Does Coconut Oil Help Your Eyelashes Grow? Here's What The Experts Say
Coconut oil is great for just about everything.
Seriously.
Fizzy hair? Coconut oil.
Bad skin? Coconut oil.
Dry lips? Coconut oil.
Boyfriend acting up? Coconut oil.
But, did you know, eyelash growth coconut oil is now a thing too?
In this article
Coconut oil is great for just about everything. Seriously.
Fizzy hair? Coconut oil.
Bad skin? Coconut oil.
Dry lips? Coconut oil.
Boyfriend acting up? Coconut oil.
But, did you know, eyelash growth coconut oil is now a thing too? For real. I have 99 problems, but thanks to coconut oil, short lashes ain't one.
Seriously, is there anything that this naturally derived miracle substance can't do? *pours bottle over entire life.*
While there might be other ways to get flutter worthy lashes, using coconut oil to stimulate hair growth is a more permanent, natural and cost-effective method.
But don't just take my word for it.
Here is what the experts have to say!
Is coconut oil safe to use around my eyes?
Are you busy rubbing coconut oil over everything from your bad hair to your empty bank account but hesitant to use it near your eyes?
I can understand why.
But while this may sound like cause for alarm, there's no need to worry!
Unless you plan on pouring the coconut oil straight into your peepers, according to Dr Travis Zigler, it is completely fine to use.
"Organic coconut oil is great for the skin around your eyes. It's pure oil, so it's safe," he says.
While it is great for external use, Dr Zigler also says people should be cautious to avoid getting it in their eyes.
Both human and animal studies confirm that virgin coconut oil is not only safe to use around your eyes but also beneficial.
As well as promoting eyelash growth, coconut oil is proven to rejuvenate and soften the skin around your eyes thanks to its moisturising properties.
"it’s wonderful. It’s not irritating, and it absorbs pretty easily," says Dr Zigler.
So, does coconut oil help your lashes grow longer?
It is a common beauty belief that coconut oil is a magical potion that will make your lashes grow beyond belief.
And while it does give you longer and fuller lashes, it doesn't work in the way you might think.
Coconut oil does not help your eyelashes grow longer; instead, it helps them grow to their optimum length.
"Hair on different parts of the body is genetically programmed to only grow to a certain length," Dermatologist, Nancy Samolitis, MD, told WhoWhatWear.
Read: 3 Key Steps To Naturally Thicker, Fuller Hair
So essentially, your lashes have a maximum length to which they can grow, and the entire tropical region's worth of coconut oil won't make them grow any longer.
However, our lashes rarely get to their optimum length before falling out and this is where coconut oil helps.
Strong eyelashes equal long eyelashes.
So how exactly does coconut oil help strengthen your hair and in turn help your lashes grow?
Good question!
Most of the research centring around coconut oil and hair growth focus' on the hair on your head.
However, this same research can be applied to your eyelashes!
A simple explanation is that coconut oil is full of fatty acids.
These acids help to promote cell growth in your body. Therefore applying coconut oil to your eyelashes helps to stimulate hair cell growth.
Which then helps your lashes grow to their full potential.
A study conducted by the cosmetics of hair found that lauric acid which is highly concentrated in coconut oil, not only helps to protect your lashes but is also absorbed more easily into the hair shaft than other treatments.
This helps to strengthen your lashes by providing better and longer-lasting protection when compared to other oils.
Another study found that applying coconut oil to your lashes before bed will also help protect your hair by reducing protein loss.
Applying coconut oil before washing your face will also prevent your lashes from being damaged while you remove your eye makeup.
So in short, coconut oil strengthens your eyelashes, protects your hair follicles and prevents hair loss.
This makes your lashes stronger and able to grow to their optimum length as well as preventing them from falling out.
Ultimately blessing you with naturally longer and fuller lashes to rival any falsies.
Read The Ultimate Morning Routine for Hair Growth [Your 5 Step Plan]
Will coconut oil make your eyelashes grow faster?
Image: @revitalashcosmetics
No.
Despite popular belief, coconut oil will not actually make your lashes grow faster.
According to Shari Marchbein, MD and board-certified dermatologist, there are currently “no credible studies linking the use of coconut oil to faster hair growth.”
Dr Marchbein told the online store, Hims that "most of the claims online about coconut oil are unsourced, with few articles bothering to link to real scientific data."
But don't be disheartened.
