Women have always wanted to have beautiful eyes and longer eyelashes to look attractive. And, the only way to get thicker longer lashes until now has been to apply modern day versions of mascara.
But, one can now have longer eyelashes even without mascara, thanks to scientists who claim to have discovered a way of making them grow longer.
A team at L’Oreal’s research laboratories in Paris has, in fact, developed a gel which extends the length of time individual eyelashes grow for before they fall out, leading to longer and bushier eyelashes, ‘The Daily Telegraph’ reported.
While a human head hair will grow for up to three years, eyelashes grow for only three months before they fall out, limiting the length that they can grow to. Laboratory experiments carried out by the team found that the hairs could be made to grow longer if the growing time was increased.
They were also able to increase the number of eyelashes present on the eyelid as a result. “Modern mascaras create the illusion of longer eyelashes. When women take their make-up off, their lashes are still the same length. Eyelashes are similar to other hair in many ways but they’ve two key differences that we can exploit,” lead scientist Patricia Pineau said.
“The first is the speed of growth which is much faster in eyelashes while the second is the amount of hair growing at any one time. In head hair, 70 to 80 per cent of the hairs are growing at any one time while in eyelashes only about 15 per cent are growing,” Mr Pineau said.
He added: “It was clear by increasing the duration of the growing phase the eyelashes would grow longer while postponing the start of the resting phase, when the lashes fall out means there are more lashes on the eyelid fringe.”
In fact, the team found that a combination of citric acid, an amino acid known as arginine, and extracts from a Mexican plant known as Centella asiatica had the best effects.
The treatment is applied to the roots of the eyelashes as part of a white gel that is used each night for three months. A small three month clinical trial involving 32 women saw their eyelashes increase by an average of 20 per cent while some saw their lashes increase length and density by some 30 per cent.
“Even we were surprised by the difference. Most of the women, about 80 per cent, have asked to keep using the serum,” Pineau said. Since the time of the pharaohs, mascara has formed an essential part of many women’s daily beauty regime. And modern mascaras use coloured tints to darken the tips of eyelashes — while some contain fibres that artificially lengthen lashes.