If you want longer eyelashes that appear stronger and have more vibrance to them without pulling too hard on those purse strings, you may think about trying some natural remedies to enhance your lashes in a really natural way. There are plenty of concoctions to be made with organic and natural ingredients that have been said to assist with eyelash growth and promote healthier lashes in general, but a lot of them need a bit of trying and testing to see if they are really worth the time and effort. We are all different though, and the way our hair grows varies from person to person, so just because one natural remedy doesn’t work for one person, it doesn’t mean it won’t work for others.
Castor Oil – Straight from the beans of a castor tree, castor oil has been used for years in beauty as it is known for its health benefits and fatty acids that have hydrating properties and help to rejuvenate skin and hair. When used for eyelashes castor oil is best used on its own so that other ingredients don’t cause skin irritation, when this oil alone can avoid that completely.
To use castor oil on the eyelashes is quite simple, you just need to make sure that they are clean and clear of all makeup, dip a cotton bud into the oil and apply it directly to the lash line. It is good to let it sit there for a few hours or overnight to let its properties sink deep into the eyelashes and follicles, and then follow up by washing it off the next morning.
Castor oil is generally considered quite safe, but it is best to do a patch test before applying it to your eyelashes to be sure. There isn’t much to confirm scientifically that castor oil can help your eyelashes grow back faster, even though many people have used it for hair loss or thinning, but it does add ricinoleic acid to the area, which castor oil is largely made up of, and can help with added shine. The only real way to find out if castor oil works for your eyelashes is to try it and give it a go with regular applications to see the benefits.
Shea Butter – With most homemade remedies there isn’t a lot of scientific evidence to back up how much they really work, and with shea butter the jury is still out. It is usually used for skin care and often haircare too. With smoothing and hydrating qualities it can be a useful thing to always have around anyway, so there is no harm in trying a little bit on your eyelashes every day or couple of days to see if it benefits you.
Shea butter is really moisturising and is packed with antioxidant and ant-inflammatory properties that should nourish your eyelashes and promote healthy growth. Softening the eyelashes but without leaving them brittle, a little dose of this stuff should work wonders on keeping your eyelashes healthy and shiny and is said to help with faster growth when used regularly.
Green Tea – When it comes to stimulating eyelash growth there are plenty of tried and tested methods that work for different people. Green tea is said to have antioxidant properties that helps aid with eyelash health and in turn healthy and stronger growth. B-vitamins that are found in green tea are said to strengthen he follicle, which if you struggle with your eyelashes already could be a good fix to make sure you are getting the best out of them.
The benefits of using green tea for eyelashes is that it is also associated with alertness and reducing puffiness under and around the eyes too so when you want to try it out you may find that it helps you in more ways than one. To use green tea for your eyelashes you can either let your green teabag sit in boiling water for a while until it is completely cool and place the teabags over your eyes for 10-15 minutes. I must stress that you check the tea is completely cool before you try this, or you may end up with worse problems that weak eyelashes!
The great thing about this is that you get 15 minutes of complete relaxation while you wait for the goodness of the tea to sink into your eyelashes and skin, but if you are strapped for time then this option may not be the best for you. You can always dip a cotton bud into some green tea and apply this to your lash line before bed and after cleansing to see how it works for your as an applicator.
Petroleum Jelly – The key to longer lashes isn’t always in a secret potion that makes them grow faster, but sometimes in a remedy that helps keep your existing eyelashes and follicles in such a healthy state that your lashes want to stick around for longer. Petroleum jelly is all about conditioning, moisturising and smoothing out rough bits, so when it comes to your eyelashes, this stuff is said to nourish and condition your eyelashes so that they look and feel great instantly.
Petroleum jelly is easy enough to get hold of, usually seen in tubs of Vaseline in your local beauty store and is used for so many things it would be hard to name them all. Often used to moisturise lips and keep them from cracking especially in harsher weather conditions, it should do the same for your eyelashes.
The thing to note is that it is a thick oil-based jelly that coats the whole area it is applied to, so while it can lock moisture in, it can stop anything else from penetrating, similar to waterproof mascara that can suffocate eyelashes if left on for too long, causing inevitable brittleness if used too much. So the best thing to do is use a cotton bud with a small amount of petroleum jelly on, cover your lash line and wipe away any excess so you don’t get it in your eye, go to sleep, and then wash away the jelly in the morning so that it isn’t a permanent fixture on your eyelashes.
It can be worth it, as I said petroleum jelly works wonders in hundreds of ways, but it can be a bit fiddly and greasy, and it may not be your preferred method of eyelash care especially if growth is what you are after.
