The 10 Best Eyelash Growth Serums of 2023

Jan 29, 2024

We couldn't believe our eyes after using the royal-approved RevitaLash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner

Alyssa Brascia is a commerce writer PEOPLE, covering beauty, fashion, home and lifestyle products. She has previously written commerce content for Dotdash Meredith brands such as InStyle, Shape, Southern Living and more during her time as the E-Commerce Editorial Apprentice while she was an undergraduate fashion student at Iowa State University. Her passions include fashion and beauty writing as well as makeup artistry and styling. You can find her on Instagram to follow along on her creative journey.

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Let's face it: False eyelashes can be uncomfortable, messy, and did we mention hard to apply? Same goes for mascara from time to time (flakes, smudging — the works). An easy way to avoid the chaos and the wasted time? Invest in a high-quality eyelash growth serum that will give you the doll-like lashes of your dreams. Whether you have sparse or thinning lashes or simply want to see how much longer your flutters can grow, lash serums are an enticing way to enhance your natural features. "With consistent daily use, they can boost growth of new hair, thicken, lengthen and even darken existing hair," says Dani Vincent, celebrity makeup and brow artist and founder of Kimiko Beauty.

In search of the best serums on the market, we at PEOPLE Tested tried 30 different lash serums to see which ones actually worked and which ones you can leave behind. After taking them home and testing these serums for ten weeks, we found that 10 of the products were really worth the lash-lengthening hype.

Read on to discover your new bedtime (and/or morning) ritual that may just give you your prettiest lashes yet.

Amazon

This serum basically doubled our lash length in just one month.

The formula is as thin (and non-irritating!) as water.

Our lashes felt much stronger and less prone to breakage.

It's the most expensive lash serum on this list.

We weren't sure what to expect when we started using what would soon become our favorite lash serum over at PEOPLE Tested, but we approached the whole idea with a bit of skepticism. That is, until we became acquainted with the RevitaLash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner (which also happens to be one that Meghan Markle previously used). This physician-engineered serum has been reviewed by both ophthalmologists and dermatologists, taking a bit of the worry away from putting this serum so close to our eyes. To our shock and amazement, we noticed eyebrow-touching lash growth in just one month that had people stopping us to ask if we got extensions (side note: this had never happened before).

Its thin, barely-there formula feels merely like water and dries quickly, leaving the conditioning components of peptides, biotin, lipids, and more to soak into our lash follicles and stimulate gradual growth. Though we were applying this serum once per day for ten weeks, we saw our lashes nearly double in length over the course of just a month, all the while becoming thicker and less brittle as a result. We do wish that we spurted a few more hairs than we had to begin with (we noticed it worked wonders on our existing lashes but didn't generate any new ones, though the brand does not claim that it will help incite new growth), but we couldn't be happier with the results we did get. The price is high, but this product delivers on its return, so we couldn't recommend it more (keep your eye out for a sale to make this serum even sweeter).

Price at time of publish: $100

Key ingredients: Biopeptin complex, ginseng, swertia japonica, saw palmetto, amino acids, B vitamins | Size: 0.67 oz. | Application frequency: Once daily (AM or PM)

Ulta

Despite the drugstore price, this lash conditioner still delivered noticeable results.

Our lashes became glossier, thicker, and overall better-conditioned.

The bristle applicator makes this serum easier to use.

It's easy to have excess serum on the brush.

If you’ve ever looked at a lash serum brush and thought to yourself, "What do I do with this?," then you’ll be happy to discover that our best budget pick from Maybelline is made with a bristled wand that applies like a mascara, feeling second-nature to even total newbies.

We loved how glossy and luscious this serum made our lashes look as we swiped it on and noticed a visible change in the volume of our lashes after ten weeks of testing. Its composition of arginine (a protein-building amino acid) and pro-vitamin B5 helped to strengthen each individual lash and keep them from becoming brittle, which is super helpful if you’re an avid lash-curler. And if you’re looking for a bit of lengthening in addition to healthier lashes, this pick from Maybelline's got you covered, too. We think this serum is your best bet for a budget pick (just $14!) while still getting the luscious lashes you desire — just be sure to wipe the excess product off of the wand before applying it to your lashes because it can get a little goopy.

