Natural Home Remedies That May Give You Longer Eyelashes

1. Castor Oil

Ricinoleic acid is the major component of castor oil and makes up about 90% of it (1). This acid has shown potential in helping with hair loss (2). Thus, it may also be an alternative option for maintaining the thickness of your lashes.

However, a clinical case shows that the high viscosity of castor oil may result in hair matting and extreme dryness (3). Hence, consult your dermatologist before you try this remedy.

What To Do: You will need 1 teaspoon of cold-pressed castor oil and a few cotton swabs. Before applying castor oil, cleanse your eyelashes thoroughly with water and pat them dry with a mild cleanser. Dip the cotton swab in cold-pressed castor oil and apply it along your upper and lower lash lines. Avoid getting the oil into your eyes. Keep the oil on overnight and wash it off the next morning.

Jennifer Myers, a YouTuber, shared her experience about using castor oil every night for six years constantly to boost eyelash growth and health. She says, “It did take about 16 weeks to see any visible results on my eyelashes but they are in great condition now (i).” She adds that she gently massages the oil on the lashes and avoids eye makeup to keep them long and voluminous.

2. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is used for hair care due to its penetrating effect, which helps prevent loss of hair proteins (4). Hence, it may also be used to treat thinning and damaged eyelashes and aid their regrowth.

However, be careful while using coconut oil as it may leave an oily film on your lashes that weighs them down (5).

What To Do: You will need 1 teaspoon of cold-pressed coconut oil and a bunch of cotton swabs. Before applying the oil, cleanse your lashes with mild soap and water before patting them dry. Dip a cotton swab in coconut oil and apply it along your upper and lower lash lines. Avoid getting the oil into your eyes. Leave the oil on overnight. Rinse it off the following morning.

Related: Coconut Oil For Hair Growth: Benefits And How To Apply

3. Vitamin E

Asako Ito, Certified Eyelash Technician and Co-Founder of Divine Lashes, says, “Vitamin E is known for its ability to condition and nourish hair follicles. Vitamin E oil can be applied directly to the lash line or combined with other oils and ingredients to make a DIY eyelash serum.”

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that can help reduce the oxidative damage causing an increase in hair loss. It also contains tocotrienol compounds that may help increase the number of hair strands (6). Hence, it may contribute to longer eyelashes.

What To Do: Vitamin E can be applied topically to your lashes. It is even safe to ingest as an oral supplement. But before taking the supplements, talk to your doctor for the correct dosage.

4. Green Tea

Green tea is a rich source of a polyphenol called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which can help promote hair growth (7). Hence, it may also help in aiding the growth of your lashes.

What To Do: You will need 1 teaspoon of green tea leaves (or 1 tea bag) and 1 cup of hot water. Mix the two ingredients and steep for 5-10 minutes. Strain the liquid and drink it warm. You can also cool the tea and apply it topically to your upper and lower lash lines using a cotton swab. Drink the tea twice a day and use it topically once daily.

Related: 13 Amazing Benefits Of Green Tea And Its Side Effects

5. Massage

Massaging helps improve circulation. Massaging your scalp regularly, be it with or without oil, can improve hair length and thickness (8). Massaging your eyelids gently may help you get similar results.

6. Lemon Peel Oil

In a study published in Parasitology Research, it was found that lemon oil could help in the treatment of eyelash mites and promote faster hair growth. However, this study was conducted on rabbits (9). More studies are needed to establish the same effects on humans.

What To Do: You will need the peel of 1-2 lemons, coconut or olive oil, and cotton swabs. Place the lemon peels in a small jar and add a few tablespoons of olive or coconut oil to it. Press the peels against the jar using a spoon to obtain the oils from the peels. Allow the mixture to sit overnight. Dip a cotton swab in the mixture and apply it to your upper and lower lash lines, avoiding your eyes. Leave it on for a couple of hours and rinse it off. You may do this 1-2 times daily or leave the mixture overnight.

7. Vaseline (Petroleum Jelly)

Vaseline (petroleum jelly) can moisturize your eyelids and help in getting rid of eyelash mites, preventing further damage to the lashes (10). However, there are no studies on its ability to aid eyelash growth.

What To Do: Take some petroleum jelly (as required) on a cotton swab and apply it to the upper and lower eyelids. Make sure you avoid getting it into your eyes. Leave it on overnight and rinse it off the next morning.

