If your once lush set of lashes is lacking volume, check out these common culprits below—there’s a good chance one may be sabotaging your doe eyes. Camara Aunique, celebrity makeup artist and founder of handcrafted faux lash line Camara Aunique Beauty, agrees: “Lash extensions are great, but you have to spend enough time cleaning your lashes properly,” she tells us about losing eyelashes (i.e., washing off that excess glue to avoid irritation). Find our full guide to growing eyelashes here, but we’ll discuss some of the highlights below: Plus, a number of clean, fragrance-free mascaras also come infused with healthy, lengthening actives (this serum-infused mascara, for instance, is infused with red clover flower and peptides). Although, if you do crash into bed without removing your eye makeup (a major no, but it happens!) and wake up to crunchy, dried-out lashes, don’t panic: Thoroughly remove your makeup in the morning, Downie suggests, and perhaps give your eyes a break from makeup for the day. “[Castor oil] is super hydrating, so lashes don’t become brittle and dry or break,” board-certified dermatologist Ava Shamban, M.D., founder of SKINFIVE, has told us about castor oil for lashes. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and it’s both an emollient and an occlusive, which means it’s able to penetrate into the tiny strands and keep moisture from seeping out. However, each condition is complex, each with its own unique mechanisms of action. Meaning, specific treatments differ for everyone, so you’ll want to work with a professional on your personal next steps.
