As a kid when an eyelash fell off, I blew it off my finger and wished for a pony. Now when a lash falls off, I willfully wish for it to just grow back faster, damn it. Luckily, we’ve got Latisse–the brush-on liquid for lash growth.

Created by Allergan, the company that introduced Botox, Latisse is still the only prescription eyelash growth product approved by Health Canada. The growth-inducing power comes from the same active agent found in glaucoma medication: “Latisse contains bimatoprost, an active ingredient for treating hypotrichosis (inadequate or not enough eyelashes),” explains our go-to dermatologist Dr. Lisa Kellett.

In fact, Latisse was created when eye doctors noticed their patients reported major fringe benefits while using Lumigan eye drops, which contains significantly more bimatoprost than Latisse (Latisse contains just 5% of the bimatropost found in Lumigan). Another big difference is that Lumigan is applied into the eye whereas Latisse is applied just on the upper lash line with the sweep of a one-time-use brush. After about a month of nightly application, you can start to see results. Full results are seen after three months of regular use.

While the exact mechanism in which Latisse works is still unknown, it’s believed to extend the growth phase of the eyelash hair cycle (which is about 45 days for most people) and stimulate pigmentation. “Latisse is a great addition to any skin care regime and can increase thickness, length and darkness of eyelashes,” says Kellett, who notes that in a clinical study which tested Lattisse over a 16-week period, patients saw lashes grow 25 per cent longer, 18 per cent darker, and a 106 per cent increase in eyelash thickness and fullness.

Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks is the latest celebrity to endorse Latisse: “I had always been curious about Latisse because my lashes are puny, and after talking to my doctor about it, I decided I would try it. I’ve used it for the past four weeks and just started to notice they’ve grown in the last few days. All the makeup and false eyelashes we wear for Mad Men really take a toll on them, so I’m excited to see how they look after the full 16 weeks,” told the redhead beauty to Allure magazine.

The 3 mL size is $120. There’s also a new 5 mL size (currently in Canada only) that is $200. Stock up because this product truly delivers Bambi lashes!

Here’s my 3-month stash…

Eyes