A Little Research on Lash Serums..

Hello! Hope everyone is having a nice start to the week~

Let me tell you what I have in mind for the next few posts:
- Gel vs. Pencil vs. Liquid eyeliner, as per request.
- Eyebrow extensions (?)
- Winter hair tips
- The evolution of the smoky eye
- The best winter face cream. Ever.

Those posts will start showing up after awhile... If you have anything you're curious about, please leave a comment and I will be glad to research it!

For now, however, we're on to eyelashes...

This is more of a scientific post, sparked by a friend of mine who told me about how she lost a few eyelashes but they were all in a clump. Then I noticed on my eyelashes about a week later that I had a little chunk missing! What came to mind when I saw this was those new eyelash growing serums. So let's look into all of this a little bit.

(Let me please note: When I Googled 'Eyelash' the first page was about fake eyelashes and extensions. Yes, we as a culture are obsessed with having lush long lashes!!)

To begin- the lifespan of an eyelash:
It takes about 7-8 weeks to grow back if one is pulled out.
The average life of an eyelash is about 3 months.

Thus, to improve lash appearance, either growth must be stimulated or the growing time must be increased.

According to telegraph.co.uk: "The idea behind the lash serums is to extend the length of time the individual eyelashes grow before they fall out-- an eyelash is like your hair in that your actual hair is dead, and what effects the healthiness is at the root."

Latisse is by far the most effective serum out there for lash growth. The active ingredient in Latisse is bimatoprost. According to their site, "What bimatoprost does is bind prostaglandin

receptors to the hair root. This stimulates the regrowth of the hair follicle. This causes a significant increase in the percentage of hairs in the growth phase of the hair follicle. It also extends the active length of the eyelash growth phase."

If I were you I would definitely check out their website-- The results are pretty impressive!
*Let me add this, too. I spent some time on their website, and I have heard that the major concern with Latisse is the possibility of increased brown pigmentation of the iris, which only occurs if the product is applied incorrectly and gets into your eye. This being said!- It won't turn brown with 1 accidental application, and also this brown side effect did NOT occur in ANY of the clinical trial of the serum, but in the glaucoma patients, (where the active ingredient was derived), who applied it directly into their eye daily.*

However, for those of us on a tight budget or who would rather not use an expensive serum, the biggest thing you can do to promote healthy lashes is simply to NEVER sleep in mascara, which dries out your lashes, and alllllways use an eye make-up remover instead of scrubbing away with face wash in to not tug away any lashes... which will then take 7-8 weeks to grow back. Eek!

(ALSO! you might be interested to hear that I am currently trying L'Oreal's new lash serum day/night set-- 4 weeks will be on Valentine's day, so watch for a review that Friday!)

While researching I came across the following, which is quite odd, and something I did not know was possible:
"It is also possible to get a eyelash transplants, which are similar in nature to hair transplantation often done on the head. Since the hair is transplanted from the hair on the head, the new eyelashes will continue to grow like head hair and will need to be trimmed regularly."

Not something I would recommend! But fascinating..

Hope you enjoyed this post! Leave me some feedback-- would you like more like this? Do you prefer reviews? Pictures? Also, do you have anything to add? Personal tidbits?

Leave me some feedback! =)

Until next time~
Beauty Maven