Retinol can help treat aging skin and is widely used in many creams and beauty products. But is retinol good for eyelashes?
Retinol is not recommended for being applied directly to the eyelashes or lash line. Since retinol is a strong skincare ingredient, it can be very irritating for all skin types. Instead, professionals recommend using a lash serum for eyelash growth and eye cream for hydration.
What Is Retinol?
Retinol is derived from vitamin A and is used in tons of skincare products. It is known for helping mature skin, as it diminishes fine lines, wrinkles, and pores. In addition, retinol is used to treat acne.
There are both over-the-counter retinol products as well as retinol products that can be prescribed to you by a dermatologist.
Retinol is one of the strongest over-the-counter skincare ingredients. Some retinol products that a dermatologist would have to prescribe are known as prescription retinoids.
Benefits Of Retinol
Retinol is a great all-around skincare ingredient.
There are tons of myths out there that retinol makes your skin peel, is too harsh on the skin, and causes the skin to thin.
While retinol is one of the stronger skincare ingredients, most of these myths have been debunked.
In fact, retinol is known to have more benefits for the skin for people struggling with common skincare concerns.
Here are some of the benefits of retinol:
- Reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines
- Helps decrease enlarged pores
- Helps acne and acne scarring
- Exfoliating
- Improves texture of the skin
- Boosts the production of elastin and collagen
- Improves sun spots and skin discoloration
3 Reasons Retinol Is Bad For Eyelashes
Retinol is a great ingredient to incorporate into your skincare routine, but it isn’t so good to put on your eyelashes. Here are 3 reasons why retinol is bad for eyelashes.
1. Retinol Can Cause Irritation, Burning, And Redness
One of the main reasons why you don’t want to put retinol on your eyelashes is that it can cause irritation, burning, and redness.
This is why people with sensitive skin sometimes even avoid retinol on their skin as well.
The eyes are an extremely sensitive area, and Retinol will definitely cause irritation to the area. So it is best to avoid putting Retinol on eyelashes.
It is possible to apply retinol to the eye area as long as you are cautious of not getting it near the lash line or eye.
In a lot of cases, people have experienced benefits with undereye bags and wrinkles by applying retinol to the thin layer of skin underneath the eye.
2. Can Dry Out Eyes
Another reason why retinol is not good for eyelashes is that it dries out the area where it is applied.
Specifically, retinol can cause gland damage to the eye area. Retinol has no benefits for the eyelashes whatsoever.
3. Makes Skin Prone To Sun Damage
Lastly, retinol has actually been shown to make the skin more prone to sun damage.
This is because retinol products can be photosynthesizing making the skin extra sensitive to the sun’s harmful rays.
For this reason, if you are going to use retinol in your skincare regimen, it is best to use it at night.
This is because applying it in the morning will set you up for increased exposure to sun damage.
Can Retinol Help Grow Eyelashes?
Yes, retinol has been shown to help grow your eyelashes. However, it is a highly irritating product that should be avoided especially if you have sensitive skin and eyes.
Since retinol improves the overall condition of the skin, it is going to promote the growth of new hair which is why so many hair care brands are starting to incorporate retinol.
This also applies to eyelashes.
But retinol is a very strong ingredient that should be left in skincare and hair care products.
The eyes are too much of a sensitive area to be applying such a strong ingredient like retinol.
Instead, professionals recommend using a lash serum to make your eyelashes grow back fuller and faster.
Risks And Warnings Of Using Retinol
Generally, it is recommended that people who are pregnant or breastfeeding avoid using products with retinol in them.
It is always best to consult with your physician before incorporating ingredients like retinol into your skincare routine.
People with sensitive skin should be cautious when using retinol since it is a strong ingredient that can be mildly irritating.
As always, if you are unsure whether retinol will be suitable for your skin type, a patch test is always recommended before use.
A lot of people do patch tests on the inner arm, top of the hand, or behind the ear.