How to Grow Thicker Eyebrows: The Best Eyebrow Growth Serums 2023

May 21, 2021 (updated January 31, 2023)

Want to know how to grow thicker eyebrows (and lashes) using the most natural ingredients possible? We made ourselves the guinea pigs for natural eyelash growth serums, so you don’t have to. Keep reading for the top three best eyelash and eyebrow growth serums for 2023.

woman holding small serum for eyebrow growth

Thank you to Papillon Organics for sponsoring this post! 

Okay so when I try a lash and brow serum and see noticeable growth in 30 days, I consider it my duty to share it with you! Let me first start by saying, I’ve tried several lash/brow growth serums in the past but most of them sting my eyes so I haven’t been able to test them long enough to see results.

I kinda suspect I’m experiencing irritation from castor oil which can be irritating to some people but not irritating to others (1).

To be honest, I actually kinda gave up on growth serums—until I discovered our budget pick, below. But, our team (aka Nicolle Mackinnon, our content manager) has two other top picks to share. She tried and tested these for longer than 30 days each, and saw noticeable results—fuller brows, longer lashes, less breakage.

So via Nicolle’s and my combined experience, these are our top picks for brow and lash growth serums. And each formula stands out for a different reason. 

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How to Grow Thicker Eyebrows: The Best Eyebrow Growth Serums

When it comes to your eyes, you don’t want to mess around. Lots of ingredients that are safe for use on other parts of your body get a bad rap when it comes to applying near your eyes. Not only are your eyes more sensitive, but irritation and inflammation in and around your eyes can be more uncomfortable. If you’ve ever had a stye, you know! 

That’s why we’ve sought out eyebrow and eyelash growth serums that are formulated with more natural ingredients. Of course, this can mean different things to different people but for us, it means we’re skipping the prescription formulas that have a growth active ingredient called bimatoprost, which has been shown to have side effects like iris darkening and eyelid hyperpigmentation; inflammation and infection; herpes simplex keratitis; and HSV dermatitis (1).

Many brow and lash growth formulas also often contain a preservative called benzalkonium chloride, which may have a cytotoxic effect on human cornea in some patients (2). So we are skipping formulas with that ingredient too. 

If you’ve had eye irritation or infection with a prescription option, these ingredients could be the reason why. 

So, if you are looking for something more natural, you’re in luck—we found other options, with organic ingredients that work JUST AS WELL (or better, since you are less likely to have eye irritation #winwin).

Some of the natural ingredients you will see included in our top pics are hair-growth enhancing green tea (3), antioxidants like vitamin E and scalp-conditioning agents like castor and argan oil. 

Without further delay, these are our top picks for the best eyebrow growth serums.

Eyelash growth tube from Plume

Easiest to apply eyebrow growth serum: Plume Lash & Brow Enhancing Serum | $95

If you’ve been on the hunt for how to grow thicker eyebrows, Plume Lash & Brow Enhancing Serum is probably the one you’ve heard about the most. It’s more widely available at green beauty retailers than our other picks, and it has overwhelmingly positive reviews.

We tried it and were immediately impressed. Nicolle has a thyroid autoimmune disorder that can cause hair (lashes included) to fall out. Because of this she was able to test Plume Lash & Brow Serum on a hole in her lash line. Within 10 days, new growth was visible where nothing had grown in three months on its own. And within a month, the hole in her lash line was gone.

Plume’s texture is also really easy to use and apply. The applicator is the most effective one out of our top three picks and there was no blurred vision or irritation if the formula got into Nicolle’s eyes (coming from the most sensitive one on our team, that’s saying something).

But, Plume irritated Lisa’s eyes. So if you historically have eye irritation issues or issues with castor, this might not be the one for you.

Pros of Plume Lash & Brow Growth Serum:

  • WORKS! And incredibly fast—we saw results in 10 days, and the hole in Nicolle’s lashes was gone within 30 days.
  • Super easy to apply—no mess, no fuss, can wear it during the day or night.
  • Cruelty free + safer ingredients.
  • Works on brows AND lashes.
  • Can be used during pregnancy (according to their website).
  • Natural ingredients.
  • Tons of positive reviews. 

Cons of Plume Lash & Brow Growth Serum:

  • Plastic packaging.
  • May cause irritation for some people.
  • Price.

Best budget eyebrow growth serum: Papillon Organic Eyelash Growth Serum | $55

When we saw Papillon’s ingredient list (comprised of 95% certified organic ingredients), we knew we had to give it a try. Check it out:  

  • Organic castor oil
  • Organic argan oil
  • Organic camellia japonica seed oil
  • Organic camellia sinensis seed oil
  • Matcha and camellia japonica flower and seed extracts
  • Vitamin E (non-GMO, sunflower derived)

Castor, argan and camellia oils offer omega-3 & -6 fatty acids, which help moisturize dry lashes and reduce breakage. These are paired with camellia sinensis seed oil derived from matcha, which studies show strengthen and encourage hair growth (2). And vitamin E promotes blood flow and encourages healthy growth.