8. Shea Butter

Shea butter can thicken the eyelashes

Shea butter is rich in vitamin C and is packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties (11). Vitamin C prevents free radical damage and boosts collagen. Hence, shea butter may help you maintain the thickness of your lashes and boost their growth.

What To Do: Take a little amount of shea butter and rub it between your fingers until it melts. Apply it to the upper and lower eyelashes. Leave it on overnight.

Related: 28 Best Shea Butter Benefits For Skin, Hair And Health

9. Olive Oil

Olive oil contains a phenolic compound called oleuropein (13). In a rat study, oleuropein was found to increase hair growth (14). Hence, it may contribute to longer eyelashes.

What To Do: You will need 3-4 drops of olive oil and 1-2 cotton swabs. Pour a few drops of olive oil on the cotton ball and apply it to your upper and lower lashes. Using a lash brush, gently massage your lashes. Try lash combing them too, then leave the oil on for 5-10 minutes. Rinse it off with lukewarm water.

10. Biotin Supplement

Biotin deficiency can cause loss of hair on the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Ingesting biotin supplements may help improve this condition (15). Consult a healthcare provider for the correct dosage of biotin supplements.

A combination of these remedies may help in managing your thinning eyelashes. However, you also need to consider making a few lifestyle changes to prevent further damage and thinning of your eyelashes.

How To Prevent Eyelashes From Thinning

* Follow a healthy and well-balanced diet that includes nutrients like iron, zinc, vitamins, fatty acids, biotin, and proteins (16).

Cleanse your eyelashes and eyelids daily using a mild cleanser or eyelid shampoo (17).

Avoid using low-quality eye makeup products.

Avoid any eye makeup that causes irritation.

Before applying any makeup to your face, especially around the eyes, apply a lash primer. It contains keratin that coats your lashes and keeps them healthy and protected.

Remove makeup before going to bed.

Stop using eye-lash curlers.

Avoid getting lash perms.

Limit the use of eyelash extensions.

Prepare a natural mascara with aloe vera gel, coconut oil, grated beeswax, and charcoal. Put all these ingredients in a saucepan and heat them well. Pour this into a mascara container and use it in the place of store-bought mascara.

Now that you know how to grow your eyelashes and along with following these remedies and tips, it is also good to know what is causing your eyelashes to thin to get to the root of the problem. Here’s what you need to know.

What Causes The Eyelashes To Thin And Shorten?

Woman sleeping with eye make up onSalvar

Your eyelashes could be falling out due to several factors, such as:

Advancing age – This is the most common cause of lash fall, affecting both men and women as they age.

Menopause – Since estrogen plays an important role in the production of collagen for maintaining healthy skin and hair, a reduction in its levels during menopause might result in thin lashes.

Hormonal imbalances – An imbalance of thyroid hormone can result in damaged skin and hair loss.

Handling your lashes roughly – Scrubbing your eyelashes vigorously while removing eye makeup.

Allergic reaction – Particularly to eye makeup products

Use of eyelash extensions – The glues used to attach the false lashes contain chemicals that may be irritating or harmful. Due to this chemical reaction, you may experience redness, burning, or eyelid inflammation, which may result in eyelash fall.
Stress

Chemotherapy – drugs used to treat cancer often cause thinning of hair and lashes.

Certain medical conditions – Like blepharitisi , an overactive/underactive thyroid, psoriasisi , alopecia areata, eczemai , or trichotillomaniai

Poor beauty hygiene – Like leaving the eye makeup on overnight can cause thinning of lashes.

If you exhibit any other symptoms along with the thinning of lashes, it is highly recommended that you consult a doctor to rule out the possibility of an underlying medical condition.

Did You Know?

Wearing ill-fitting spectacles may cause constant irritation and loss of lashes. Hence, it is advised to always choose spectacles that suit perfectly to keep lashes from falling.

Are Eyelash Serums Safe?

With the growing demand for thick and voluminous eyelashes, many cosmetic brands have started selling eyelash growth serums. In 2008, bimatoprost ophthalmic solution 0.03% was approved as a safe and effective treatment for enhancing eyelash growth (18).

Some cosmetic brands and drugmakers created eyelash growth serums using this as an active ingredient. While these serums provide quite a few benefits, they come with side effects, like red or itchy eyes, eyelid swelling, and irritation. To avoid these issues, check with your doctor before using the serum.

Having read these remedies, one question must surely pop in your mind – how long does it take to fully grow back your eyelashes when they fall out or are damaged? Scroll down to know more.