The Budget Beauty Episode 7

Lashes – True or False

The purpose of eyelashes is to keep dust out of our eyes and to act as a 'trip wire' to protect our eyes.  My niece, LaKendria, has the longest, most beautiful lashes on the planet!  And she has some huge beautiful eyes to match!  I just want to slap her! LOL

My lashes are the direct opposite.  They are very short; almost nonexistent.  They have no curl, no density.  Now there are products out on the market that claim to grow your lashes.  I did a research on Eyelash Growth Serums.   The name Envyderm Eyelash Growth Serum was the first thing to pop up in Google.  I took time to check out the first four ingredients.  The first ingredient is “Water”.  We all know what that is.  Next was “Butylene Glycol”.  It is a common humectant and solubilizer used in cosmetic and food preparations.  After that is Hydroxyethyl cellulose which is a gelling and thickening agent and next is Panthenol which is the alcohol analog of pantothenic acid (vitamin B₅), and is thus a provitamin of B_{5 .}  In cosmetics, panthenol is a humectant, emollient and moisturizer.

I went to the website of the company that produces it just to see what the cost is.  People are paying $99.95 for this stuff.  Yes, $100.00 for 5ml/0.17 fl.oz. Don’t believe me?  Take a trip to the site and find out for yourself.  Here is the web address: 

http://www.envyderm.com/Nighttime-Growth-Serum_ep_56-1.html

Ok.  So now we have water; a humectant (something that attracts moisture).  One of the most common humectants is sugar.  Don’t believe me?  Put a hard cookie in a zip lock bag with a slice of bread.  In a day or so, you will have a moist, soft cookie and the bread will be dried out.  We need something to hold our ingredients in a gel state and a B vitamin. 

Reading over some of the ingredients of some products that I already have, I, Natasha Benton have deduced that all you need is Aquaphor and Vitamin E Capsules.  Now let’s see why.  Here are the Aquaphor Ingredients: 

Active ingredient:   Petrolatum (41%)  Inactive Ingredients:  Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Panthenol, Glycerin (which is a humectant), Bisabolol. 

Now, the ingredients for Spring Valley Vitamin E (200 I.U.) Capsules:  Dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate, Gelatin, Glycerin, Water.  Personally, I just like Vitamin E.  You really don’t need it!

I have been using Castor Oil on a Q-Tip for about 1 week now.  I have not noticed any growth but I have noticed less lash fallout and less lash line itchiness.  I am going to make my own “Lash Growth Serum” and if you want my recipe here goes!

Tasha’s Lash Growth Serum

½ T Aquaphor

½ T Castor Oil

1 Vitamin E Capsule

Mix all ingredients together and store in a container with a tight fighting lid.  Apply nightly with a Q-Tip to the base of the upper and lower lash line.  Do not get product into eyes.  May also be used on the brows.

For those of you who are willing, you can pay me $50 for a 5gm jar of “Tasha’s Eyelash Growth Serum”.  I will even throw in some Q-Tips from the dollar store.  Just kidding!