What makeup products do you buy regularly? I’m never in short supply of compact foundation, lipstick, or eyeliner, but when it comes to mascara…well, not so much. I very rarely wear mascara because I can’t stand spending extra time stripping the gunk off my lashes at the end of the day. I figure that for my daily makeup needs, the difference between wearing mascara and not is negligible since I pile on liters of liquid eyeliner on my lids anyway.
Except here’s the thing: mascara does make a difference. Thicker, defined lashes make the eyes look more alive, which is why there’s a lot of money being hurled at the fake eyelash industry. I like the idea of having longer and thicker lashes, but I’d it without having to apply and remove a coat of ink over my eyes every morning and night, thank you very much.
And that’s why I started trying out the Optilash serum by APOT.CARE (retailing at IDR 560,000 at Beauty Box stores all over Indonesia), which aims to “rapidly improve length, thickness, fullness, and health of lashes.” Its ophthalmologist-tested formula contains P226 polypeptides (to lengthen and thicken lashes), Provitamin B5 and Vitamin H (to strengthen lashes), and a proprietary Optiwide Complex that helps fortify the hair fiber and rate of cell multiplication. Users are expected to see 66% more length and 40% more volume after using it for 28 days.
Optilash comes packaged in a sleek metallic tube, and the paraben-free product is a mid-viscosity liquid that is clear and colorless . It’s meant to be applied with the in the morning and evening to the skin on the base of the lashes, NOT on the actual lash hair. It’s completely fine to apply makeup on top of the serum, as long as you wait for it to completely dry first.
Word to the wise: be careful not to accidentally poke yourself in the eye with the brush. The formula is meant for the skin around the eyes and not the actual eyeball. Any accidental poking will result in a sharp lasting sting! I learned this the hard way :'(
Apparently the products work on the eyebrows too, which is PERFECT timing because I’ve been wanting to grow my eyebrows out a la 1980s’ Brooke Shields. So what results did I see after using the product on my eyelashes for two weeks?
Unfortunately you can’t really see it too clearly in this pic, but I promise you the actual result is quite impressive! I’m surprised the serum worked as well as it did, since I only applied it on the upper lashes just once a day. And because the test I did was pretty short term, I can’t say how long my lashes will continue to look like this. For all I know, my lashes will resume their short, stubby growth after the “new” lashes fall out and I stop using the product. But for now, this is a pretty happy solution to anyone looking for a safe and effective solution to growing thicker, fuller lashes.
