I Stopped Taking Medication That Gave Me Full Lashes—This Genius Product Helps

Sadly, I'm not naturally blessed with full, thick eyelashes. Instead, I got sparse, thin, and short ones. I remember the life-changing moment in seventh grade when I discovered the power of a good eyelash curler. The little contraption lifted my lashes and actually made them look like they were doing something. I obsessively curled them every day before school.

So I was making do with an eyelash curler and mascara from the age of 13 to 24, when I was diagnosed with glaucoma. The eye condition is no joke—it can lead to blindness if left untreated. And because the condition affects a lot of older people, it seemed like a cruel twist of fate that I had gotten it in my early 20s. Blame genetics, I guess.

While the diagnosis was scary, it was all about treating and managing my glaucoma since there's no cure for it, and I needed my sight for at least a couple more decades. And this is where the silver lining comes in: The main part of my treatment was taking these prescription eye drops called Lumigan. These weren't just any ordinary eye drops. My ophthalmologist said there were two side effects. One, they might make my iris darker in color (which was okay for my brown eyes), and two, my eyelashes would get longer and thicker.

My jaw dropped in the doctor's office. These didn't sound like bad side effects at all. Longer and thicker eyelashes? Definitely not a burden. It turns out the medication was the exact same formula as Latisse, the popular eyelash-growth serum.

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(Image credit: @sarahayang)

So I started taking the drops, and my eyelashes became so full and extra long. People would compliment me on them all the time. My eye makeup looked so much better. Curling them was so much more satisfying and looked like I was wearing a set of falsies. Aside from having a sight-threatening condition, I was living my best lash life for six years.

But last year, I got a procedure that my doctor hoped would make me less dependent on the eye drops. It was the right move, but I immediately thought about my lashes, slightly vain person that I am. And of course, after just a month, my lashes were turning back into a pumpkin (aka getting sparser). It seemed like a negligible thing to feel bummed about when I still had working eyes, but I was so used to thick lashes for years. The new reality was rough.

Then a few months ago, my waxing esthetician recommended NeuLash after I complained about my lack of lashes. The serum is formulated with hair-growth ingredients like polypeptides, sodium hyaluronate, pumpkin seed extract, and biotin. It didn't come cheap, but I was willing to invest in it.

I've been applying the serum to the base of my eyelashes before bed for the past two weeks, and I've already noticed some growth. They're not quite at the level of when I was on the prescription drops, but I really think they're getting there, and I can't wait to see the effects after 30 days, which is the average amount of time it takes for people to start seeing big results. 

While I'm pretty happy with NeuLash, my success with this serum has made me curious to experiment with or look into other lash-growth products. So I did some research and made a list, based on reviews and other editors' picks. If you're dealing with some lashes that need a little more oomph, then take a look at some of the products I found below.

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(Image credit: @sarahayang)

Serums

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(Image credit: @lauraharrier)

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(Image credit: @victoriabeckham)

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(Image credit: @gemma_chan)

Mascaras

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(Image credit: @lilireinhart)

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(Image credit: @jessicaalba)

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(Image credit: @joansmalls)
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Managing Editor

Sarah is lifestyle writer and editor with over 10 years of experience covering health and wellness, interior design, food, beauty, and tech. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she attended New York University and lived in New York for 12 years before returning to L.A. in 2019. In addition to her work on THE/THIRTY and Who What Wear, she held editor roles at Apartment Therapy, Real Simple, House Beautiful, Elle Decor, and The Bump (sister site of The Knot). She has a passion for health and wellness, but she especially loves writing about mental health. Her self-care routine consists of five things: a good workout, “me” time on the regular, an intriguing book/podcast/playlist to unwind after a long day, naps, and decorating her home.