Using oils on your eyelashes is a great way of promoting their strength and length. Natural oils contain plenty of fatty acids and vitamins like vitamin E, B, and D, all of which are essential in supporting hair growth.
By carefully applying oils to your eyelashes, you’ll be nourishing and conditioning them, thereby minimizing damage, and may help them to grow.
These are our pick of the 12 best oils for eyelashes.
This post contains affiliate links and we may earn if you click on them (at no extra cost to you). Please read our full disclosure policy here.
What Makes A Good Lash Oil?
When you’re looking for the best oils for eyelashes, remember to go for pure, organic, and cruelty-free oils.
Check that the product is free of any chemical nasties like preservatives, parabens, and pesticides, as well as artificial fragrances. Avoid any expired oils, and always remember to patch test.
Darker bottles are best for protecting against UV exposure, which can break down the oil and impact its nutritional quality.
Cold-pressed oils are also best, as the maximum nutrients are retained by reducing the oil’s exposure to heat.
The 12 Best Oils For Eyelashes in 2022
1. Castor Oil
We like: Cold Pressed Castor Oil by Kate Blanc Cosmetics
Castor oil is one of the best-known natural ingredients. It has been used for centuries and is produced by extracting the oil from the seeds (which are known as castor beans) of the castor plant.
As well as being linked to wound healing as a result of its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, castor oil is intensely moisturizing. It’s for this reason that it’s so beloved by the natural beauty industry.
It nourishes and hydrates the skin and hair thanks to its thick texture, and has significant amounts of fatty acids and vitamin E.
Castor oil is great to use on your eyelashes as it may stimulate blood circulation to the hair follicles, thereby supporting hair growth.
Wearing castor oil on your lashes can also help them to look thicker and darker.
However, because castor oil is fairly thick, take care to only use it before bed. Apply it with a clean mascara wand or spoolie and allow the oil to sink in overnight for maximum conditioning.
Just take care not to get any in your eyes, as this may cause irritation and sensitivity.
2. Sweet Almond Oil
We Like: Pure Body Naturals Sweet Almond Oil For Hair And Skin
Be aware that there is a difference between sweet almond oil, which is safe for topical use on the skin and hair, and generic almond oil.
Sweet almond oil comes from the almond tree, which originates in the Middle East and southwest Asia.
It’s highly versatile and is great for use in at-home or natural beauty remedies thanks to its high nutritional content.
Sweet almond oil contains monosaturated fats, as well as vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acids, magnesium, and calcium.
Thanks to these ingredients, sweet almond oil can strengthen and moisturize your eyelashes, helping to prevent damage.
It may also support hair growth, as sweet almond oil contains a degree of biotin, which is an essential protein.
Sweet almond oil is a very gentle substance, so is suitable for those who are prone to allergies – other than those with nut allergies, of course! Always patch test before use in order to establish that you are allergy-free.
There’s a reason why sweet almond oil has been in use since Ancient Egyptian times. You should see a difference in around six to eight weeks with regular use of sweet almond oil.
3. Coconut Oil
We like: Pure Body Naturals Organic Fractionated Coconut Oil
Yes, you can use coconut oil on your eyelashes as well as in your cooking. However, whilst you can purchase any old coconut oil in a grocery or drugstore, it’ll tend to be refined.
Whilst refined coconut oil is fine for use on your eyelashes, it is nonetheless best in its pure form.
Refined coconut oil or coconut oil that’s mass-produced will typically be extracted from immature and underripe coconuts.
As such, they have to be processed at higher temperatures, and the oil itself is typically then bleached and deodorized.
This process has a high amount of human intervention, and each step reduces the purity of the coconut oil, which reduces its levels of nutrients.
If you can find pure coconut oil, this is, therefore, better all around for your eyelashes.
Coconut oil is so great for your eyelashes as it is full of fatty acids, meaning that it moisturizes and nourishes.
It is also very gentle, so is appropriate for use around the eye area, and its lauric acid content makes it anti-fungal and anti-microbial.
Plus, it has a delicious coconut smell – what’s not to love?
4. Olive Oil
Again, like coconut oil, olive oil is another at-home substance that you can use on your eyelashes for growth.
It nourishes, moisturizes, and conditions thanks to its high content of vitamins K and E. Olive oil also contains many fatty acids, including linoleic acid, which keeps hair follicles healthy.
By encouraging healthy skin cell turnover, olive oil may prevent hair follicles from becoming clogged, which in turn supports hair growth.
5. Avocado Oil
We Like: Majestic Pure Avocado Oil for Hair and Skin
Olive oil has plenty of good fats, but in a competition, avocado oil wins out every time.
It’s packed full of monosaturated fatty acids and vitamin E, as well as plenty of antioxidants that protect against environmental stress and supports the healthy growth of eyelashes.
Whereas most natural oils used on eyelashes are extracted from the seeds of the fruit or plant, avocado oil actually comes from the flesh of the fruit itself.
