Women all over the world have adopted various skincare routines to diminish signs of aging. Piling on toners, moisturizers, serums, and makeup to decrease likelihood of wrinkles and age spots has become a daily routine for many. However, while our skin soaks up the attention, there is one cosmetic feature that often gets ignored: our hair.
Like skin, hair ages as we do. As early as their 20s, women can experience hair thinning, changes in hair texture, and color change (hello grays!). This aging process is an inevitable sign of maturity—and unfortunately, it doesn’t stop with head hair. Even the tiniest body hairs of all, eyelashes and eyebrows, will change with time. It is what it is. Yet, products that protect lashes and brows from diminishing go largely unnoticed in world of cosmetics, despite (arguably) being the most important hair feature to take care of.
It’s time to protect what protects you. Today, we’re walking through the importance of eyelashes and eyebrows and giving you tips on how to keep them long, vibrant, and healthy throughout the years.
Why Lashes and Brows Exist
As humans have evolved, so has our body hair. However, eyelashes and eyebrows have remained a constant feature and defining accessory for beauty and facial recognition. This is because both eyelashes and eyebrows serve important functional purposes that protect our eyes daily.
Eyelashes protect the eyes from tiny debris that could cause vision obstruction, infection, or injury. The American Association of Ophthalmology states that eyelashes act as human whiskers. Think of them as sensors: eyelashes actually warn the eye when danger, such as an insect, is approaching and trigger a reflexive and protective blink to keep your eyes safe.
Eyebrows serve a similar purpose. According to The American Association of Ophthalmology, are believed to channel unwanted moisture away from the eye to help keep vision clear—and they’re curved for a reason. The natural shape of eyebrows makes it easier for moisture to flow sideways and off the side of the head, filtering out dust, dirt, and grime that may otherwise fall into the eyes.
Aside from chronic conditions that may cause damage to lashes and brows, these teeny hairs are actually pretty durable. That is, if we take care of them.
Is your beauty routine causing permanent damage to your lashes and brows?
Lashes and brows have withstood the evolution of time because they play an important role in protecting our eyes. Nevertheless, us humans do very little to protect these natural eye shields. While makeup is a daily necessity for many, mascara and brow products may do more harm to our tiny lash and brow hairs than good.
While it looks gorgeous, mascara can have negative effects on your lashes. StyleCaster cautions that excessive daily use or even worse, sleeping in mascara, may cause lashes to dry out. Dry lashes may become brittle and fall out and, if left on overnight, may scratch your cornea while you sleep.
SELF Magazine explains that over-tweezing and waxing can cause hair follicles to die out, causing permanent thinning of the brows. Brow enhancing products such as dyes, liners, and fillers can have the same effect. Healthline warns that like over-plucking, harsh makeup may cause similar damage when used for extended periods. With excessive use, makeup can cause your small eyebrow hairs to dry out, thin, or produce hairless patches overtime.
Cosmetic Ingredients to Look Out For
The cosmetics industry is full of products that are marketed to make you feel like you’ve won the lottery. Promises of fast lash and brow growth may sound appealing, but the side effects of chemically-enhanced products may not be worth the risk. Check for these dangerous ingredients before purchasing your next lash and brow enhancer. Is the risk worth the reward?
Isopropyl Cloprostenate (IC): This ingredient is classified as a synthetic prostaglandin analog, or a chemical compound with hormone-like effects, which is found in many over-the-counter lash and brow growth serums. Originally used to treat glaucoma, IC has since been used to produce stronger, longer lash and brow hairs. Though not approved by the FDA, the government organization did send out a warning letter describing harmful side-effects caused by IC. These side-effects include: ocular irritation, iris color change, and ocular inflammation, among others.
Sodium benzoate + ascorbic acid: When combined, these ingredients produce a carcinogen called benzene (which was rated a disturbing 9-10 by EWG’s Skin Deep). Benzene is classified as a skin, eye, and lung irritant, is a respiratory toxin, and is so concerning that Canada and the EU have banned it from cosmetics altogether.