Price at time of publish: $13.99

Key ingredients: Arginine, pro-vitamin B5 | Size: 0.18 oz. | Application frequency: Twice a day (AM and PM)

Ulta

Our brows saw major benefits, both in thickness and strength.

Our eyes were irritated when a bit got into the corners of our eyes (especially while wearing contacts).

Plucking pandemonium may have left you with über-thin eyebrows in the past, but this lash-enhancing serum from Grande Cosmetics is here to not only strengthen your lashes, but rescue your brows as well.

Chock-full of powerhouse ingredients like peptides, amino acids, and hyaluronic acid, this serum acted fast on our hair follicles, drying down within 20 seconds of application and giving us thicker strands by the end of our ten-week trial. We saw a noticeable difference in the volume of our eyebrow hairs specifically, improving the fullness and density of our brows in addition to strengthening our lashes (though there was less of a lengthening effect here).

We will note that it stung a bit when excess serum got into the corners of our eyes (which was only enhanced by wearing contacts at the time), so we advise you to be sparing with the serum and avoid eye contact. The product's instructions advise you to swipe on the serum above your lashes like a liquid liner instead of applying it directly onto your lashes — so keep that in mind as you apply.

Price at time of publish: $68

Key ingredients: Amino acids, hyaluronic acid, grape seed extract, honey, aloe vera extract | Size: 0.07oz. | Application frequency: Once daily (AM or PM)

Nordstrom

This serum played nicely with all of the other steps in our nighttime routine, including our eye cream.

We noticed far less eyelashes naturally falling out after using this serum.

There were absolutely no reactions or irritations experienced as a result of this product.

We wish the packaging was designed to stand upright so we could store it more easily.

It can be daunting to put a serum right next to your eye, so it's important to invest in one that won't irritate your eyes or make the growth process painful. The Cils Booster Lash Revitalizing Serum from Lancôme has mastered sensitive eye-safe formulas, causing us zero irritation or reactions after using the product for months (and one tester had pre-existing eczema on their eyelids, which says a lot about the gentle nature of this serum). Its fast-drying formula doesn't drip into the eyes and requires just one dip into the tube to glide over both eyelids, coating each lash line evenly. It worked well with our nightly routine of eye creams and other potions, and truly did lengthen and thicken our lashes over time, as we noticed far less lash loss than we did before using it.

Between being fragrance-free and boasting a nourishing chemical cocktail, this serum came out of our trials on top for both performance and sensitivity. Our only qualm? We wish the tube had a flat bottom, so we could display the pretty gold product with the rest of our go-to nighttime skincare.

Price at time of publish: $49

Key ingredients: Amino acids, arginine, panthenol | Size: 0.13 oz. | Application frequency: Twice a day (AM and PM)

Amazon

This serum felt cooling on our eyes and spread easily onto our skin.

We noticed that we lost far less lashes while removing makeup at night than before.

Its smoothing ingredients stimulate the lash follicles and work to reduce the appearance of fine lines or wrinkles around the eyes

A lot of serum comes out in one pump, which makes us end up wasting some of it (you don't need a lot to begin with).

We love a product that can do it all (or at least serve several purposes in one small bottle), which is why we love this eyelash growth serum that doubles as an anti-aging product. It's packed with rhamnose (a plant sugar that aids in the preservation of skin structure), hyaluronic acid, and volcanic water, which reinforce your skin barrier (and contributes to this serum's water-like texture) — all contributing to the growth of your lengthy lashes and suppleness of your skin.

After several weeks of testing, we noticed a significant change in the fullness of our lashes, especially when it came to our bottom lash line. We found ourselves no longer losing as many eyelashes as we removed our makeup at night and loved the cooling effect that was left as we dabbed this serum onto our eyelids before bed, acting as a luxurious final step in our nighttime routine. People with mature skin and younger skin alike will both benefit from this serum in their daily lives, whether it be for more luscious strands, preventative measures, or anti-aging purposes, as this serum really does it all. We just wish it came in a brush or wand format rather than a pump, because we fear wasting too much product (a lot comes out in one pump). This product is simply too good to lose out on.