Take care not to ingest the avocado oil, and always remember to patch test – particularly if you’re at any risk of allergy.
6. Argan Oil
We Like: Cliganic 100% Pure Organic Argan Oil
Argan oil comes from the nut of the argan tree, which is native to Morocco and is known as liquid gold.
As such, it’s not appropriate for those who are vulnerable to nut allergies, as the cold-pressing of argan oil means that many of the nut’s nutrients are retained.
It’s well known for use in skin and hair care products thanks to its high content of antioxidants and fatty acids, as well as vitamin E.
When used on the eyelashes, argan oil can help to reduce shedding and breakages.
Be aware that much like castor oil, argan oil is a little thicker in texture, so it’s best applied at night before bed. It’s too thick to wear during the day.
If you are a little too enthusiastic about applying argan oil to your eyelashes, you may end up applying too much, which might make your eyes sting a little. Less is more with argan oil on your eyelashes, so go gently.
It’s also worth noting that it’s vital that argan oil comes in a dark bottle. Argan oil is particularly susceptible to degeneration as a result of exposure to UV rays, which will impact its overall quality.
You should therefore aim to keep it in a cool, dark place once opened.
Similarly, if your argan oil smells, then you should not be using it. Check the ingredients to see if any other fragrances have been added – argan oil is naturally scentless.
Natural argan oil is also a light golden yellow in color, and it should have a smooth texture that isn’t too thin.
If the argan oil you are using is more transparent and watery in texture, then it’s very likely been mixed with other ingredients.
7. Vitamin E Oil
We Like: PURA D’OR Organic Vitamin E Oil
If you want the benefits of vitamin E without using any other natural oil, then a good oil to go for is straight vitamin E oil.
It helps to prevent damage and breakage to the eyelashes by stimulating blood circulation to the hair follicles, thereby helping to reduce the risk of eyelash fallout and shedding.
Be aware that vitamin E oil doesn’t absorb that easily, so you may find that it rests on the surface of your lashes and skin more than the other oils on this list.
Many vitamin E oils are also made synthetically. One of the best ways to gauge whether or not the vitamin E oil you’re thinking of purchasing is pure is by checking the ingredient list.
This should be short – if there are too many elements, the vitamin E oil is less likely to be pure. It should really only contain alpha-tocopherol and a carrier oil like extra virgin olive oil.
Third-party certification seals are also good to look out for, as these verify that the product does what it advertises.
8. Jojoba Oil
We Like: Cliganic USDA 100% Pure Organic Jojoba Oil
Waxy in texture and hand-feel, jojoba oil is full of vitamins like E and B, as well as other nutrients such as copper and zinc.
Along with the fatty acids, jojoba oil is rich in iodine, which gives the oil anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
As well as being great for your eyelashes, jojoba oil is fantastic for the skin, but it should never be ingested.
Unlike many of the other oils on this list, jojoba oil maintains its properties even when exposed to high temperatures, so whilst cold-pressed jojoba oil is best, it’s not essential.
9. Burdock Oil
We Like: Florona Burdock Root Oil
Derived from the roots and leaves of the burdock plant, burdock oil has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries.
It’s highly sought after for its medicinal purposes and contains plenty of good fats alongside vitamins A, B, and E, and iron, zinc, potassium, and magnesium.
Burdock oil is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial and can boost the follicle health of your hair, which may support hair growth.
However, it is not a carrier oil, so is frequently mixed with one, meaning that you’re unlikely to find it in its pure form.
Just take care that the carrier oil that burdock oil is mixed with isn’t something to which you’re allergic, like sweet almond oil, for example.
10. Lavender Oil
Coming from the lavender flower, lavender oil is known for promoting relaxation and helping to calm stress. But it can also help to promote hair growth, and is anti-microbial and anti-septic, too.
Excessive amounts may cause irritation and contact dermatitis, however, and it may be painful if you get it in your eyes.
Lavender oil is an essential oil and you should therefore only use it when mixed with a carrier oil like Argan or coconut.
Always patch test before use.
11. Grapeseed Oil
We Like: Handcraft – 100% Pure Grapeseed Oil
Grapeseed oil is another natural oil that may help the growth of your eyelashes. It’s a by-product of winemaking, and is extracted from leftover grape seeds – a great trivia fact for your next quiz!
Grapeseed oil contains vitamin E, flavonoids, and linoleic acid, so contributes to the growth of your eyelashes, as well as their overall strength, working to hydrate and prevent brittleness.
12. Emu Oil
If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, you won’t be able to use emu oil, as it is derived from the fat of the emu. Emu oil has been used as a traditional ingredient in natural healthcare for over 40,000 years.
It is rich in linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid, meaning that it helps to nourish and condition eyelashes, thereby preventing shedding and breakage.
It has also been reported that emu oil can help to darken eyelashes, although this is only anecdotal.