Boric Acid: Though rated lower than benzene (4-7 by the EWG), boric acid is a known endocrine disruptor. This means that it has the ability to interfere with the body’s natural hormonal and reproductive systems. These disruptions can cause cancer, birth defects, and other developmental disorders.
Protect What Protects You
The good news is that you can take measures to protect your brows and lashes from thinning and possibly avoid it all together—without exposing yourself to harmful ingredients. La Bloom Beauty’s Lash & Brow Serum was produced by founder Diana Moebius to do just that.
“When formulating La Bloom’s beauty collection, I wanted to pay close attention to the features of the body humans often ignore,” says Moebius. She continued, “Natural brows and lashes are often disguised with heavy makeup that may cause irreversible damage over time. La Bloom’s Lash and Brow serum was invented to condition and cleanse these fine hairs from the roots in order to produce stronger follicles that can withstand the effects of aging as well as years of chemically-enhanced product use.”
The difference between La Bloom Beauty’s Lash & Brow Serum and other lash and brow treatments? The answer is in the ingredients.
PRO TIP: Keep it All-Natural with La Bloom Beauty’s Lash & Brow Serum
Formulated to restore, strengthen, and condition, La Bloom’s Lash & Brow Serum gives our most delicate hairs a boost of vitamins and minerals. The natural ingredients used to aid the growth of new hairs while protecting against unwanted dryness and thinning that comes with age and the overuse of chemicals.
Lavender Oil: Not only does this essential oil aid relaxation, it also encourages healthy circulation. When applied to the root of lashes and brows, lavender oil stimulates blood flow so that hair follicles receive more nutrients while boosting cell regeneration. Plus, its natural antimicrobial and antibacterial properties help to cleanse hair follicles from the root to keep them clean and healthy from the inside out.
Castor Oil: You may think of castor oil as your grandmother’s multi-use medicine but now you can think of it as a miracle hair growth ingredient, too. Castor oil is found to be especially effective when it comes to achieving unbelievably thick and long lashes and brows with repeated use. Rich in ricinoleic acid, this special ingredient targets and reduces hair follicle inflammation. Starting at the root, castor oil enhances the health of hair follicles, preventing breakage and hair loss, while stimulating faster, healthier hair growth over time.
Argan Oil: Naturally rich in fatty acids, argan oil is a powerful moisturizer that keeps lashes and brows hydrated. Vital nutrients such as Vitamins A, E, oleic and linoleic acids are all unique characteristics of argan oil that provide vital nutrients for maintaining healthy hair. These influential compounds work together to allow argan oil to serve as a potent antioxidant and help to reduce the damaging effects of free radicals.
Want more good news? La Bloom Beauty’s Lash & Brow Serum comes with an easy-to-apply mascara wand to help you achieve healthier lash and brow hair with just one swipe a day.
To use: Apply Lash & Brow Serum nightly after cleansing your face to remove all makeup or use during a makeup-free day to achieve a glossy, dewy look. Try not to skip applications and avoid applying too close to the lash line or directly into your eye.
The Bottom Line
Changes to hair such as color, texture, and thickness, are inevitable with age. Heavy use of chemically-enhanced products may worsen these changes. To combat unwanted hair thinning or loss, it’s important to keep even the tiniest of body hairs healthy enough to withstand the test of time.
La Bloom Beauty’s Lash & Brow Serum is designed to protect and heal lash and brow hairs. Using a combination of essential nutrients, this all-natural serum reverses the harsh abuse caused by makeup and beauty products to restore and condition the very hairs that shield our precious eyes. Don’t be fooled by the tiny tube—with daily use, it’ll last up to six months!
Achieve Healthier Lash and Brow Hair with Just One-Swipe-a-Day. See for Yourself.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. La Bloom Beauty’s products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.