Eyelash growth serums aren’t just a ploy that cosmetic companies are using to get you to buy another product. Like the hair on your head, lashes grow, rest, shed, and regrow. However, the older we get, the slower the growth process becomes, so lashes start to thin out — which is why lash growth serums come into play. 

The good news is, the best eyelash serum no longer has to come from a dermatologist. An eyelash enhancer can be found anywhere from the department store to your local drugstore, so there are formulas to address all lash goals and budgets. Need another good reason to use an eyelash growth oil? Eyelashes aren’t just about vanity and beautification. They also protect the eyes from debris that can cause injury or infection. 

Not sure what to look for in the best eyelash serum? No worries. Here at the Derm Review, we’ve reviewed hundreds of products with a scientific lens to ensure you’re creating a skincare regimen that’s safe and effective. Ahead, 15 eyelash growth serums for the ultimate lash boost. 

Eyelash Growth Serums: The List

BEST OVERALL

Carrot & Stick The Eyelash Growth Serum

FULL LIST

Latisse Eyelash Serum

Babe Lash 

GrandeLASH-MD

Younique Moodstruck Esteem Lash Serum

HydroPeptide Lash Serum

Dr. Lancer Lash Experience Intense

LashFood Phyto-Medic Eyelash Enhancing Serum

Rapid Lash Eyelash Serum

Perricone MD No Makeup Lash Treatment and Mascara

Peter Thomas Roth Lashes to Die for Turbo Conditioning Lash Enhancer

neuLASH Lash Enhancing Serum

Pronexa Hairgenics Lavish Lash Eyelash Growth Enhancer and Brow Serum

Understanding the Eyelash Growth Process

Before understanding how eyelash growth serums work, it’s essential to understand the growth pattern of lashes. There are three specific phases:

• Anagen, Active: The first phase lasts approximately 4-10 weeks. It’s the period when the hair attached to the dermal papilla (aka blood supply) nourishes the lash to stimulate growth at a rate of 0.12 to 0.14 millimeters per day. The longer a lash remains in this phase, the longer it will grow.
• Catagen, Transition Phase: This is a crucial phase because eyelashes stop growing because the hair follicle shrinks and disconnects from the dermal papilla. If an eyelash falls or is plucked out at any time during this phase, the follicle will remain empty until the anagen phase begins again. This period lasts for 2-3 weeks.
• Telogen, Resting Phase: In this final phase, new hairs begin to grow within the eyelash follicle, which causes existing lashes (approximately 50% at a time) to shed. This phase lasts around 3-4 months before reentering the anagen period.

The Science Behind Eyelash Growth Serums

Here’s the thing: Latisse (the best overall growth serum on our list) is the only FDA-approved prescription eyelash growth treatment on the market that stimulates growth in the hair follicles not currently generating lashes. With that said, you need a prescription to obtain it. Other over-the-counter eyelash serums aren’t FDA-approved, which means their safety and efficiency are not entirely known.

Even so, many have been ophthalmologist-tested, clinical trials have been conducted, and are favored by dermatologists. While these serums won’t necessarily stimulate new growth, per se, they will help strengthen and condition lashes, which leads to less breakage and loss — especially during the delicate catagen phase.

What the Best Eyelash Growth Serums Have in Common

If you’re not ready to make a prescription-strength commitment, look for an OTC option with lash-loving ingredients. These formulas typically contain two sets of components: conditioning agents to hydrate and ingredients like biotin and peptides to help strengthen lashes and support a healthy growth process. Other elements to look for in an eyelash enhancer include hyaluronic acid, castor oil, proteins, amino acids, ceramides, and collagen. 

Keep in mind that since lash growth serums are considered cosmetics, it can be challenging to determine how useful all of the ingredients are. With that said, carefully read the label to see if it contains the ingredients listed above and stick to a reputable brand such as the ones on our best list. 

Precautions When Using an Eyelash Enhancer

While lash growth serums can effectively promote longer, fuller lashes, they don’t come without a few risks. 

• As with any products applied close to the eye, ensure that the ingredients are clean, as natural as possible, and dermatologically tested. Any inflammation and irritation can further disrupt the hair growth cycle, causing lash loss and thinning.   
• Don’t use a lash serum if you have eye issues like macular edema, uveitis, or conjunctivitis. 
• Don’t let the applicator touch other surfaces like your bathroom counter or sink. 

The Best Eyelash Growth Serums

THE BEST

BEST OVERALL

Carrot & Stick The Eyelash Growth Serum

FULL LIST

Here are a few effective treatments to help eyelashes grow back.

