4 Eyelash Growth Myths You Need To Stop Believing Now

When it comes to eyelashes, there’s a LOT of information about them on the internet - how they grow, what’s good for them, and what isn’t good for them. But how do you know fact from fiction?  

Today, I’ve rounded up some of the most common eyelash growth myths that you’ll find on the internet - a lot of them are basically Pinterest ‘beauty tips’ that have been passed around until they’ve been taken for the truth! Together, we’ll get to the bottom of each of these myths and explain exactly why they’re not worth listening to! 

MYTH #1: Vaseline will make your lashes longer 

This is a really common one - there’s no denying that Vaseline is a fantastic, multi-purpose product. It’s super cheap and can be used as a lip balm, moisturizer, brow gel, cracked-heel healer - seriously, it can do it all. The question is, does it make eyelashes longer? 

Unfortunately, no. Applying enough Vaseline to your eyelashes with a spoolie brush could temporarily make them look fuller and darker - like mascara does - but it can’t make them longer in the long term. The only thing it does is moisturise them. That’s not to say it does nothing for eyelashes; moisturised eyelashes are far less likely to break off and leave annoying gaps in the lashline. However, brushing Vaseline into the lengths of lashes has no effect on the roots, which is the critical area for boosting lash growth. Consider this myth busted! 

MYTH #2: Cutting your eyelashes makes them grow longer 

It goes without saying that putting anything sharp close to your lashes and eyelids is super dangerous. Just the thought of scissors close to the eyes makes me feel faint! So when you consider that this is a) dangerous and b) doesn't do anything at all, it's one of the worst lash growing ‘tips' out there.  

It’s tough to understand where the original idea behind this came from - but it’s definitely a super widespread and common myth. One guess is that it comes from a misunderstanding of the lash growth cycle, compared to the hair growth cycle - that is, the hair on our heads. Popular advice recommends getting regular hair trims to support healthy hair growth; is it really such a stretch that this could apply to eyelashes? 

Unfortunately, it is. It’s a huge reach! The thing is, every single type of hair on our bodies has its own growth cycle. This isn’t something that we can alter or change just by cutting the hair! 

MYTH #3: Eyelash serums make your eyelashes worse in the long run 

When it comes to almost every single type of beauty enhancement - whether it’s nail polish, makeup, or lash serum - there’s almost always a warning spouted that it could make things actually worse in the long run. But is that really true? Nope! This myth comes from a misunderstanding of how anything to do with beauty treatments work and is super frustrating to hear time and time again.   

Hair follicles are some of the fastest growing cells in the human body - isn't that neat? That means their life cycle is relatively short and to keep results, you need to keep using a lash serum. The myth that they make your lashes worse in the long run - especially if you decide to stop using lash serum - comes from the fact that your lashes just return to normal.  

The thing is, you’re so used to how your lashes look with lash serum, that normal now looks awful. So it's not a stretch to see how someone might think their lashes were worse when the truth is that they just returned to their natural length and growth cycle. Armed with this knowledge, you can happily keep using a lash serum for as long as you want (seriously) knowing in the long run, your lashes will be just fine!  

MYTH #4: Oils will make your lashes longer 

There's a lot of Pinterest tips floating around out there about oil, specifically castor oil, and it's hair growth-boosting abilities. Supposedly, this thick, golden oil has been used for hundreds of years in Ayurvedic remedies for hair loss - of any part of the body. It's suggested applications include helping to grow hair on the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelashes. But does it really work? 

The catch is, there really isn't much evidence to suggest that castor oil - or any other oil for that matter - does much more than condition the lashes. While regular conditioning does influence lashes and reduces their likelihood to break or snap off, it's not possible for it to actually make the lashes grow longer.  

This myth is especially widespread as it’s considered an ‘alternative’ to purchasing lash serums, but the truth is that oils - whether they’re coconut, olive, castor, or any popular oil - has no effect on increasing lash length.