We all have that friend who has perfect eyelashes. They look like they’re wearing mascara when they’re not, and when they do apply a little, it’s like, OK, save some for the rest of us. While some people are blessed with naturally long lashes, others have to work at it a little. Here are a bunch of ways to make your eyelashes grow—plus some tips for faking it.
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For these, we recommend buying a pack of disposable mascara wands on Amazon (you can get 100 for $5), dipping a clean wand into your desired oil and gently brushing it through your lashes.
Olive Oil
Is there anything olive oil can’t do? Natural olive oil is rich in essential fatty acids that act as emollients, which moisturize and softening your eyelashes, encouraging growth.
Vitamin E Oil
This vitamin-derived oil has long been used to promote stronger and more moisturized eyelashes. The fewer lashes that fall out, the fuller they’ll look.
Coconut Oil
Another eye-safe lash moisturizer and strengthener, coconut oil, when applied to hair, can prevent protein loss, which contributes to weaker strands. If your coconut oil is too thick to use on a mascara wand, you can either warm it up so it becomes liquid (just make sure it cools before applying), or warm a little between your hands and apply it to your lashes with your fingers.
Castor Oil
Found on the ingredient list of many lash serums, castor oil moisturizes lashes, causing them to appear fuller and more lush.
An easy way to make your lashes longer and fuller is to slow hair loss in the first place. When removing eye makeup—whether with your fingers and a cleanser, a makeup wipe or cotton rounds—be gentle. The less you’re tugging at your lashes, the less likely they are to fall out prematurely. We're fans of Clinique's Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm. In the container it has a balm-like consistency, but once you warm it up between your fingers, it transforms into more of an oil. Then, once you massage it into your face, it takes on more of a milky feel and basically melts away all of your makeup—including stubborn eye makeup.
If you’ve tried the oil thing to no avail, you might want to consider an eyelash serum. Here are three we swear by. (Just a heads up: The can be more intense than the previously mentioned oils, so stop using them if you’re experiencing any kind of irritation.)
The Facts:
Falsies, extensions, castor oil: We’ve tried every lash-enhancing trick known to woman. But one PureWow beauty editor swears this lash serum is better than everything else: “I’ll start by saying that I’ve always had decently long lashes, but no one ever commented on them until I started using GrandeLASH-MD. I’m not kidding when I say that sometimes they reach my eyebrows—that’s how long they’ve gotten. I haven’t noticed any weird discoloration on my lids or irises and I’ve been using it for a full year. I recommend it to everyone and have gotten approximately 27 people hooked. You’re next.”
The Facts:
The only things we love as much as long lashes are thick brows. Lucky for us, this serum can be used to enhance both in as little as 60 days. Its dermatologist-tested formula is made of botanically derived ingredients that safely stimulate lash and brow growth without irritation. Plus, it’s half as expensive as most lash growth products, making it the perfect entry into the world of serums.
The Facts:
If you needed longer lashes, like, yesterday, this is one of the quickest working serums we know of. In as little as 30 days it will make brittle, sparse and thin lashes look like falsies thanks to a nutrient-rich complex that nourishes hair at the follicle. All you have to do? Swipe on the clear serum every night before bed and let the polypeptides and biotin get to work while you snooze. Most importantly, it’s clinically proven to be safe, gentle and effective. Talk about a no-brainer.
If you don’t want to wait for your lashes to grow, but instead want them to look fuller right this minute, try one of these five tricks.
The Facts:
When it comes to eyes, Tweezerman knows its stuff. Says one PureWow editor, “I’ve tried a bunch of different eyelash curlers, and no matter how good they are, I keep going back to this one. It’s super easy to use—the grippy handle stops any slippage—and my lashes stay curled forever. Plus, the neon pink just looks really cute in my makeup bag.”
The Facts:
For 5 dollars, it doesn’t get much better than Maybelline’s eyelash curler. It lifts and curls lashes pretty much effortlessly—and for a price that won’t break the bank. For added effect, blast your curler with a blow dryer for a few seconds before curling your lashes (just make sure it’s not too hot first) for an extra-long hold.
The Facts:
Shu Uemura’s classic tool is pretty much the holy grail of eyelash curlers. Curved at an angle that suits all eye shapes, it comes equipped with a silicone rubber pad that releases just the right amount of pressure to curl lashes. It’s consistently at the top of “Best Of” lists, and for good reason: According to one of our editors, it creates a curled lash that stays that way all day long: “Yep, this one’s worth the hype.”