While coconut oil has not been proven to help the rate your eyelashes grow, it has been shown to prevent hair loss, and increase hair growth (just not at a faster pace).
Beat bacteria with coconut oil
Our eyelashes are full of naturally occurring microbial organisms.
While these organisms are entirely normal and live in everyone's lashes, these pesky little things often cause bacterial and fungal infections of the skin around your eyes.
These infections can create inflammation of the hair follicles, which, according to studies, can cause your eyelashes to fall out.
But don't panic, because once again, coconut oil is to the rescue.
The antimicrobial and antifungal properties of coconut oil help protect your skin and hair from infection.
In fact, lauric acid, (as mentioned above) contains the greatest antibacterial activity of all medium-chain fatty acids.
So using coconut oil daily will not only help to fight harmful bacteria, preventing you from losing your lashes, but it also helps to promote hair growth.
Longer natural lashes means you can cut down on your mascara use.
This is good news as the same infectious bacterias have also been proven to contaminate mascara.
Using contaminated cosmetics means you're in a constant cycle of being exposed to bacteria!
YUCK.
So you're better off focusing on taking care of your natural lashes than investing in top-shelf mascaras which you may be continually contaminating.
Why is coconut oil better than fake lashes or lash extensions?
Image: @hudabeauty
While we're talking all things au naturel, you're also better off ditching your lash extensions and falsies.
Eeek.
I know, this sounds terrifying.
But, eyelash growth coconut oil is the best way to get you there.
"Some people are very sensitive and even severely allergic to adhesive, period," says Dr Samolitis.
Meaning that even the priciest and best quality of falsies and eyelash extensions could be doing your eyes harm.
So the safest way to achieve dreamy lashes is to stop splashing your hard-earned cash on extensions, multiple lash lifts, or using a hundred coats of mascara.
Instead, apply coconut oil to help your natural lashes grow.
Choosing coconut oil over cosmetic alternatives will not only save you time, and money, but it will also protect your lashes from the damage caused by cosmetics and extensive procedures.
How to use coconut oil on your eyelashes?
Image credit: Avocado_fam
Unless you're a fan of blurred vision, it's essential to know how to use coconut oil on your eyelashes correctly!
According to Healthline, there are a few different ways to use coconut oil for eyelash growth.
While it is perfectly safe to apply virgin coconut oil directly to your lashes, you may still prefer to buy a lash serum.
There are heaps of over the counter lash serums which contain coconut oil as well as other ingredients to help make your lashes pop.
Some consider store bought serums easier to use as they usually come with an applicator.
(Personally I love the Nourish and Enhance Serum by Borboleta)
However, serums do tend to be pricey, and they may not be 100 percent natural.
Personally, I prefer to go as natural (and as cheap) as possible.
This is why virgin coconut oil has my vote.
Simply, shop your local health food store or supermarket to source organic virgin coconut oil and apply it with an eyelash brush or clean mascara wand.
Dip a new brush or mascara wand directly into your coconut oil and carefully apply the oil to your eyelashes just like you would mascara.
Apply to both the top and bottom lashes and remove any excess oil from your skin with a cotton pad.
If you're lazy like me and don't want to buy any mascara wands, or better yet, want to cut down your plastic waste, you can even apply coconut oil using your fingers.
Just make sure they're clean, of course.
Thoroughly wash your hands before taking a small amount of oil out of the container with your index finger.
Soften it by rubbing in between two fingers.
Then with your eyes closed, gently wipe the oil along the lash line.
Can coconut oil cause allergic reactions?
While allergic reactions to coconut oil are incredibly uncommon, it is still essential to be cautious.
Especially where your eyes are concerned!
The best way to avoid looking like you've been caught on the wrong end of pepper spray is to stick to 100 percent organic virgin coconut oil.
And, obviously, avoid direct contact with your eyes.
Use a clean, damp face washer to remove any excess oil from your skin and lashes.
If you do happen to get some in your eyes, gently rinse it out right away.
So, according to the experts:
- Organic virgin coconut oil is perfectly safe to use on your eyelashes and the skin around your eyes.
- Coconut oil does not help your eyelashes grow longer; instead, it enables them to grow to their full length and thickness.
- Coconut oil will not increase the rate your eyelashes grow, but it will prevent them from falling out as frequently.
- Coconut oil helps fight bacteria that can also lead to hair loss.
- False eyelashes and extensions can cause damage to your natural lashes.
- Using coconut oil to stimulate hair growth is a safer and natural alternative.
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