I tried this £30 Love Island-approved lash serum and was seriously impressed by the results

I’ve tried countless mascaras, made a mess trying to stick on false lashes and have even encountered a few disasters with eyelash curlers (yes – they were as painful as you could imagine). So when I got hold of this growth-boosting lash serum, I couldn’t wait to try it.

You may have seen the Glow For It Lash Growth Serum all over your socials. It is currently in the Love Island villa, ex Islander Samie Elishi swears by it for her gorgeous flutter and hundreds of customers have left the viral lash serum a five-star review. And now - spoiler alert - I’m officially a fan too. Why? Well, because it is far more affordable than some high-end options, like RevitaLash’s cult classic serum, and unlike some lash serums on the market, it is vegan, cruelty-free and contains no prostaglandin analogues, which are known for making the skin around your eyes appear darker and feel more irritated FYI.

Testing the Glow For It Lash Growth Serum

In the name of honesty, I will explain that I am lucky enough to have naturally decent lashes. In my twenties, they were long and full, but since turning 30 (in 2020), I started noticing that my lashes were looking shorter and sparser, as well as feeling more brittle. So, when those gorgeous strands started falling out during my evening cleanse, I decided to do something about it.

I’ve been using the Glow For It Lash Growth Serum for three months now. It is super easy to apply – you just need to swipe it along your lash line once a day. Personally, I include it in my evening skincare routine.

The little tube, which comes in at just £30, uses a multi-peptide formula that nourishes lashes with all of those wonderful vitamins and nutrients that they need to stimulate the hair follicles around our eyes.

After around one week of use, people started commenting on my lashes – something that hasn’t happened in years! Obviously, this meant I had to keep going on my lash revival journey.

As the weeks went on, I got more and more compliments on my lashes. And if that wasn’t enough, I barely noticed any eyelash shedding during the testing period – so clearly my lashes weren’t just growing, but they were stronger than before, too.

And now? Well, the results don’t look that impressive without any mascara, but after two coats of Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara, they look longer and thicker than extensions or falsies. People have literally stopped me on my commute to Closer HQ to question if my eyelashes are real, and almost every new person I meet makes a comment on how long they are.

I think we can all agree that for £30, these are some pretty impressive results. And I’m not alone in my Glow For It love - hundreds of customers have left the product five-star reviews, with one even claiming, ‘I have been using this product for years and it is absolutely amazing!’

How do lash serums work?

Eyelash serums work by either stimulating the lash follicles to promote growth or by nourishing and strengthening existing lashes to help them grow longer and healthier – Glow For It Lash Growth Serum does the latter in case you were wondering.

Some serums, especially those with prostaglandin analogues, extend the natural growth phase of lashes, encouraging them to grow longer, thicker, and darker. The downside to these are that they can cause irritation and some discolouring around the eyes.

On the flip side, some lash serums, including Glow For It Lash Growth Serum, use peptides, vitamins, and hydrating ingredients to help condition lashes, prevent breakage, and support fuller-looking lashes over time. Think of these as your nourishing treatments that will improve your lash health in order to encourage new growth.

How long do you need to use a lash serum to see results?

Annoying answer alert: lash serum usage will be different for everyone.

Firstly, you need to consider if your lashes have been compromised from harsh cleansers, lash lifts or extensions. Secondly, it depends on what stage of your lash cycle you’re on. Yes, you read that right, just like our hair our lashes experience growth cycles:

Anagen (growth phase) – This is when you’re most likely to see extreme results, as your lashes will be growing during this time.

Telogen (Resting phase) – In this stage, our lashes are just relaxing and chilling out. This is a key time for nourishing and strengthening those strands.

Catagen (Shedding phase) – The sad stage at which our lashes will fall out. However, when using a lash serum, you will minimise the amount of hairs that will naturally shed.

If you are using a nourishing formula, like Glow For It’s, then just keep using it continuously. The worst side effect of the product is that you run the risk of having ridiculously long lashes.

What happens after you stop using Glow For It Lash Growth Serum?

After my three-month trial, I put the little pink tube away, all in the name of science. It has been two week since I’ve stopped using the serum, and so far, I haven’t noticed any changes. My lashes are just as long, and feel pretty strong, too.

However, it is safe to guess that once I enter the catagen (shedding) phase of my lash cycle, I will start to notice the difference.

Cigdem Tanrioglu is Closer's Style Editor. When she isn’t scouring the high street for the perfect outfit, she’s testing out the latest products to make her fine hair look thicker or hunting out make-up to suit tanned and olive skin tones like hers.