Have you ever heard anyone wish for shorter, thinner lashes? No, me neither. Most of us want longer, fuller-looking lashes, but between daily mascara, curlers and lash extensions, we're not always doing them any favours.
The good news? Lashes respond to a bit of care, just like the hair on your head. I've rounded up the lash serums and growth mascaras worth adding to your routine, plus the habits that help them work harder.
How can I make my lashes grow?
Give the falsies a break. Strip lashes and the glue that holds them can pull out your natural lashes as they come off. If you're serious about fuller-looking lashes, take a few weeks off.
Take your mascara off gently. Rubbing at waterproof formulas is one of the fastest ways to lose lashes. Hold a cotton pad soaked in an eye makeup remover over your lashes for ten seconds, then sweep down, never scrub.
Feed them from the inside. Lashes are made of keratin, a protein, just like the hair on your head. A balanced diet with enough protein from foods like fish, eggs, beans and yoghurt helps keep all your hair in good condition.
Choose a mascara that cares. A formula with conditioning ingredients means you're looking after your lashes every time you wear makeup.
Add a lash serum, and stick with it. Serums condition lashes from root to tip. Consistency is everything here: most brands test their results over four weeks or more of twice-daily use, so skipping days will hold you back.
1. The Do-it-All Growth Mascara
Why it helps your lashes: it's made with D-panthenol (provitamin B5) to help prevent lash fallout, plus ingredients that keep lashes hydrated, smooth and looking denser, so they're less likely to break.
The wand: short, but packed with soft-fibre bristles that build density lash by lash without clumps.
Longevity: excellent. A tiny bit of flaking after 14 hours of wear, and I really put it through its paces.
Also worth knowing:
- Water-resistant and humidity-resistant
- Lengthens and thickens
- Suitable for contact lens wearers
- A soft fruity-floral scent of rose, jasmine, raspberry, peach and white musk
Guerlain calls this skincare for your lashes, and it earns the title: it's a do-it-all mascara with a lash serum built in. One coat gives a natural look, two adds volume and depth, and three looks like I'm wearing falsies.
After around a month of wearing it every day, my lashes looked fuller and longer, and I'm certainly not mad about that.
2. The Gentle Lash Serum
Why it helps your lashes: it's inspired by hair science. A Kerasolution Complex of four amino acids found in hair works alongside hydrating hyaluronic acid and soothing cica (madecassoside) to condition lashes from root to tip.
The results Lancôme reports: in a self-evaluation test of 102 people, 87% said their lashes felt stronger and 83% saw less lash loss when removing their makeup.
How to use it: sweep it along the lash line, root to tip, morning and night on a clean eye area. Give it 90 seconds to settle before you apply mascara.
Also worth knowing:
- Tested under ophthalmological control and on sensitive eyes
- Doubles as a lash primer under your usual mascara
- A good pick if extensions, curlers or waterproof mascara have left your lashes feeling weak
3. The Lash and Brow Booster
Why it helps your lashes: the key ingredient is arginine, an amino acid that helps restore the condition of lashes and brows. The result is lashes and brows that look fuller, healthier and glossier.
The applicator: a soft flocked tip that reaches right into the lash line and between lashes, with no mess.
How to use it: gently work it along your upper and lower lash lines and through your brows, morning and night, after your skincare. Don't rub.
Also worth knowing:
- Treats brows too, so it's the one to pick if sparse brows are on your list
- Lightweight and absorbs quickly, so it won't leave a film under mascara
- Made in Japan
4. The Peptide Powerhouse
Why it helps your lashes: it packs 11 active ingredients, including four peptide complexes (short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of protein) plus caffeine and plant extracts. Together they help nourish and protect lashes and brows so they look thicker and fuller.
The results The Ordinary reports: an improved look of lash and brow density in as little as four weeks, in clinical testing on 30 people using it twice a day.
How to use it: after cleansing, apply a thin layer along the lash line and through your brows, morning and evening.
Also worth knowing:
- Light, water-based and non-greasy, so it sits happily under mascara
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- The Ordinary recommends a patch test before first use
4. The Serum-Mascara Hybrid
Why it helps your lashes: it's half mascara, half lash care, with a 96% skincare formula. Organic castor oil conditions and protects, while organic oat sugars give lashes a natural curve. Clarins says that after four weeks, lashes are conditioned, nourished, stronger and look visibly thicker.
The results Clarins reports: in a clinical study of 30 women, 82% found their lashes fell out less during makeup removal after 28 days.
The brush: ultra-soft, made with cotton and castor seed oil fibres, and coats every lash in one pass.
Three ways to wear it:
- On its own, for a natural, softly tinted lash that enhances your own colour
- As a primer under your usual black or brown mascara
- At night, as a sleeping mask: 5 to 10 swipes before bed
Also worth knowing:
- 94% ingredients of natural origin
- The pick if you want lash care but can't give up mascara, even for a few weeks
5. The Lash-Care Volumiser
Why it helps your lashes: 88% of the formula is lash-care ingredients. Clarins' Lash Boosting Complex+ [HA] pairs sphinganine and panthenol to improve the quality of your lashes, even when they're bare. Hyaluronic acid coats each lash for definition, and mastic tree extract helps strengthen lashes from root to tip.
The wand: a dual-fibre brush with castor fibre bristles that lifts and separates each lash from root to tip.
Longevity: Clarins promises a 24-hour hold with no clumping or smudging.
Also worth knowing:
- Five benefits in one: volume, length, curl, definition and care
- Buildable, from natural to full drama
- 93% ingredients of natural origin
- Recyclable glass bottle
Which one is right for you?
You want one product that does it all: Guerlain Mad Eyes Mascara or Clarins Wonder Perfect 5D Mascara. Lash care and full volume in one step.
You want lash care but can't go bare: Clarins SOS Lashes Serum Mascara. Wear it alone for a natural tint, or under your usual mascara.
Your brows need help too: Shiseido Full Lash Serum.
You want to try a lash serum without a big spend: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum.
Your lash questions, answered
How long does a lash serum take to work?
Most brands measure results after four weeks of twice-daily use, so give any serum at least a month before you judge it.
Can I wear mascara over a lash serum?
Yes. Let the serum dry first (Lancôme suggests 90 seconds), then apply mascara as usual.
Can I use a lash serum on my brows?
Shiseido Full Lash Serum and The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum are both designed for lashes and brows.
What if my eyes feel irritated?
Rinse the area and stop using the product. It's worth patch-testing any new eye-area product first.