Papillion Organic Eyelash Growth Serum 30 day before and after….

I tested Papillon Organic Eyelash Growth Serum on my brows for 30 days and this is what I saw:

HELLO signs of thicker, fuller brows. Not only that, you can see some new growth coming in, some of the gaps in my brows are smaller and my brows look overall fuller.

This formula is pretty viscous so I usually did this at night and on the days that I didn’t wear makeup. (On makeup days, I skipped application.)

Pros of the Papillon Lash & Growth Serum:

  • 95% certified organic ingredients.
  • Bottled in the USA.
  • Cruelty free & vegan.
  • Packaged in glass.
  • Showed noticeable eyebrow growth in 30 days.
  • Can be used on lashes AND brows.
  • More affordable.

Cons of the Papillon Lash & Growth Serum:

  • Viscous texture, which some people might find “too much.”
  • Can be hard to apply with the included eye dropper (it’s our understanding that this packaging is still being impacted by COVID manufacturing delays and they will be switching to a wand applicator in the near future).
  • Not as easy to apply in the morning if you want to wear makeup.

Code NEWKNEW will save you 15% on Papillion here!

And it’s not just us who love it. Take a look at this text exchange with one of Nicolle’s friends:

RELATED: My current anti-aging organic skincare routine—it’s easy to replicate!

tube with brow growth serum

Best vegan eyebrow growth serum: Luna Nectar Moon Boost | $75

Another lash and brow serum that’s been around for a few years, Luna Nectar Moon Boost is 100% organic and vegan, a feat for any formula. Nicolle loved this formula too—she noticed thicker lashes in two and half weeks, and her lashes kept growing even after she finished the serum bottle (which lasted longer than Plume’s tube). 

It’s easy to apply, slightly thicker than Plume, but less viscous than Papillon. Nicolle didn’t notice any eye irritation or blurred vision, and it wasn’t sticky or messy.

Pros of Luna Nectar Moon Boost:

  • Fragrance-free.
  • 100% organic & vegan ingredients.
  • Really easy to apply.
  • pH balanced.
  • Works within two weeks and lashes KEEP growing, even after we stopped using it.
  • Housed in fair trade bamboo tubes with recycled paper box outers.
  • Lasts slightly longer than Plume’s tube—Luna Nectar’s tube is estimated to last 3 months.
  • Can be used on lash extensions, lashes and brows.

Cons of Luna Nectar Moon Boost:

  • Price—this is the Mama Bear (cheaper than Plume but more expensive than Papillon).
  • May cause irritation for some people. 

Which brow and/or lash growth serums have you tried? One of the above or maybe you have another brow and lash growth serum we need to start testing?!

xo, lisa in cursive

TNK Team Note: This article contains affiliate links. TNK uses affiliate links as a source for revenue to fund operations of the business and to be less dependent on branded content. TNK stands behind all product recommendations. Still have questions about these links or our process? Feel free to email us.

REFERENCES

  1. Final report on the safety assessment of Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Glyceryl Ricinoleate SE, Ricinoleic Acid, Potassium Ricinoleate, Sodium Ricinoleate, Zinc Ricinoleate, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Ethyl Ricinoleate, Glycol Ricinoleate, Isopropyl Ricinoleate, Methyl Ricinoleate, and Octyldodecyl Ricinoleate. Int J Toxicol. 2007;26 Suppl 3:31-77. doi: 10.1080/10915810701663150. PMID: 18080873. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18080873/#:~:text=Castor%20oil%20is%20not%20a,castor%20oil%20or%20Ricinoleic%20Acid
  2. Law, K Simon; Bimatoprost in the treatment of eyelash hypotrichosis; Clinical Ophthalmology, April 26th, 2010; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2861943/
  3. Kwon, O S; Han, J H; Yoo, H G; Chung, J H; Cho, K H; Eun, H C; Kim, K H; National Library of Medicine, Phytomedicine, August 14th, 2007; Human hair growth enhancement in vitro by green tea epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG); https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17092697/

By Lisa Fennessy

Lisa is the founder of The New Knew. Passionate about clean beauty, organic eats and nontoxic lifestyle, Lisa writes to create awareness. Conscious consumerism and informed decisions will impact the marketplace, our health and THE WORLD!

2 Comments

  1. Reply

    M.

    Do you have an opinion on the Fitglow brow & lash serum?

    1. Reply

      Lisa

      Hi! We haven’t finished testing it yet but so glad you asked! xo, Lisa

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