I Tried The Easy (and Longer Lasting) Alternative to Fake Lashes

One of the questions I get asked most often as a beauty editor is whether or not hair growth serums—for your brows, lashes, or scalp—really work. My answer is always: “Yes, but only if you commit to actually using them every single day.”

The sad truth is, I’ve never be one of those people. I can barely remember to wear my retainer or take out my contacts before falling asleep, which means I’ve tossed out more tubes of half-used eyelash and eyebrow serum than I would like to admit.

My one natural lashes are… fine. They’re not stubby, but they’re not exactly showstoppers either. And thanks to that aforementioned laziness and an addiction to super-thick mascaras and lash curlers, they’ve suffered over the years. For example: There are gaps along my lashline where chunks of eyelashes have fallen out for reasons I can’t explain.

In the past, I’ve tried to remedy the situation with lash extensions and false eyelashes. Extensions are way too much upkeep, and I can never quite figure out how to use the glue for false lashes. Plus, who wants to wear false eyelashes every day?

Maybelline Lash Sensational Boosting Eyelash Serum is the first eyelash serum I’ve ever noticed at the drugstore. It’s also a crowd-pleasure; we recently ran a survey in the magazine, and 4 out of 5 women who tried it said they’d recommend it to a friend. My interest was piqued.

I’m a massive fan of the Lash Sensational mascara, which leaves my puny lashes thicker, fuller, and longer than formulas triple its price. The serum promised the same kind of results, thanks to a blend of arginine, acid proteins, and Pro Vitamin B5. All you have to do is apply it twice a day: once before your mascara like a primer, and once at night. I tossed a tube in my makeup bag right alongside the mascara, thinking that if I could at least remember to use it once a day my lashes might be better off.

The first time I swiped on the gel-like formula, I was instantly obsessed with how my lashes felt. They were conditioned and moisturized, but not wet or sticky. The serum dried in less than a minute, which let me layer mascara on right away.

That night, I remembered to apply it before going to bed—and the next day and the next, until I was four weeks in and using the serum morning and night. I guess I never realized just how sad my eyelashes were until I started giving them a dose of conditioner twice daily. (Imagine going years without conditioning your hair or moisturizing your cuticles.) Instead of just giving my eyelashes a temporary boost with mascara, I was finally addressing what was happening to the hair underneath.

I think the results speak for themselves. In just a month, the gaps between my lashes have started to fill-in, and the hair that’s there is breaking less frequently. Plus, the lashes that were already quite lengthy look longer and shinier than ever before.

Never once did the formula bother my contacts or my eyes, and even though I did get it on my skin, there wasn’t any irritation. I became so obsessed with it that I started applying the leftover gel on the wand to my eyebrows, too—because when the results are this impressive, you’ll want to put every last drop to good use. Just ask these ladies below, who also tried the serum for a month:

“It was very easy to use. I like how you brush it on like regular mascara, unlike others I have seen where you put it in your lash line.” —Jennifer

“Even my husband agrees that my lashes look longer and more thick!” —Sarah

“I loved using it on my thin lashes. When I applied mascara you could actually see them!”—Anne

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