Good News: You Can Get These Lash Growth Serums Without a Prescription (2025)

Short of sticking on a pair of falsies—which, yes, comes in handy for a party—there’s no instant solution for thicker, longer lashes. The best eyelash growth serum can help lengthen and fill out your fringe, however, so long as you’re willing to give them some time to work.

Top Picks

• Best Overall: Revitalash Cosmetics Revitalash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner, $100
• Best Prostaglandin: Rapidlash Eyelash Enhancing Serum, $50
• Best Prostaglandin-Free: LashFood Phyto-Medic Eyelash Enhancer, $78
• Best Budget: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum, $15
• Best For Daytime: Olaplex Lashbond Building Serum, $68
• Best for Nighttime: AnteAge Overnight Lash Serum, $85
• Best for Sensitive Eyes: Twenty/Twenty Beauty Get Growing Lash & Brow Serum, $52

“You won’t see overnight results from eyelash growth serums, which require consistency and patience,” says Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “To see optimal results, you should apply the serum one to two times per day for at least six to eight weeks, and you’ll see the best results around the 12- to 16-week mark.” Patience pays off, resulting in lashes that have a longer look—but look is the keyword here.

Besides getting a prescription to Latisse, which contains a prostaglandin analog (or ocular drug) called bimatoprost, there’s not much you can do to make lashes grow. Instead, the best over-the-counter eyelash growth serums condition and hydrate the lashes to make them appear thicker and lusher. Plus, prostaglandin analogs can cause adverse reactions, so using a drug-free alternative can keep those undesirable effects at bay. The only question is, which over-the-counter serums actually do the trick?

Enter the pros. We tapped six board-certified dermatologists and a plastic facial surgeon to chat with us about all things lash growth and share the over-the-counter products they recommend. Take a look through the list, then pick your potion—and be sure to consult with your physician before swiping anything onto your delicate lash line.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the most effective lash-growth serum?
• Do eyelash growth serums really work?
• What oil makes your eyelashes grow?
• Meet the experts
• How we test and review products
• Our staff and testers

Best Eyelash Growth Serum Overall: Revitalash Cosmetics Revitalash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner

Why we love it: A repeat Allure Best of Beauty Award winner, Revitalash Cosmetics Revitalash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner is an editor go-to. “My all-time favorite combination for lashes is Revitalash and Latisse,” says Anil Shah, MD, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon based in Chicago. “Revitalash makes lashes thicker and curls them with peptides and botanicals. Thicker lashes means they’re less prone to break, and thickening them gives them the structure to grow long.” Used consistently, the formula can give the lashes a curled, lifted look without the help of a prescription drug. Plus, the peptides and biotin in the formulation are good for overall lash health and strength.

Editor’s tip: Meghan Markle also swears by RevitaLash, using it regularly on her lashes. “I swear they are as long as they could ever be,” she told Allure.

Key ingredients: peptides, biotin, green tea extract | Who it’s for: all skin types, thin and brittle eyelashes

Best Prostaglandin: Rapidlash Eyelash Enhancing Serum

Why we love it: Like the other doctors we interviewed, Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York, calls Latisse the gold standard for eyelash growth. “Latisse is in a class of medication known as a prostaglandin analog, and there are other ingredients available over the counter that work similarly, even other prostaglandin analogs such as isopropyl cloprostenate, that are used in eyelash growth serums,” she says. If you can’t get a prescription, however, Dr. Nazarian singles out Rapidlash’s over-the-counter treatment as “a great combination” of ingredients. The serum pairs natural hydrating ingredients with a prostaglandin, isopropyl cloprostenate. Though—fair warning—isopropyl cloprostenate has not been FDA-approved like bimatoprost, it’s said to stimulate keratin production and prolong the lashes’ growth phase. The serum can be used on clean lashes daily before bedtime, for four to eight weeks.

Editor’s tip: The formulation contains hyaluronic acid and soybean oil to keep the lashes moisturized.

