthier appearance with consistent use,” board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD tells Vogue. “By improving the health of the lash hair, it may also help make it less susceptible to breakage.”
While my lashes are short and curly, and Ciarlo’s are long and straight, both of us have found success with growth serums throughout our years-long tests—a testament to the fact that these formulas can benefit all lash types and concerns. It’s really just about finding the right formula for your needs. “Eyelash serums work when used properly,” says board-certified dermatologist Purvisha Patel, MD, founder of Visha Skincare, who recommends a consistent routine of daily application, adding that “it takes at least a month to see results.”
Below, eye experts—including ophthalmologists, optometrists, and dermatologists—share everything you need to know about eyelash-enhancing serums, alongside some of their favorite formulas that have also been tested by our team.
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Best Overall: Vegamour Gro Lash Serum
- Why We Love It: Vegamour’s lash-growing serum takes a clean beauty approach, blending natural-derived ingredients that are also ophthalmologist-approved. “Vegamour’s formula contains peptides as well as mung bean extract, which is rich in selenium,” board-certified ophthalmologist Dr. Diane Hilal-Campo tells Vogue. Selium, she explains, is an “often-overlooked mineral that is believed to play an important role in hair growth.” Plus, the formula is best known for being prostaglandin-free, so you can swipe it on without fear of hyperpigmentation.
- Editor’s Note: “Vegamour’s lash serum is the one I reach for most consistently. For years, it’s become a safety net for me to stave off lash fallout. There are other formulas I’ve used that have worked well, but I’m almost always left with some skin darkening at my lash line—Vegamour’s option gets the job done with clean ingredients, without spooky side effects.” —Conçetta Ciarlo, beauty shopping writer
- Key Ingredients: Red clover, mung bean extract, peptides
- PGAs: No
- How to Apply: According to Vegamour, apply the serum to the upper and lower lash line twice daily for the first two months, reducing cadence to once daily following.
- More To Know: Vegan, cruelty-free, prostaglandin-free, sulfates-free, paraben-free, and toxins
- Size: 3 mL