Price at time of publish: $35

Key ingredients: Rhamnose, pure hyaluronic acid, volcanic water | Size: 0.51 oz. | Application frequency: Twice a day (AM and PM)

Ulta

We didn't experience any gloppiness or serum dripping into our eyes.

Our lashes physically and visibly grew in strength and length.

This serum was super comfortable to wear, even on sensitive eyes.

We wished that our lashes appeared a little thicker and more voluminous.

In today's digital age, we’re all about instant results — which can cause a bit of impatience while waiting for a lash serum to finally start showing result. But this speedy-fast iteration from RapidLash was able to deliver visible results in just a few weeks, cutting our original ten-week testing period down significantly in terms of physical changes. We loved how gentle this serum was while still working hard to generate longer lash growth, as our testers have sensitive eyes yet experienced zero discomfort when it came to this product. Its super thin consistency ensured that it didn't get clumpy or drip into our eyes, either — another win in our book.

Our lashes were looking longer and growing stronger after just a few weeks of use, resulting in less lash fallout than we experienced before and extending our flutters significantly. While we do wish we saw a bit more thickness in our lashes after the trial period, we can't be mad at the lengthy lashes (and the speed at which we got them) that resulted from this simple serum.

Price at time of publish: $45.98

Key ingredients: Polypeptides, biotin, panthenol, amino acids, soybean oil, pumpkin seed extract | Size: 0.10 oz. | Application frequency: Once daily (PM)

Amazon

Our lashes grew so much that we stopped using falsies.

For how well this serum works, it costs less than most of the products that we tested.

The ingredients are quite simple (and packed with amino acids).

We haven't seen as much volume as we’d like (yet!).

When we peeked at the ingredient list for this EssyNaturals serum, we were happy to see that it was quite short, and primarily made of growth-enhancing and protein-building amino acids, as well as Panax ginseng root to stimulate hair growth.

We could tell what a difference this made for our lashes after just three weeks of use, skyrocketing their length so much that our tester started skipping false lashes when they had events to get glammed up for. It also helped make a spare lash line look much more uniform, meaning it helped encourage new lash growth. Even after the testing period concluded, they decided to keep buying this budget-friendly serum and make it part of their nightly routine (also to monitor whether it eventually aids in thickening lash hairs as well as it has helped encourage length).

Price at time of publish: $29.95

Key ingredients: Amino acids, ginseng extract, oligopeptide-1 | Size: 0.63 oz. | Application frequency: Once daily (AM or PM)

Amazon

The serum felt truly weightless on our skin and dried almost instantly.

Our length grew substantially and even brought out a curl pattern we didn't know we had.

We got compliments on our lashes for the first time!

This is one of the more expensive lash serums that we tested.

This fast-acting, lash-lengthening serum was a total standout among others that we tested for its quick results, gentle formula, and compliment-garnering growth.

We started seeing visible results just a few weeks into testing, but ended up being stopped by colleagues (who didn't know that we were testing serums) on week eight just to tell us how luscious our lashes looked.

This serum was super intuitive to use and glided onto our lids with no drippage, absorbing quickly and remaining irritant-free throughout the process. We noticed much less lash loss throughout the testing period, meaning our strands were getting stronger, and even observed a curl pattern being brought out in our lashes — something we’d never seen before!

The price is definitely high for a 0.10-oz. tube, but compared to the rest of the options on this list, we think it's pretty middle-of-the-road for a high-quality serum that does what it says (and may just surpass your expectations — we know it did for us).

Price at time of publish: $65

Key ingredients: Biotin, keratin, peptides, Swiss apple extract, pumpkin seed extract | Size: 0.10 oz. | Application frequency: Once daily (PM)

Sephora

The wand is very easy to control, much like a mascara wand.

Our lashes grew stronger with time, increasing in thickness and quantity.

No irritation or sensitivity was experienced throughout the testing process.

This serum did not have the most profound results for lengthening.