Key ingredients: isopropyl cloprostenate, hyaluronic acid, soybean oil| Who it’s for: those with brittle, thin, weak, or short lashes

Best Prostaglandin-Free: LashFood Phyto-Medic Eyelash Enhancer

Why we love it: Instead of prostaglandin, LashFood Phyto-Medic Eyelash Enhancer uses a proprietary complex enriched with peptides and antioxidant-rich herbal extracts to deliver fuller, denser lashes.“I like this product because it ensures safe, effective lash enhancement without any undesirable side effects,” says Rishi Chopra, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York. “It’s formulated without prostaglandin analogs, which eliminates potential risks such as iris darkening, eyelid hyperpigmentation, and fat atrophy, which are commonly associated with prostaglandin analog serums.” The formulation is 99.5 percent natural, and it’s also infused with aloe leaf extract to soothe and nourish the skin.

Editor’s tip: “Peptides, which are short chains of amino acids, serve as building blocks for keratin, helping to nourish and repair the lashes,” says Dr. Engelman. “Peptides work to improve the health and resilience of hair follicles.”

Key ingredients: lavender flower water, hydrolyzed rice protein, butylene glycol | Who it’s for: thinning and balding lashes

Best Budget: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum

Why we love it: Emilie Fowler, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, recommends The Ordinary’s Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum as an affordable fix for fluttery lashes (and thicker-looking brows.) At less than $15, “this over-the-counter serum is jam-packed with ingredients that help nourish, thicken, and strengthen the lashes,” she says. “It has peptides, panthenol, arginine, and even caffeine, which has shown some promising results in scientific studies on scalp-hair growth.” Some over-the-counter lash-growth serums contain prostaglandin analogs, the aforementioned class of ocular drugs that are found in Latisse. These drugs do pose the risk of potential side effects, which can range from irritation to drooping eyelids. But, rest assured: “The Ordinary’s serum does not contain any prostaglandin analogs, and therefore is relatively well-tolerated,” Fowler says.

Editor’s tip: The serum can be used twice daily on the lashes and brows. Give it at least four weeks to start making visible changes to the hair.

Key ingredients: peptides, panthenol, arginine | Who it’s for: all skin types

Best for Daytime: Olaplex Lashbond Building Serum

Why we love it: For those with sensitive eyes, Olaplex’s Lashbond Building Serum does not contain a prostaglandin analog. Instead, “this works by a different mechanism, via strengthening the hair itself and minimizing breaks while improving the bonds within the follicle,” Dr. Nazarian says. “Since it doesn't include a prostaglandin analog, it’s a good choice for people looking to avoid the potential side effects from those other options.” Olaplex’s formulation is made with the brand’s exclusive peptide complex, which was designed to strengthen the anagen (or growth phase) of the lashes. Unlike some lash-growth serums, this one can be used under makeup, making it suited to daytime wear. Just be sure to let the serum dry for a good 90 seconds before applying other products on top of it.

Editor’s tip: Allure editors adore Olaplex products for other types of hair growth, too. Its Volumizing Blow Dry Mist, which builds the bonds in the hair while decreasing drying time, won a 2024 Best of Beauty Award.

Key ingredients: Olaplex peptide complex, hyaluronic acid, biotin | Who it’s for: all skin types

Best for Nighttime: AnteAge Overnight Lash Serum

Why we love it: “AnteAge Overnight Lash Serum is my favorite lash serum,” says Lana Kashlan, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Chicago. “It contains 12 different hair-growth factors that have been shown to make eyelashes thicker, darker, and longer. It also has peptides, which help to strengthen the lashes to reduce breakage and premature falling.” Finally, the formulation is prostaglandin-free—which appeals to Dr. Kashlan all the more. “When picking a lash serum, I prefer to avoid prostaglandins and prostaglandin analogs as they have been shown to cause periorbital fat loss and hyperpigmentation of the skin,” she says.

Editor’s tip: The serum’s growth factors are said to stimulate hair growth by enhancing blood flow to the hair follicles.

