One of the success stories in my never-ending quest to stave off the inexorable march of time is my eyelashes.

My eyelashes... with a little help from chemistry!

Formerly stubby, straight and almost invisible, my eyelashes were the bane of my existence.  I wasted lots of time looking for the perfect mascara, researching new treatments (eyelash extensions, anyone?), getting my lashes dyed and permed (I wish I was kidding about that one) and painstakingly adding one false eyelash at a time until I looked doe-eyed and somewhat I Dream of Jeannie-ish.  Oh, if only I could get back all that time in front of the mirror with a little splotch of eyelash glue on the back of my hand, picking up tiny lashes with tiny tweezers and placing them just so along my upper lash line!  Jesus, the things we do…

Anyway, a few years ago, my friend Lisa very extravagantly gave me a tube of a then unknown product called Revitalash.  It was somehow related to a glaucoma drug (I ignored that scary bit of info) and supposedly worked by stimulating lazy follicles.  I applied it religiously every night and after a few weeks, I’m happy to say … it freakin’ WORKED.  Long, full, somehow darker … my lashes were AWESOME!  Some days, I didn’t wear any makeup at all except for a little mascara (who cares what the brand was?  Everything worked on those new lashes!) and I buried my eyelash curler and falsies in the bottom drawer.  The heavens opened, the angels sang, bunnies danced happily across the verdant meadow .. and then I stopped using it (cue the violins).

Lash Grower Rule #1:  You must keep using it.  If you stop, you will have to endure a whole crop of crappy lashes before you see your long, lush lashes again.

Last year, I got another lovely gift from Lisa: Latisse.  The new kid on the lash growing block, it came in a tiny bottle and had a complicated hermetically-sealed-two-brush-per-day system.  I chucked out the special brushes because, uh … right.  I’m going to waste product on their crazy brushes and be forced to spend $120 a month for lashes.  I don’t even spend that on my super complicated three process hair color.  Instead, I used my efficient Revitalash brush and all was well … for awhile.  Long, long lashes but over time, I developed a pretty ugly (think red, scaly skin near my eyes) allergic reaction.

Lash Grower Rule #2:  Follow the directions, jackass.

I’m back to Revitalash and loving it but I have to confess that my head is sometimes turned when I’m walking through the crack beauty aisle at Costco and see the bargain priced over-the-counter brands but I already know …

Lash Grower Rule #3:  Non-prescription products work … but not nearly as fast.

Anyway, if you’re on the lash growing fence, perhaps trying to decide if the somewhat prohibitive price is worth it, just know that I have friends who have had to trim their lashes.  Trim their EYELASHES!

You need some.  Now.