So maybe you already have naturally long lashes (we’re totally not jealous…) and you’re just looking for a bit more volume. Well, you’re in luck, because this strengthening serum from Velour Lashes was a one-stop shop for lash volume and thickness. The thin, non-sticky formula is packed with peptides, which resulted in our lashes appearing much fuller by the end of the testing period. Its comprehensive wand applied just like a liquid eyeliner and dried down within one minute, making it easy to move onto the next step in your skincare routine like eye cream or moisturizer (this serum is meant to be applied nightly).

After some time, we noticed that we were shedding a lot less lashes than before, even with our regular use of a lash curler. While we were very pleased with the way our lashes thickened up over the months, we didn't see as much action in terms of lengthening — but still, the hairs looked and felt healthy, conditioned, and stronger than they did prior to using this serum.

Price at time of publish: $42

Key ingredients: Peptide complex, chamomile flower extract, ginseng root extract | Size: 0.14 oz. | Application frequency: Once daily (PM)

Walmart

Stimulated growth for both our lashes and brows.

There were visible changes in the thickness of our hairs (especially our eyebrows!).

The tone of our lashes darkened significantly by the end of our testing.

This serum is quite pricey despite not having great lengthening prowess.

Darker lashes without the use of mascara? It sounds too good to be true, but this growth-boosting serum from Âme was one that, to our pleasant surprise, significantly darkened the shade of our lashes over the course of our ten week testing period. In addition to boosting the thickness and length of our lashes, this serum left us with slightly shadowier strands than before, making them look even more voluminous.

It was super easy to swipe this quick-drying serum onto our lash lines with the thin brush, and we didn't experience any irritation, redness, or sensitivity throughout the duration of our tests. (Just to test its acclaimed dual-duty for brows, we swiped the excess liquid left on our wands to our eyebrows after we finished with our lashes, and to our surprise, we saw a boost in both tone and thickness there as well.) While we recognize that most of the products on this list have been pricey, we do wish this one was slightly less expensive for its slightly underwhelming lengthening abilities. However, we were in awe of its volume-boosting and darkening capabilities — making it worth the splurge for those with lighter-colored lashes or anyone wanting a bit more depth.

Price at time of publish: $65

Key ingredients: Pentapeptide-17, butylene glycol, hydroxyethylcellulose | Size: 0.10 oz. | Application frequency: Twice daily (AM and PM)

The ingredients that you should look for and look to avoid are very important when selecting the right kind of lash growth serum. "The most effective lash growth products contain peptides, amino acids, vitamins, and natural ingredients (like red-clover extract and ginseng)," says Vincent. Peptides and amino acids are great for targeting the hair follicles, which stimulates growth and leads to longer, stronger, and fuller lashes. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lian Mack also recommends ingredients like biotin, water soluble B-based vitamins, amino acids, and polypeptides to stimulate your hair's keratin production. Her go-to recommendation for over the counter serums is RapidLash's Eyelash Enhancing Serum, because it "contains polypeptides to limit breakage, panthenol to nourish, and amino acids to fortify proteins."

However, there are definitely ingredients that you should be avoiding to preserve the health of your eyes. Lipids known as prostaglandins and prostaglandin analogues are at the top of Dr. Mack's "no" list. She explains how prostaglandins are molecules that were first used in ophthalmology as a treatment for glaucoma and originally thought to stimulate eyelash growth. But today, researchers have discovered that this type of chemical, or synthetic versions of it (prostaglandin analogues) have been linked to a myriad of issues around eye health. "With consistent use, individuals may develop upper eyelid ptosis (drooping), deepening of upper eyelid (fat shrinkage), increased blood vessel formation, and darkening of the eyelids and under eye area," Dr. Mack explains.

For your safety, we ensured that all of our winners were free from bimatoprost, a well-known (and previously popular) prostaglandin. However, we encourage you to always check the ingredients yourself, as formulas are often subject to change, or confirm with your doctor that the serum you want to try is safe.

