Lashes that are long, full, and glossy are what we all try to achieve in our beauty routines, whether it be from our mascara, a pair of false lashes, or any eyelash treatment like extensions.
Although those methods will help in the moment, strengthening and growing your natural lashes will allow you to have a full, dense lash line with or without makeup. To achieve those results, lash growth serums are often recommended to be added to your beauty routine.
Lash growth serums are available over the counter, however there are also easier DIY alternatives to try that include natural ingredients. You may find that castor oil is often recommended, however the heavy, sticky oil is not the only option.
Is it possible to make an at-home lash serum without using castor oil? You can absolutely make your own lash serum with several other ingredient options that do not include castor oil. While it is a popular choice, products like coconut oil, olive oil, or vitamin E oil will also help to enhance the look of your lashes and strengthen them to grow longer.
Below, we’ll discuss the details behind lash serum, how to make one yourself, and what ingredients to look for instead of castor oil.
Lash Growth Serum Info
Lash growth serums are meant to help enhance the look of your natural lashes, giving the appearance of a full, healthy-looking lash line. They are meant to add extra lash hairs and encourage the existing lashes to grow longer. They stimulate the lashes during the growth period to enhance their overall look.
Although they may seem similar, lash primers and lash conditioners are a separate product from lash serums and all serve different purposes. Lash primers are meant to be used under mascara to prep the lashes for the makeup, and to condition the lashes while wearing the mascara.
Lash conditioner is meant to nourish and soften the existing lashes, especially if you already have a full, dense lash line.
While they all are different, lash primer, conditioner, and serum can be used throughout your beauty routine at various times in order to achieve the best results. Lash serums are available from many over-the-counter brands, as well as prescribed products.
Typically, the serums contain different combinations of ingredients that focus on including peptides and keratin, to mimic the protein naturally found in the lash hairs.
Although there are many brands that offer lash serums, there are many natural, at-home alternatives to try as well.
Can You Make Eyelash Serum At Home?
Yes, there are a few ways to make lash serum at home, using ingredients you may already have on hand. There are several natural ingredients that can enhance the look of your lashes.
Barring any potential allergies, with these at-home ingredients there should not be any negative side effects that can occur from the over-the-counter serums. With many store-bought or prescribed lash serums, there are a variety of side effects that can include darkening of the lash line or the iris.
However, whether store-bought or made at home, there is always the potential for general itchiness or irritation if your skin is sensitive to the ingredients. If any irritation, itchiness, or redness occurs, it is important to stop using the serums immediately and rinse the eye area to prevent further discomfort.
There is the chance for irritation to occur with the at-home remedies, so it is important to do a patch test on another area of the skin to see if there is any reaction. Most options are already available in your kitchen pantry, but you may want to purchase separate options to have specifically for just your lashes.
How To Make Eyelash Serum At Home Without Castor Oil
Although castor oil is a popular at-home ingredient to use in lash or brow serums, there are a few ways to create a growth serum without it. Coconut oil is a popular alternative to use instead of castor oil and is often preferred over the other option.
Coconut oil is gentle enough to use around the eye area and is richly hydrating for the lash hairs. It is rich in fatty acids which help to stimulate the hair follicles to promote longer growing lashes.
Coconut oil will penetrate easily into the hair shaft of your eyelashes to hydrate and strengthen them, which allows your existing lashes to grow to their full potential without breaking.
Olive oil is another popular option that can be used to strengthen your lashes and boost the hair follicle. It is rich in vitamin E, which is going to strengthen the hair. It stimulates the hair growth, while also softening and conditioning the hair, helping it grow longer and stronger.
If you do want to use this alternative on your lashes, it is important to make sure you are using extra virgin olive oil for the best, and safest, results.
Argan oil also has many hair care benefits that can help to nourish the lashes and encourage them to grow to their full potential.
It contains a mix of vitamin E, antioxidants, and fatty acids that can help strengthen the hair and help enhance its growth. The texture of the oil is lightweight and easily absorbed, which makes it an ideal ingredient to use as a serum.
On its own, vitamin E oil is rich in antioxidants, that will protect the hair from environmental damage and help encourage hair growth.
It works to strengthen the hair follicles, to help prevent breakage from happening. Vitamin E oil also has properties that work against hair loss, which will help your lashes appear fuller and longer.
Why Skip On Castor Oil?
Castor oil is a product that is rich in fatty acids and has been stated to work for a myriad of uses, especially in terms of hair growth remedies.
Many of the over-the-counter lash serums include castor oil in their list of ingredients, as well, and it is often the most recommended oil for hair growth. However, the results of whether castor oil can help grow the lashes has been inconsistent.
Castor oil has not been shown to grow additional lashes; however, it does provide conditioning properties that help to prevent breakage, resulting in strengthen existing lashes. It is an oil that is rich in fatty acids, which helps to nourish the lashes to help them grow longer without breaking before the growth cycle ends.
Castor oil is a thick, sticky oil, but can also help to make the lashes look shiny and healthy. The results can appear as though the lashes are growing longer or thicker.
Best Ways To Use Eyelash Growth Serum
There are a few different ways to apply these at-home alternative lash serums based on your preferences to see the best results. It works best to apply these remedies at night, so they can absorb into the lashes overnight and will prevent the risk of rubbing the oil into your eyes during the day.
The most important step before applying the lash serum is to ensure the lashes are completely clean from any makeup or mascara to avoid any potential irritation.
Depending on the type of oil you are using, you can full a clean, empty mascara tube disposable and apply it with the wand. It is important that it is not a tube that has previously had mascara inside, but rather an empty tube that you can fill yourself.
You can also keep the product, like coconut oil, in the jar that is comes in and use a clean disposable applicator each time you dip into the product.
You want to make sure you are using clean applicators each time, as the eye area is sensitive, and you want to prevent any potential infections. Using a disposable mascara spoolie will work well to coat the lashes completely with the serum. You can also use a cotton pad to swipe the oils, such as olive oil, over the lashes.
The lash serum should be washes off in the morning, especially before applying any eye makeup. It is crucial to be consistent with applying the serum nightly, as it takes time before you will start to see results.
The natural lash growth cycle can between 4-6 weeks, so it may be a few weeks before you notice a difference in your lashes.
It is best to only apply the serum to the top lash line and avoid the bottom lashes. It is easy for ducts or follicles to become clogged on the bottom lash line, which can cause irritation or discomfort.
When applying the oils, you want to make sure you avoid getting any of the oil in the eyes, which is why using an applicator is an ideal option.
Conclusion
Although castor oil seems to be the most popular oil for hair growth remedies, there are other options natural options that are more lightweight and can absorb more easily into the lashes to provide equally stunning results.
Castor oil shares many similar properties to coconut, olive, and argan oils, all being rich in fatty acids and conditioning properties. These alternative, natural oils are gentle enough to be used around the eye area and will help to strengthen your lashes so they can grow long, luscious, and strong.
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