Latisse Eyelash Serum
The best eyelash growth serum on our list is the only FDA-approved formula made with an active ingredient called bimatoprost. Not only does it precipitate existing lashes to become longer, but it also encourages growth within the hair follicles that aren’t currently generating lashes. As Latisse is a pharmaceutical drug, you’ll need a prescription, so be sure to speak to your doctor about potential side effects such as darkened eyelids and itchy, red eyes.

Babe Lash Essential Serum
Babe Lash features prostaglandins, a powerful ingredient found in some prescription eyelash growth serums and glaucoma treatments. The formula also contains hyaluronate, which is known to moisturize, condition, and protect eyelashes. 

Other ingredients include natural botanical extracts, such as chamomilla Recutita flower extract, ginseng root extract, and Vitis vinifera seed extract, which help bulk up thin lashes and stimulate hair follicles to increase growth. The formula has been dermatologist-tested, is free of parabens, and is safe for contact lens wearers and those with lash extensions.

GrandeLASH-MD Lash Enhancing Serum
GrandeLASH-MD has won multiple beauty awards for its formula, offering visible results in just a few weeks. The formula is packed with vitamins and acids, which will lengthen lashes and create fuller and thicker eyelashes. Safe for contact lens wearers and those with sensitive eyes, GrandeLASH-MD is simple to apply with a small brush applicator, very much like a liquid eyeliner applicator. You can also use GrandeLASH-MD if you’re currently wearing lash extensions.

Younique Moodstruck Esteem Lash Serum
One of the great things about this lash serum is the packaging. While the star of any product will always be the formula, effective packaging can often be the difference between a good product and a great one. It comes in mascara-like packaging with a slim tube with a screw-top attached to a spoolie wand. 

This way, you can apply the serum precisely as you would a mascara without any mess. The formula contains a variety of extracts and peptides to help strengthen the lashes while also increasing length and density.

HydroPeptide Lash Serum
There’s nothing wrong with trying a trend such as eyelash extensions, providing you’re willing to pay for the consequences. From the same brand that brings you incredible hydrating, skin-plumping products for the face comes this fortifying and hydrating lash serum formulated with hair-volumizing biotin and peptides. As a bonus, it’s void of gluten, parabens, phthalates, and sulfates..

Dr. Lancer Lash Experience Intense
To be fair, Latisse costs just as much as this serum, yet the splurge aspect is because you’re not paying for a pharmaceutical-grade product. However, it is a high-performance formula composed of biotin, panthenol, glycosaminoglycans, and pumpkin seed extract to moisturize and promote healthy, lush-looking lashes.

LashFood Phyto-Medic Eyelash Enhancing Serum
While this Ecocert certified formula is deemed natural, it was created by cosmetic scientists and is clinically proven to improve lashes’ appearance. Thanks to a Phyto-Medic Complex (LashFood’s proprietary eyelash enhancing system), expect improved thickness, increased strength, and resilience.

Rapid Lash Eyelash Serum
This award-winning “rapid” eyelash enhancing serum has a worldwide cult following. While polypeptides are responsible for strengthening weak lashes, it’s the soybean oil base that provides a healthy-looking luster while boosting their appearance. The formula is ophthalmologist-tested and clinically proven to be safe and effective to promote more substantial and resilient lashes.

Perricone MD No Makeup Lash Treatment and Mascara
A potent blend of biotin and avocado oil is infused into a tinted formula that immediately improves the look of sparse lashes while strengthening and growing them over time. With each application, this mascara nourishes, conditions, and supports. It’s formulated with biotin, which provides strength and nourishment.

Peter Thomas Roth Lashes to Die for Turbo Conditioning Lash Enhancer
This potent formula contains two proprietary complexes: a Peptide Complex (11%) that encourages growth and a Conditioning Complex (10%) that helps moisturize and soften the look of natural lashes. Additionally, biotin, a highly potent blend that helps improve the look of natural lash length, thickness, density, and fullness. Tahitian plankton extract works to enhance the appearance of dry, brittle lashes.

neuLASH Lash Enhancing Serum
Prevention is the best way to maintain healthy lashes, so don’t wait until you start to notice thinning to take action. This eyelash serum is formulated with various impressive ingredients, including peptides, biotin, panthenol (key players), panthenol, pumpkin seed extract, sodium hyaluronate, and copper peptide to protect, strengthen, and boost hydration while promoting thick eyelashes.

Best Eyelash Serum: The Bottom Line

What is the best eyelash growth serum? Overall, the best eyelash serum is Carrot & Stick The Eyelash Growth Serum.

Sources:
The Eyelash Follicle Features An Anomalies: a Review,” U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health.
Is There a Medication to Thicken Eyelashes?”, Mayo Clinic.
Why Are My Eyelashes Falling Out?,” American Academy of Ophthalmology, February 2019.