You Don't Want This Ingredient In Your Lash Serum, Here's Why

As the "no makeup makeup" era continues to dominate the beauty conversation and lash and brow health commands an ever-growing share of it, there's a clear shift in what consumers value: naturally lush lashes, fuller brows and skin that looks like it glows from within. More than ever, women want to wake up feeling confident in their own skin with minimal makeup. When it comes to lashes and brows, this goes deeper than trends and has instead become a natural extension of the everyday skincare routine.

With this shift comes greater awareness of the ingredients being used in formulations, and when it comes to lash serums, one in particular is gaining significant attention: prostaglandins.

Prostaglandins are locally acting, hormone-like compounds that can extend the hair growth cycle. They're effective for hair growth but not always gentle, and are known to cause side effects including redness, iris pigmentation changes, eyelid skin darkening and loss of fat around the eye socket. Some of these effects are considered irreversible, with a growing body of research supporting these findings.

Earlier this year, the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety released a statement concluding that "having evaluated all the evidence provided by the Applicants to support the safe use of the three prostaglandin analogues (PGAs) - Isopropyl Cloprostenate, Methylamido-DihydroNoralfaprostal and Dechloro Dihydroxy Difluoro Ethylcloprostenolamide - the SCCS is of the opinion that none of them can be considered safe for use in cosmetic products intended for promoting the growth of eyelashes and eyebrows." No formal ban is yet in place, but one may follow in the near future.

Long before these conversations took place, I had already chosen a different path. When I began formulating the Sweed Eyelash Growth Serum, I noticed that virtually all serums heavily relied on prostaglandins, an ingredient I didn't fully understand and that felt too complicated to stand behind. As a result, I didn't want it in my formula. We focused instead on simple ingredients in high concentrations: peptides and keratin over prostaglandin analogues.

These two key ingredients support the hair follicles and help extend the natural growth phase of lashes and brows. Alongside them, ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and pumpkin seed oil nourish the lash line and leave a glossy effect on the lashes, making the serum not only effective but a gentle choice for the highly sensitive eye area. That said, sensitivity is always individual, particularly when a formula contains an active concentration of any given ingredient. Extracts derived from trees, for example, may cause irritation for those with pollen allergies, and ingredients like vitamin C can be too active for certain skin types while working well for others. Proceed with caution, especially around the eyes.

With years of hands-on experience in beauty retail, I have developed a deep understanding of customer needs across skin types, concerns and age groups, with my own experience of acne and eczema sharpening my ability to identify products that balance high-performance results with skin compatibility. The most important takeaway? Choose products that work in harmony with your skin, provide genuine nourishment and leave you feeling confident, with or without makeup. Which is exactly why, when it comes to lash serums, knowing what's not in the formula matters just as much as knowing what is. Prostaglandins included.