Natural Eyelash Treatments – Do they Really Work?

So, even though these last few months have been difficult for everybody, there are a lot of lessons we can learn from not having our usual amenities available, so that we are fully prepared to keep up with our own beauty routines even when things do go back to normal and we fancy saving a penny or two.

The big question is, do these homemade beauty treatments hold up? And are they worth you spending your time on concocting them? Well especially when it comes to eyelashes, it is important to learn from those who pave the way and not to try anything too outlandish near your eyes as it could cause an injury or an infection in a very unwelcomed place.

Castor oil has long been rumoured to provide moisturising and conditioning properties to hair, so it makes sense that it would also be applied to eyelashes. But is the principle the same? Well, eyelashes may be made up of the same components as hair on your head, but they have an entirely different function and shorter growth cycle. That, coupled with the fact they sit right above your eyes, means that putting oil on or near them may not be as desirable as you would want.

But this doesn’t mean that castor oil is bad for your eyelashes, just that you should be careful when using it. Most people who swear by using castor oil as a conditioner for eyelashes use a cotton bud to apply a thin line to their upper lashes nightly, and then wash away with warm water the next day. Eyelashes can build up dirt and debris just like hair can, so it is definitely not advised to leave anything on them, even castor oil for too long.

The jury may still be out on this one. It is a yes and a no. It certainly doesn’t harm them when used correctly, but it isn’t going to work miracles, and especially not overnight! Castor oil does give eyelashes a lovely sheen and can enhance their colour and appearance and as oil tends to sit on top of the eyelash, it can make them appear fuller bodied and thicker.

As for fast eyelash growth, you may be waiting a while to see the benefits of castor oil for this specifically. According to other people who have tried and tested this method, they said that their eyelashes were less likely to break or fall out prematurely, so it allowed them to grow to their natural full length more than before, but didn’t necessarily make them grow longer. But if you are stuck for eyelash strengthening options, castor oil may just be the natural help you need.

This product has been around for a long time and has been famed for its multi-use possibilities. From using on cuts and scrapes, to healing chapped lips, petroleum jelly seems like it can do no wrong. So, what about when it is applied to eyelashes? There are plenty of people who swear by this cheap and convenient product to do a lot of things and restoring eyelash health is usually one of them.

But what is it about petroleum jelly that people love? It must have some seriously healthy properties for us to want to apply it to our bodies. Well, it is known as an occlusive substance which means that it forms a protective layer on the skin or hair’s surface, so it locks in moisture and keeps hydration flowing through for longer than a normal moisturiser.

Of course, this isn’t always a good thing for eyelashes as they do need to breathe and having a constant coating of petroleum jelly on them will prevent moisture from getting in. But it does kill two birds with one stone as it acts as a hydrating barrier for the skin around the eyelashes too and it isn’t very common for it to cause allergic reactions, so as long as you are careful not to get in in your eyes when you apply it to your eyelashes, you should see smoothing of the skin in that region too! This is great especially if you suffer from dry skin around the eyes too.

Unfortunately, a lot like castor oil, there is not really too much evidence that it actually helps to lengthen your eyelashes like an eyelash growth serum would, but it is a fantastic product for helping to keep your lashes looking shiny, full of colour and fuller than before using it. This does mean that you have to use it often though and not just sporadically, like with most products, it cannot work miracles overnight and does require some upkeep to see the benefits. But if you are at a loss for a proper eyelash growth serum right now, then it wouldn’t cause any harm to apply some petroleum jelly to those lashes. Just make sure you are cleansing it in the morning and give your eyelashes some time to relax without any product on before applying mascara.

There are plenty of health benefits from drinking green tea, so it is only natural to wonder if it is also good for eyelash health and growth too. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that green tea and the properties it contains can help with eyelash growth, although it won’t be an instant fix.

In the interests of living a healthy lifestyle though, green tea is definitely something to incorporate into your diet due to its antioxidant properties and acts as a great cleanser internally. When it comes to your eyelashes, the caffeine and flavonoids are known to stimulate the follicles and promote healthy growth. This may not mean promoting additional growth, especially not immediately, but it does mean that lashes are healthier and stronger for longer, and lash loss can account for sparse and shorter looking eyelashes.

