We have the golden age of Hollywood to thank for our obsession with long, fluttery lashes.
As Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Rita Hayworth batted their dramatic eye looks on the silver screen, the beauty world took note and XXL lengthening has been the state of play ever since.
The desire for eyelash extensions dates back far further than the silver screen – all the way to 3500 B.C. The Ancient Egyptians were said to have layered-up lotions and potions to achieve more voluminous lashes, while both men and women coated on darkening residues – but this was for a far more practical reason; to shield their eyes from the sun.
Fast forward to 753 B.C. when the Romans associated short lashes with ageing, while long lashes symbolised morality and virginity. Over the years, lengthened cilium has come and gone in the circular way that trends do. Mascara was brought to market in the mid-1880s, while artificial eyelashes began to be glued on following the first patent in 1911, but it wasn’t till the aforementioned stars donned enhanced lashes that it hit the mainstream – and changed the way we look at lashes forever.
Our bid to achieve skyscraper lashes has taken us to some weird and wonderful places, from advances in mascara formulation to false lashes becoming easier and easier to apply. There are professional treatments like LVL lash lift, a perm-like for your cilium. Yet it can weaken the hair and cause breakage. So, what if there was a way to encourage growth by nourishing and conditioning your natural hair? Enter lash serums.
Much like serums to enhance your skin, lash serums work by coating with the likes of vitamin E, hyaluronic acid and proteins. It’s no surprise that these formulas are so popular and constantly trending on TikTok – but do they work? And how? We called on Claire Larsen, Global Master Educator at RevitaLash, a brand that counts Meghan Markle, Olivia Wilde and Kim Kardashian among its extensive fan base, to find out more.
Do lash serums work?
“A consistent routine is the key to achieving optimal results”, stresses Larsen. “For best results, we recommend applying once each day or night. You will want to carefully adhere to the directions and apply a thin line directly to your clean, dry eyelashes, above the lash line”.
She cautions that “Results will vary depending on the individual, but can often be seen almost immediately and will increase over time. With RevitaLash Advanced, we conducted an independent consumer study with 63 participants. After six weeks of daily directed use, 98 per cent reported improved lash appearance and 98 per cent reported healthier-looking lashes.
What does lash serum do?
“Eyelash serums include cosmetic ingredients to condition, strengthen and enhance your natural lashes”, she explains. “The ingredients help to defend against harmful free radicals that can cause our lashes to become brittle and make them more prone to breakage, all while making them look more shiny and healthy”.
How do lash serums work?
Larsen explains, “Formulas full of lash-loving ingredients are applied directly to the lashes. Similar to a hair conditioner, they hydrate the hair with conditioning ingredients for shine and flexibility. This also prevents brittleness and breakage by strengthening the hair with ingredients rich in vitamins and strengthening peptides. They protect the health of the hair with free-radical fighting antioxidants and they enhance the overall beauty of the lashes for a healthier-looking lash”.
How to best apply lash serum?
“Remember to use it every day to see the best results!”, she emphasises. However, it’s important to note, “Using it more than once a day won’t yield “better” or faster results”.
The expert continues “Using the fine brush intended for this delicate area, apply your lash serum directly to your upper eyelashes above the lash line only, avoiding lower lash application. It’s imperative to start with a clean, oil-free eye area and let the product dry for at least two minutes before applying the next step in your AM or PM routine. And just to note, because our lash care products are oil-free, they are safe and beautifully compatible with eyelash extensions”.
Are lash serums safe?
For a brand like RevitaLash, safety is of the utmost importance. Larsen reveals “All of our products undergo safety tests that are then reviewed further by ophthalmologists and/or dermatologists. We work with top chemists in the cosmetics industry to ensure excellence in formulation, and we guide responsible development by always using the best available ingredients which meet our highest standards for health and safety. In addition to clinical testing, we also conduct in-house product testing and external consumer product review and benchmarking for third-party validation of product performance”.
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