Monday, January 11, 2010

Latisse/Lumigan - My Review

My eyelashes have always been thin, stick-straight, with average length. Yet, despite having so-so length, I could not achieve a lasting look no matter what I tried-- curling, heating, a million different mascaras. (I also have that same issue with curling my stick-straight hair, but I'll leave that for another post...)

 This picture was taken in October 2009; I had curled and heated my lashes and used couple coats of Chanel Inimitable mascara.


I have always had to resort to wearing fake lashes in order to achieve that full, lush and glamorous look.



When I heard about lash-growth accelerator products like Latisse, LiLash, and Revitalash, I knew I had to get my hands on at least one of the products and try it out. In the end, I went on Makeupalley.com to do some hardcore research on Latisse. The reviews were spectacular and I decided to follow the advice of some of the reviewers and buy "Lumigan (Bimatoprost eye drops)" from a reputable online pharmacy, http://www.inhousepharmacy.com/. I had faith that I would love the product and bought 6 bottles for a total of $144.00. I think that you will spend around $150 per bottle if you buy Latisse from a plastic surgeon or dermatologist. Please do the research yourself and decide whether this is something that is safe and makes sense for you.

Lumigan is the same exact formula as Latisse only without the applicator brushes (which I heard are bad and waste the product). Lumigan is the original drug that is used to treat glaucoma patients who drop the product into their eyes. They found that a side effect was longer, darker lashes and decided to market it as a cosmetic product.

 I love that:

  • My lashes curl and stay curled more easily (I still use my Shu Uemura lash curler and heated lash wand).


  • I can use gentler, non-waterproof mascara, which is much easier to remove, and still get lovely lashes.


  • I don't need to wear falsies anymore (unless I'm going for the ultra-dramatic effect).


I don't love that:

  • My eye lids have darkened a little bit (nothing a little eyeshadow/liner can't fix).


  • Sometimes I wake up with eye "crusties."


  • My lashes shed for the first few weeks, but it has stopped altogether and my lash are healthier than ever.


  • If you are sloppy with the application or apply too much the excess can get on your cheek and promote hair growth there too. So be careful to only apply it to the upper lash line.

The verdict:

I LOVE it! I apply it at night before I go to bed (although, recently I have been forgetting and skipping a day here and there). It is easy to apply just on the lash line with a Sonia Kashuk bent eyeliner brush. I only use one drop for both eyes and sometimes I use the rest on my brows. I am still on my first bottle even though I started on September 26, 2009. I haven't applied it to my lower lashes, but I have noticed that they have grown as well too. Some hairs are a bit longer than others but it doesn't really bother me. I can't imagine to going back to having puny little lashes... Lumigan is a keeper for me. If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I'll try to answer as best as I can.

October 1, 2009 (After 4 days of use)


October 27, 2009 (After 4 weeks of use)


December 17, 2009 (After almost 8 weeks of use)

(curled with mascara)


January 12, 2010 (After 11 weeks of use)

(Curled with 2 coats of L'Oreal Voluminous Original mascara, no other make-up)