Well, drinking plenty of green tea will do you the world of good in the first place, so finding new ways to apply it can add to your beautifying routine to get your skin and eyelashes in great shape. A few examples of applying green tea are:

• Make a cup of tea and once it’s cool enough, apply some of the tea to your eyelashes after cleansing. Use a cotton bud or a soaked cotton pad to apply it so that you can target your eyelashes easily. It is important to make sure your mascara and makeup have been removed so that the tea gets a good chance of penetrating the individual hairs and follicles.

• The other option is a lot simpler and can help you in many other ways. Simply drink your green tea and instead of disposing of the teabag afterward, take 10 minutes to yourself and pop two cooled teabags over your eyes, relax and enjoy!

From this you get a slow and concentrated flow of green tea to your eyelashes, as well as the skin around them and under your eyes. The properties of green tea help tighten the skin so if you are feeling especially tired or have excess puffiness, these tea bags will help to bring that down as well as making your skin look brighter and clearer.

The green tea method of eyelash care is definitely a favourite of many because it can fit naturally into an existing lifestyle and provide multiple benefits at once. But will it help your eyelashes grow longer? It would take a while before you saw those specific benefits but with consistency, it is definitely not off the cards.

Another of the firm favourites when it comes to skin and hair care is coconut oil. A great all-rounder when it comes to skin looking and feeling nourished and hair looking shiny and healthy, coconut oil has so many uses, and it rarely fails to do a fantastic job.

The great thing about this stuff is it is highly absorbent for an oil as it contains lauric acid as well as other fatty acids that feed the hair and skin and keeps going long after applying it. It is known to protect hair from damage such as over-washing, heat styling and vigorous drying and using it regularly can not only improve the appearance of skin and hair but the physical health of them both too.

So, on the eyelashes, it should promise to do the same. Coconut oil has antibacterial properties that helps keep microbial organisms that can cause bacterial infections at bay. It basically helps to keep your eyelashes clean and clear and is commonly used to remove mascara and in turn all the bad things that mascara can contain, especially if you have been using it for a few months.

The fatty acids are also great promoters of growth too, so in theory, coconut oil should encourage your eyelashes to grow stronger and longer, as well as keeping them healthy, but again it is encouraged to use in in moderation so that you don’t cake the eyelashes in oil constantly.

You can apply coconut oil in a few ways, again with the trust cotton bud, or with an eyelash brush or even your fingers. Just be gentle if using your fingers as you don’t want to accidently pull any lashes out, and always make sure your hands are clean first.

Coconut oil has so many benefits, it’s hard to see why you wouldn’t choose to use it on your eyelashes, but while it is good food for them, it may not give you fast and obvious evidence that your eyelashes are growing longer than before. Stick at it though, keep your eyelashes clean and remember to remove mascara at the end of each day to maximise your efforts in getting longer eyelashes.

So, these are just some of the natural eyelash treatments and remedies, but they are all equally as easy to get hold of and use in day to day life and really don’t cost the world to buy, so it is definitely worth giving one or all of them a go.

The thing with eyelashes is they can have different growth spurts depending on the time of year, hormonal cycles, diet, if you regularly use extensions on top of other reasons, so trying out a homemade remedy for eyelash growth will only be noticeable with consistent use and by keeping tabs on what your eyelashes look and feel like from week to week.

There are eyelash growth serums that contain natural ingredients that have been specially formulated to target eyelashes and their follicles, which means that eyelash growth will be more visible in a shorter amount of time. So, if the natural way isn’t necessarily for you then there is nothing wrong with voting for the convenient method instead. Xlash Eyelash Serum is the perfect example as it contains botanical extracts, fatty acids and vitamins that promote strength from deep in the follicle right up to the tip of each eyelash, meaning you can see your longer eyelashes in a matter of weeks.

When it comes to your eyelashes, only you can decide what is right for you, whether it’s a homemade concoction, a natural remedy or a handy little tube of eyelash serum, its time to get those lashes looking healthy and strong and if you get some extra length from them at the same time, I say that’s a big win for eyelashes!