Home Remedies to Grow Long Eyelashes

Eyelashes not only protect your eyes, they flatter and enhance their appearance. Although heredity may dictate the ultimate length of your eyelashes, you can take steps to protect and condition the lashes you have. Many women use home remedies to try to achieve long, sweeping eyelashes. Apply a small amount to the inside of your wrist 24 hours before using any home remedy to make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients, and be careful not to get any of the substances into your eyes.

Petroleum Jelly

This inexpensive product, which has emollient and protective effects, is a mainstay of home remedies to increase eyelash length. First remove any eyeliner, eye shadow or mascara with a cotton ball, then apply petroleum jelly with a new mascara wand, or one that you have first cleaned well to remove any trace of the original product. Iloveindia.com recommends sleeping with the petroleum jelly on your eyelashes, but washing it off in the morning before you go about your day. For best results, repeat the treatment three times a week.

Green Tea

Natural Home Remedies recommends applying cool, unsweetened green tea to your lashes with a cotton ball to take advantage of green tea's beneficial properties. According to Whole Foods, green tea is rich in flavonoids, including epigallocatechin-3-gallate, which has potent antioxidant and health-supportive effects. As with all home remedies for eyelash growth, take care not to get the liquid into your eye, and rinse well with cool water if you do.

• Olive Oil

From iloveindia.com comes the suggestion of using olive oil to help protect, condition and lengthen eyelashes. Apply at bedtime with a clean mascara brush. Keep the oil on overnight, then remove it in the morning with a gentle eye makeup remover; according to iloveindia, the olive oil can attract dirt and dust to your lashes.

Brushing and Caring For Eyelashes

To stimulate growth and promote healthy lashes, YGOY advises using a commercial professional eyelash brush to groom lashes twice a day. As with brushing your hair, this can help distribute natural oils along the length of your lashes. To avoid stress on your lashes and eye area, always remove eye makeup before going to bed. Good Evening World also cautions against wearing mascara for prolonged periods of time.

Lemon Olive Oil

Natural Home Remedies suggests enhancing the healthful properties of olive oil by soaking a lemon peel in a jar of oil for several days, then carefully applying the mixture to your lashes. Lemon is a mild natural antiseptic and antimicrobial agent, and may help promote healthier lashes.

Proper Diet

You can enrich your diet to make sure you are getting the right nutrients and vitamins to promote eyelash growth. Eyelashes are made of keratin, a type of protein, and can benefit from a diet that includes high-protein foods like meat, fish, chicken, soy and tofu. Vitamin A, essential to lash growth, is found in eggs, fish oil, and red, yellow and orange fruits, while citrus fruits, potatoes and tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, a potent antioxidant. Calcium, also essential for lashes, is found in milk, as well as in dark green leafy vegetables.

Eyelid Massage

Massaging your eyelids gently can increase blood flow and may stimulate growth of lashes, according to Grow Eyelashes. After washing your hands well, use the pads of your fingers to massage along your lids and lash line.