The 12 Best Eyelash Growth Serums, According to Experts
In a sea of top-rated favorites, here are the formulas that actually work
Reported by Harper's Bazaar.
Longer, fuller lashes have always had a certain power — the kind that makes mascara feel optional and eyelash extensions feel unnecessary. But with a saturated market full of competing claims and genuinely confusing ingredient lists, knowing what to actually put near your eyes matters. According to Harper's Bazaar, the experts worth listening to here are ophthalmologist Dr. Ashley Brissette and New York optometrist Dr. Jennifer Tsai — and their guidance cuts through the noise fast.
The biggest thing to understand before buying: prostaglandin analogs. These synthetic compounds are behind many of the most dramatic lash-growth results, but they come with a real risk profile — think inflammation, potential iris pigmentation changes, and muscle twitching. Both Brissette and Tsai recommend prostaglandin-free formulas for everyday use, pointing to peptides, biotin, amino acids, and hyaluronic acid as the ingredients that actually deliver without the side effects. Brissette's own serum was built around this philosophy, using biomimetic peptides and independent ophthalmologist safety testing — which she notes is "surprisingly rare" in this category.
The Formulas Worth Your Money
At the affordable end, The Ordinary's Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum (under $20) packs 11 active ingredients including four peptide complexes — though Brissette flags that you need the full 12 weeks of patience to see payoff. Lumify's serum, backed by Tsai, keeps it clean with peptides, hyaluronic acid, and biotin, zero prostaglandins. RevitaLash remains a perennial favorite for its conditioning Biopeptin complex and botanical support from ingredients like panax ginseng and saw palmetto. For those willing to invest, Augustinus Bader's dual brow-and-lash formula uses its proprietary TFC8 technology to boost keratin production, with users reporting visible regrowth within two weeks. Olaplex brings its bond-building technology into the lash space with the Lashbond Serum — same idea as their cult hair products, now applied to your most delicate strands, with results reportedly visible in as little as two weeks.
Vegamour's plant-based GRO Lash Serum earns consistent love from contact lens wearers with sensitive eyes, while Sweed's prostaglandin-free formula adds pumpkin seed oil and keratin to its peptide base for lashes that hold a curl better. Benefit's Whoop Lash and Lancôme's Cils Booster both carry ophthalmologist-tested credentials, with Lancôme leaning heavily on amino acids to combat the brittleness caused by daily eye makeup. GrandeLash Sensitive is the brand's answer to its own controversial original formula — reformulated with chamomile, green tea, and hyaluronic acid for those who want results without the risk.
The bottom line: the best lash serum is the one formulated safely enough to use consistently — because no serum works if you stop using it after one mild scare.
Read the original at Harper's Bazaar.