Key ingredients: growth factor cytokines, hyaluronic acid, biotin | Who it’s for: all skin types, weak and brittle lashes

Best for Sensitive Eyes: Twenty/Twenty Beauty Get Growing Lash & Brow Serum

Why we love it: “I love Twenty Twenty Get Growing Lash & Brow Serum because it was developed by an ophthalmologist, and it only has three simple ingredients: castor oil, coconut oil, and argan oil,” Dr. Fowler says. “These nourishing ingredients help promote the appearance of fuller, thicker lashes.” That’s not to say the oils actually make the lashes grow, but by hydrating and strengthening them, they help prevent breakage and support a fuller, lusher appearance. Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to get a bit of the serum in your eyes. The hydrating concoction also works as a dry-eye solution, making it ideal for those with dry or sensitive eyes. It’s also safe for contact lens wearers.

Editor’s tip: This should be applied to clean, makeup-free lids and brows every night. Expect to wait at least 90 days before results begin to show.

Key ingredients: castor oil, coconut oil, argan oil | Who it’s for: dry and sensitive eyes, contact-lens wearers

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most effective lash-growth serum?

When it comes to the efficacy of lash-growth serums, ingredients are key. According to Dr. Fowler, the most commonly used ingredients in eyelash growth serums include prostaglandin analogs (the active ingredient in Latisse), peptides, vitamin E, biotin, and botanical oils such as castor oil.

While all these ingredients can make the lashes appear thicker and lusher over time, “the only ingredient with several clinical studies supporting its use in eyelash growth is bimatoprost, a prostaglandin analog,” Dr. Fowler says. “Bimatoprost 0.03% solution, also known as Latisse, is the only treatment that is FDA-approved to grow eyelashes. Bimatoprost works by increasing the time that the lash spends in its growth phase, leading to longer, thicker, and darker lashes.”

While Latisse is available by prescription, some over-the-counter lash-growth serums do contain prostaglandin analogs. “However, unlike Latisse, these [other prostaglandin-analog serums] are not supported by robust clinical studies and are lacking in safety data,” Dr. Fowler says. “The use of prostaglandin analogs in eyelash serums can often lead to side effects, so I recommend that patients approach these over-the-counter serums containing prostaglandin analogs with caution.” When in doubt, speak to your physician, and start with a prostaglandin-free option from the list above.

Do eyelash growth serums really work?

“The serums do work—if you use them correctly,” Dr. Fowler says. Hear that? Instructions are required reading, and it helps to settle in for the long haul, too. Most of the serums start to show visible results after at least three months of consistent use. “Maintenance is another important factor to consider because once you stop using the serum, your lashes will eventually return to their original state.” Dr. Engleman says. She also says that most eyelash growth serums cannot regenerate lashes that have been permanently lost or severely damaged. Instead, they work by strengthening the existing lash follicles and prolonging the anagen, or growth, phase, of the hairs.

What oil makes your eyelashes grow?

While rosemary and castor oils have been the subject of hair growth buzz, they can’t deliver eyelash miracles. “There are no clinical studies indicating that botanical oils promote growth or lengthening of the eyelashes,” Dr. Fowler says. “Instead, they work mainly to condition and hydrate, which can lead to less breakage and stronger lashes that appear thicker and fuller.” In over-the-counter eyelash growth serums, it’s common to spot the aforementioned ingredients along with almond oil and jojoba oil. “Just beware that these botanical oils can lead to allergic contact dermatitis or irritation, so use them with caution,” Dr. Fowler says. And again, don’t be afraid to consult with your physician.

Meet the Experts

• Rishi Chopra, MD, board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York City and The Hamptons
• Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, New York
• Emilie Fowler, MD, board-certified dermatologist in New York, New York
• Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, NY
• Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, New York
• Anil Shah, MD, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in Chicago, IL
• Lana Kashlan, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Dubai and Chicago, IL

How we test and review products

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that's included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best eyelash growth serums, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Our staff and testers

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