Eyelash Growth Serums: Do They Work?

Do Eyelash Growth Serums Really Work? My quest for the perfect lashes all started innocently enough, with a commonplace trip to the drugstore. I went to the fake eyelash section, selected a pair and set off, hopeful and excited.

Drugstore fake lashes are the BEST. (Or are they? Soon, we will learn the truth.)

Related: 10 nail art tutorials even newbies can do

I got a little bit accustomed to seeing my face framed by enormous lashes and so suddenly, one day, it wasn't enough to glue them to my eyelids on an everyday basis. I wanted something more, um, permanent. That's when it got progressively more serious, with some at-home DIY lash extensions experiments (which I don't not recommend trying, but which I also can't totally recommend, either), and then when those DIY lash extensions started falling out and taking my real lashes with them by the angry clumpful … well, you can guess what happened next. I had to find another solution.

My mother used Latisse at the time, a prescription-only eyelash growth serum, and, having seen the results in person, I decided it was high time I start doping my lashes so they'd come back in with vigor. The only problem was that I didn't really want to go to the hassle of convincing my doctor to write me a prescription, and also, no insurance on the planet is going to cover this, and also, a single tube clocks in at around $130. Not to mention the copay.

So, I played around with a few various drugstore options before letting my curiosity win out and ordering some non-prescription version of Latisse, Lilash.

Related: 10 ways to style unwashed hair

What I sought out to achieve: insanely gorgeous lash length, boosted volume, and hopefully no bizarre side effects (eye-color changes -- it can happen!). Do any of these serums deliver? Would I go blind? Would my green eyes turn poopy brown?

Accompany me on my journey to find out!

Before














Before
Here are my sad, stumpy, thinned out lashes in all their pathetic glory. And is this not a terribly unforgiving angle? I know.

Talika Lipocils Eyelash Conditioning Gels















Talika Lipocils Eyelash Conditioning Gels
I first tried Talika on a recommendation from the girl at the drug store. She said she wore drugstore lashes daily and used this to keep her eyelashes strong. (This is New York, where shoot, wearing fake eyelashes daily don't really cause anyone to bat an eyelash.) I liked that it seemed to be pricey enough to indicate that it'd work, without being so pricey that I felt like a chump for buying it. But after using it for four weeks, the only change I noticed in my eyelashes was that they were now pokey. Like, spike eyelashes. They weren't longer, they weren't thicker, they just seemed... aggressive. It was really weird. In case this is the look you're going for, you can buy your own lash weaponry for $19.99 here.

L'Oreal Lash Boosting Serum



















L'Oreal Lash Boosting Serum
I've actually used this one before, a few years ago when it first came on the market. It does a pretty spectacular job, considering it's only $11. It comes with this funky wand that reminds me of a banana split, and you're meant to apply it like you would mascara, to both upper and lower lashes. It doesn't cause any real growth, but in a quick turnaround your lashes DO look a lot healthier, and when applied before mascara (wait a minute or two for it to dry first) it does help your mascara to go on smoother. It's great for what it is. Zero side effects. Easy to get at the drug store. Unlike other serums I've tried the results seem instant but do not improve over time. Obviously, I wanted more. I wanted the dream! Get it here.

Lilash

















Lilash
I finally took the plunge and bought a tube of Lilash in May, and started using it as directed once a day. You apply it like you would a liquid liner, just along the top of your lash line. (The pamphlet strictly forbids using this on your lower lash line.) It takes a minute or two to dry, and I usually apply it at night. Side effects? Yes. Your eye area does darken, similar to if you've had a particularly non-restful night of sleep. And weirdly, it looks like I'm always wearing a subtle eye shadow. I haven't noticed any change in my actual eye color. And it does take awhile. I think I started noticing a difference at four weeks, with a couple of lashes reaching astronomical lengths. It was actually kind of funny and awkward, like the eyelash equivalent of a gangly teenager. The company promises full results in six weeks, and true to their claims, at six weeks I was pleasantly shocked! They were long -- long but not any thicker (bummer!).

After















After
See? Not bad! At one point they got sort of unwieldy. I was all, "How do you mascara these puppies without looking ridiculous?" They were long enough to touch my eyebrows. Not kidding.

Two Months Later















Two Months Later
After two months of using the serum nightly, I switched to every other day to make the tube last longer. Lilash appears to work by causing your follicles to hold on longer than normal, which is how your lash is able to get so long. I did notice (and this is weird to say) a certain kind of achiness along the lash line at times when I'd rub my eyes at night, like the follicles were possibly working harder than they were used to. A kind of fullness at the root, almost. And of course, your lashes can't stay in there forever (though a friend's sister used the Lilash and it apparently got so out of control she had to trim her eyelashes -- yes!), and at the four month mark I noticed a few eyelashes falling out here and there (which is completely natural. We all lose lashes pretty much all the time without realizing it.)

Case in Point















Case In Point: Take A Look At This, Will You?
Yes, that is my eyelash. You could make, like, six wishes on it, it's that long. And now I know you're going to want to know where you can get the Lilash. It was available for a while on Amazon, but seems to have run out of stock? For now, I'll direct you to the official website. (P.S. Lilash also sells a brow version, which I'm assuming is the same serum with a different wand. Never fear, just this week I started using the Lilash on my eyebrows. I will report back.)

- By Natalie Holbrook
Follow Natalie on Babble

For 45 things you should buy at Forever 21 RIGHT NOW, visit Babble!

MORE ON BABBLE
7 superfoods you need to eat for healthy, glowing skin
10 chic hairstyles that take less than 10 minutes
5 ways to look well-rested when you haven't slept
25 beauty tricks that will save you time in the morning


Stay connected. Follow Babble on Facebook and Twitter.