The end result (and time frame you wish to achieve it in) is another aspect that you should take into consideration when picking the right eyelash growth serum. Some serums are best for lengthening, like the Borboleta Lash Serum, whereas others are more proficient with thickening, like the Velour Lashes Long & Strong Lash Serum. Or maybe you want luscious lashes in a short timeframe, making you opt for something fast-acting like the RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum. It's easy to get swept up in the sea of serum options out there, so be sure to keep your ultimate lash goals in mind when picking out the right product for you.

Many things about the body change when a person becomes pregnant, not only internally, but also regarding the products you can safely use during that time period. However, the use of any products with prostaglandins is definitely something to be wary of (read: completely avoid) during pregnancy. Since prostaglandins are hormone-like substances, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and using products with this type of lipid can affect existing pregnancies or create health issues along the way. However, both Dr. Mack and Vincent agree that peptide- and vitamin-based formulas are more than acceptable for people going through a pregnancy who still want to try out a version of a growth serum. Though all of our picks are free from the main original prostaglandin in lash serums, bimatoprost, we encourage you to check with your doctor before starting a product like this during pregnancy.

We tested these eyelash growth serums in our daily lives for a span of ten weeks to get the full results of these too-good-to-be-true products. To kick things off, we took stock of our intial lashes and patch-tested the serum on our arms, cheeks, or necks to see if we’d have any allergic reactions or irritation. Seeing as none of us did, we went forth with testing according to each product's manufacturer's instructions. For example, the Vichy LiftActiv Eyelash Growth Serum was a pump-style that we applied with our fingers twice a day, morning and night, whereas the Grande Cosmetics GrandeLash-MD Lash Enhancing Serum has a thin liner brush that we swiped above our lash lines once daily.

We made sure we removed our makeup and took out our contacts before applying each serum (well, sometimes we forgot — and paid the price for it, like the irritation we experienced because we had them in once while testing the GrandeLash MD). We also made sure to avoid the eye itself as much as possible.

After 10 weeks, we reflected back on our trials with this serum and recorded how we felt about the serums' ease of use, absorption, strengthening and lengthening capabilities, sensitivity, value, and overall look of our lashes. We then compared the insights for each product to see which performed the best. From there, we brought you this list of tried and true eyelash growth serums that are actually worth your money.

Eyelash serums are applied just above the lash line, so as to not drip into your eye and cause irritation. Most serums are in brush form, which you can glide on like a liquid eyeliner, or a brush bristle form (think a mascara wand), and in rare cases, a pump like the Vichy product.

You'll need to follow the product's instructions for how many times a day you should be applying your serum. "Daily usage is necessary for tangible results and it can take up to three months to see the full result," says Vincent. She warns us that breaking from consistent usage will return your lashes to their former state, so upkeep is paramount for lengthy, thick lashes.

Some products like the Lancôme Cils Booster Lash Revitalizing Serum require application twice a day in the morning and evening, but others like the EssyNaturals Eyelash Serum only require a once daily application, morning or night. And some are a little more particular, like the Borboleta Lash Serum, which specifically requires nighttime application. The packaging your serum comes in should tell you everything you need to know regarding application frequency.

Both Dr. Mack and Vincent agree that it can take up to three months to see results when using a lash growth serum. This is because these types of products enhance the natural growth —or anagen phase — of the eyelashes, which can take up to ten weeks according to the National Library of Medicine (a.k.a. the length of our test).

In theory — yes. However, you’d have to purposely reapply the serum to the exact same spot every day, which is very hard to achieve accidentally. Vincent assures us that this should not be a concern for anyone wanting to try out a lash serum if you plan on using it how it's intended.

Alyssa Brascia has been a commerce writer for PEOPLE since 2022, with proficiency in beauty research for her coverage of cosmetics and skincare. She previously wrote for InStyle in 2021 to research and write beauty content, becoming well-versed in the world of esthetics.

For this piece, she analyzed the insights given by our testers as they trialed the lash serums at home for a couple of weeks, coming back with their thoughts and opinions on each product. She also tapped board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lian Mack and celebrity makeup and brow artist and founder of Kimiko Beauty, Dani Vincent, to get expert opinions on what makes or breaks an eyelash growth serum, which ingredients are safe, and which products are really worth your money.

We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

But we don't stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.