Few brands are as successful as The Ordinary at delivering powerful skin care solutions at an affordable price. From their $10 “Botox in a bottle” argireline solution to their under-$20 “pink ranger to the rescue” for a compromised skin barrier, the brand cuts out fancy packaging for products that just do what they say they will. That can come in handy for items that usually cost a pretty penny, or even require a prescription, like many lash and brow serums do. But if you’re dealing with thinning lash and brow hairs as you age, you’re in luck, because The Ordinary has done it again — for just $15.
It’s normal for eyebrows and eyelashes to thin with age, according to previous HuffPost Life reporting. But as experts have told HuffPost Shopping (for a story about another multi-peptide serum from The Ordinary, no less), peptides can support hair growth by increasing blood flow, extending the hair’s growth phase and supporting hair follicles.
The Ordinary’s Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum contains four peptide complexes and extracts to help increase hair density for thicker, fuller-looking brows and lashes in as little as four weeks of consistent use. That’s without the inclusion of any prostaglandins, which stimulate lash growth but are known for side effects like irritation and hyperpigmentation. The Ordinary’s comparatively gentle formula, which is lightweight, fast-absorbing and non-greasy, is ideal for people with sensitive eyes and skin.
“I’ve tried the expensive brands, and prescription ones,” one reviewer wrote. “Although [that] stuff works, most of them irritated my eye that my ophthalmologist told me to stop using them. Finally, I found this product and told myself I’ll give it another try since it’s cheaper. And oh my was I surprise[d]! In less than a week I saw new lashes growing! And the best part, my eye are not itchy and my under eye did not [have] discoloration! I highly recommend this product for girls with sensitive eyes like me.”
People with mature skin also love the serum for its effectiveness in thickening aging brows and lashes. “I just turned 60 and have been looking for a product that would help restore my brow hairs,” one shopper shared. “The hairs on the outer part of my brows, from arch to tail, were practically nonexistent. I’ve been pencilling them in for years, then I tried The Ordinary multi-peptide Lash and Brow Serum. I saw regrowth of my brows in a month, and after two my brows are almost back to normal. I am also seeing a difference with my lashes. They are fuller and feel stronger. I no longer lose lashe[s] when I take off my mascara. I actually have to pluck my brows to keep the shape. That was unheard of just a few months ago.”
Plus, the $15 price point is a huge bonus for folks who have tried other lash serums with much higher prices, sometimes even trickling into the triple digits for a single tube. “It actually works! Just as well as another serum I use that costs over $70!” one person claimed. “I have lots of new eyebrow growth.”
Another agreed, writing, “I am shocked that THIS WORKS! I started using it 2 months ago, 2x a day and my previously sparse eyebrows are noticeably thicker. For the price, I figured I had nothing to lose. Went in with zero expectations and just wow! Glad I skipped the expensive brands.”
Below, you’ll find even more promising reviews from folks who have used The Ordinary’s lash and brow serum to restore thinning hairs and gain back confidence. If you’d rather not shell out a ton of money for a small tube of product, this tried-and-true brand could be just what you’re looking for.
“If you’re in your 50’s and your eyebrows stop growing, this product will regrow the hairs on the bald spots. I’m finally getting my eyebrows back. Highly recommend this product!” — Rebecca R. Burke
“Bought a two pack for myself and my mom. It works great! My mom is in her 60s, and she said her eyebrows are growing back for the first time in years! Has no smell, easy to apply, and absorbs into the skin instantly.” — Briana
“My lashes have thinned with age. The bottom lashes have been sparse with sections completely lacking any lashes at all. I have tried numerous products without any results, until I tried the Ordinary. It has taken about a month of applying twice a day, but there are now visible lashes on the lower lash line. Slow growing, but they are finally there. The upper lashes are almost getting too long, but I am not complaining about that. I am finally feeling hopeful that within another month, I will have a full compliment of lashes again.” — tmr
“Subtle differences in both brows and lashes. I am in my 40s and I was an overplucker in the late 90s/early 2000. The Ordinary multi-peptide lash and brow serum has been a game changer for filling in some of the bare spaces in my brows. It has also helped with my lashes, which I feel like had thinned out quite a bit with age. I have had no skin irritation, (and I usually have a reaction to any eyelash serum). The price point is great for the amount of product. I use it twice a day and I’ve had it for about a month. This has not caused any problems at all- I highly recommend this product!” — Mrs. B & Company
“Works so well, I see a huge difference in just a month. It’s growing back hairs that I haven’t seen since I was a child. Doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin. Easy to use with the applicator. Would definitely recommend.” — base10
Looking for more solutions for sparse brows and lashes? Check out these makeup products recommended by people with alopecia, from a list curated by the HuffPost Shopping team:
A double-edged "faux brow" pen that mimics real hair
One alopecia advocate told use that the L’Oréal Faux Brow pen was designed specifically for people who experience brow hair loss.
Senior shopping writer Tessa Flores, who has a patch missing on her eyebrow, uses this pen herself, and she’s obsessed with it. It features an ultra-fine felt tip, which is two-pronged with slightly different widths on each tip to mimic the look of real hair strands, and the ink-like product dries down almost immediately and stays put. It comes in eight realistic shades, including ashy browns, auburns, and a black shade.
A sensitive eye-friendly tubing mascara that reviewers with alopecia love
That same alopecia advocate said that she gravitates toward mascaras that are buildable, lightweight and long-wearing, with gentle ingredients for sensitive skin.
Based on this guidance, we selected Thrive Causemetics' tubing mascara that several reviewers with alopecia chose as their mascara of choice.
"I have seen the advertisement for the mascara and I was a little leery of the actual results I would get, but I'm here to tell you, don't be! The results are amazing! The mascara lengthens and adds volume to my lashes. I have alopecia, so my lashes are not full-on their own, but this mascara helps them appear to be fuller," one Thrive Causemetics reviewer writes.
Often referred to as "lash extensions in a tube," this sensitive eye-friendly mascara creates precision-wrapped tubes that are lightweight, clump-free and buildable, even when you may not have a lot of lashes to begin with. Available in five shades, this mascara promises to be smudge-proof, water-resistant and lasts all day.
A waterproof eyebrow pen by Nyx
Another alopecia advocate recommended the Nyx Cosmetics brow pen, because it’s ultra-fine and a multi-use product. She likes this formula for thickening the look of her eyebrow transfers, creating a small natural wing on the eyes, and lining her water and lash line to make lashes look like her own.
Available in 10 shades, this ink-like pen uses a flexible micro-brush tip that allows you to create thin to thick lines, wherever you need.