A pair of thick, long and dark eyelashes is regarded as a universal sign of femininity and sex appeal. A great set of lashes can immediately improve any woman?s overall appearance by softening her facial features, accentuating her eyes and giving her a more youthful look. Also when you have them, you can get away with wearing only minimal makeup.
Today more than 60% of women worldwide use mascara, which represents 50% of global cosmetic sales reflecting the paramount importance in daily make-up.
A variety of different factors can prevent lashes from growing the way they should. This includes harsh mascaras and dyes, as well as excessive sun and UV exposure which can cause breakage, damage and thinning.
Eyelashes are not that much different from the hair on our head. Individual lashes go through a growth cycle growth begins at the root and finally stops once the lash reaches a certain length, and the hair falls out after a period of time.
If the lashes have become damaged over time or if you were born with sparse or brittle ones, a conditioning serum can help improve strength, length and overall appearance. These products can often achieve remarkable results through the use of lectin-like activity which makes them capable of stimulating the follicles to promote hair growth.
What’s available on the market?
Liquid formulations for eyelash enhancement were introduced to the aesthetic market several years ago. While the safety and efficacy profiles of each product may differ significantly by brand, eyelash boosters promote the growth rate of lashes.
One of the products I have tested resulted in beautiful lashes but also significant darkening of the periorbital-skin aggravating my dark circles. It is known that the active ingredient a so called prostaglandin (bimatoprost, originally used for the treatment of glaucoma), can cause undesirable side-effects like permanent brown pigmentation of the iris, eyelid-skin darkening and eye irritation.
As a result I started looking into alternatives and have discovered amalian LASHES as my new favourite. It is a novel proprietary formulation based on an innovative technology designed for eyelashes revitalization. The highly biocompatible solution is enriched with a hyaluronic acid complex, designed to nourish and boost eyelashes and is alcohol and preservative free, which makes it exceptionally well tolerated.
Despite the active ingredient being a prostaglandin derivative from the PGF-2-alpha family, to date, no allergic reactions, eyelid redness, conjunctiva, iris or lid pigmentation have been observed. This could be explained by the use of a polysaccharide complex encapsulating the active ingredient, very much like a carrier allowing it to get to the follicle without causing irritation of surrounding structures.
A recent randomized clinical trial at the University of Hamburg has been testing the efficacy and safety of amalian LASHES for a period of 12 weeks. At week six, satisfaction was rated using the global aesthetic improvement scale (GAIS), standard photos and a survey of both, test subjects and blind evaluators. 89% of the study participants were very satisfied or satisfied with the efficacy of the formulation3.
In my opinion amalian LASHES?is an innovative formula combining excellent boosting power for eyelash revitalization with outstanding tolerance, as no signs of ocular irritation have yet been documented.
Nutrition for long lashes
To combat eyelash loss and help strengthen and moisturise lashes it might also be worth incorporating more biotin-rich foods into the diet. B vitamins, and especially biotin, can help eyelashes grow and may also help brittle nails and improve acne.
Consuming foods like cauliflower, egg yolks, sardines, legumes, mushrooms and nutritional yeast as a condiment is an easy way to boost biotin intake.
with thanks to Dr Susanne Farwer, MD, MRCGP, Associate Member BCAM, GP and Cosmetic Doctor. Passionate about functional medicine, exercise and nutrition. Special interest in rehabilitative assisted technology. Currently studying for the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Dermatology.
Twitter@drsusannefarwer