Eyelashes follow a certain growth cycle that is similar to hair on the rest of your body. During this active growth phase, the cells in the roots of your hair divide rapidly until a new hair is formed. Eyelash hair has a much shorter active growth phase, resulting in shorter lengths than hair on the top of your head. While you can’t change your biologically built-in hair-growth phase, you can try to find natural remedies to help your eyelashes grow healthier and longer.
Vitamin H
Vitamin H, also known as biotin, is a B-complex vitamin that assists with converting food into fuel. These B vitamins help your body metabolize fats and proteins and help you grow healthy hair, including longer eyelashes. Vitamin H supplements can be found in many foods as well as in cosmetic products for growing longer hair. Foods that you can eat to grow longer eyelashes that contain vitamin H include egg yolks, brewer’s yeast, sardines, legumes and nuts.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Healthy hair is maintained by fat, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, more specifically omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, fat helps the body absorb and move vitamins A, D, E and K through your bloodstream. While bad fats such as saturated or trans fat will put you at risk for heart disease, high cholesterol and other health problems, eating lean protein-rich foods and fish with omega-3 fatty acids will help your body stimulate hair growth, including eyelash hair.
Olive and Castor Oil
At the first sign of lost eyelashes, or when you decide you want your eyelashes to grow longer, simply dab a bit of olive oil or castor oil on the base of your eyelashes at night. You can leave the oil on for 15 minutes and wash it off, or you can leave it on while you sleep.
Eyelash Trimming
Trimming the very tip of your eyelashes can help lashes grow longer and faster. The same philosophy applies to your eyelash hairs as those on your legs: When you remove hairs—but not from the follicle—they tend to grow back a lot faster, thicker and longer.
Antioxidants
Healthy hair can be attained by maintaining a healthy diet with plenty of antioxidants. Antioxidants have a protective effect on the hair. Dabbing a bit of serum made from antioxidant-rich products such as pomegranate seed oil, Moroccan Argan and walnut, as well as vitamin-E oil, can help eyelashes grow longer. Antioxidant-rich foods include fruits, especially cherries, apples and pears; vegetables such as spinach and green leafy vegetables; legumes; fish; nuts; and olive oil.
