11 Best Eyebrow Growth Serums for Thicker, Bolder Brows (2024)

RD.COM

Updated: Aug. 15, 2024

Bold brows are back en vogue, and you can get the look by using one of these expert-recommended, over-the-counter eyebrow growth serums.

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This serum gets lots of wows for fuller brows. As one five-star Amazon reviewer puts it: “My eyebrows never had this much fullness or hair…I can’t recommend this highly enough.” Vivian Bucay, MD, a dermatologist and clinical assistant professor in the department of physician assistant studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center, agrees. “I am a fan of RevitaBrow for one simple reason: It works,” she says. “I like the sponge tip applicator because it’s simple, and the serum doesn’t drip when applied to the eyebrows.”

Plus, the formulation won’t irritate your skin or causehyperpigmentation or dark spots, Dr. Bucay says. Active ingredients include the brand’s proprietary BioPeptin Complex, which boasts peptides, biotin, lipids or fats, and a green tea extract rich in panthenol that work together to condition, strengthen, and soften eyebrows while protecting them from breakage.

The RapidBrow eyebrow growth serum has garnered quite the following and more than enough five-star ratings to warrant a try. “Regrowing my brows has been a challenge,” shares one Amazon reviewer, noting that even her most stubborn areas “have started to grow hairs again” thanks to diligent RapidBrow use. This serum is specifically designed to hit your eyebrows from every angle with biotin and keratin. Stem cells of a rare Swiss apple rejuvenate brows, and sweet almond extract adds back sheen and shine. If you wear specs, adding this extra oomph to your eyebrows is one of the best makeup for glasses tips to make sure your brows don’t disappear behind your frames.

This eyelash growth serumfrom Obagi also works as an eyebrow growth serum, and it’s getting lots of buzz from top derms. Actives include biotin and the prostaglandin analog dehydrolatanaprost, which targets the hair growth phase, sodium hyaluronate to nourish brows, plus panthenol to add some shine. “Expect improvement in as little as eight weeks with full results at 16 weeks,” says Joel Schlessinger, MD, a dermatologist in Omaha. Plus, the product was clinically tested on all six scientific skin type classifications (called “Fitzpatrick” skin types) to ensure it would work as indicated on different kinds of skin.

This eyebrow growth serum has got the goods, says Howard Sobel, MD, director and founder of Sobel Skin and an attending dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, so consider making it part of your skin care routine. “This brow-enhancing serum contains several beneficial natural ingredients found in skincare that can also help to strengthen brows,” he says. “Amino acids provide fortifying and health-promoting benefits to brows, while hyaluronic acid locks in moisture, keeping skin and brows hydrated and conditioned.” Another ingredient, the antioxidant vitamin E, protects and strengthens brows. And the results are impressive: In a consumer research study, all participants reported fuller looking brows after 16 weeks.

This eyebrow growth serum from Shiseido is powered by the amino acid arginine and promises fuller lashes and brows within eight weeks of use or sooner. “The arginine improves blood circulation to the hair base, stimulating hair growth naturally,” says Sarah Ford, an aesthetician in Los Angeles. “Also, I love the jujuba fruit extract, which is known to clean impurities while slowing down overproduction of sebum, which aids with loss of hair growth.” It also gets high marks for ease of use. “I love the application tip of this serum, making it easier to apply to brow and lashes,” Ford says. Also, be sure to apply your skin care products in the right order: Serums go before creams and moisturizers.

Technically a lash enhancer, this product can also be your brows’ BFF. “This product contains ingredients such as hydrolyzed wheat protein to thicken and strengthen, algae extract to condition and protect lashes and brows, as well as vitamin B for additional hydration,” says Ginger L. Urbaniak, MD, a cosmetic doctor in Largo, Florida. “This powerful duo can also be used as a nourishing night treatment for lashes and brows.” Plus, at a $26 price point, it’s the most budget-friendly of the serums on our list—using it is of the best inexpensive beauty tricks for gorgeous brows.

Packed with proteins, peptides, essential oils, and vitamins, this brow-enhancing serum promises healthier-looking natural brows in about one month. “The main ingredient is isopropyl cloprostenate, a prostaglandin analog, and it also has sodium hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid to boost the skin’s moisture content and reduce inflammation,” says Dr. Schlessinger. Reviewers say they’ve seen quick results after a few weeks of using this easy makeup secret.

New Jersey-based ophthalmologist Diane Hilal-Campo, MD, is a big fan of this eyebrow growth serum, which she helped to develop. After all, one of the most important eye makeup tips is to keep your peepers healthy. “The ingredients are all safe for the ocular surface,” she says. “They are hydrating for lashes and eyelids and soothing for the eyes.” Active ingredients include castor oil, which boosts blood flow and promotes healthier hair, plus argan oil and coconut oil for moisture. “Always patch test it on the inner wrist to make sure there is no sensitivity,” Dr. Hilal-Campo says.

For those looking for a vegan makeup brand that makes cruelty-free products, this eyebrow growth serum from vegan makeup brand Vegamour is powered by inflammation-cooling CBD. Other plant-based ingredients include red clover, which minimizes hair thinning and hair loss, and folate-rich mung beans that also promote healthier locks. The result? Fuller, bolder brows.

Rich in hydrating hemp-derived cannabis seed extract, plant-based peptides, and quinoa to support healthy hair follicles, this 94 percent natural beauty product gets raves. “After using every pencil out there, I tried Milk lash/brow serum. I use the product morning and night, and my eyebrows have completely grown back!” writes one satisfied Sephora customer. “It has completely transformed my eyebrows. I no longer have to use heavy pencils to fill in. Love it!”

This eyebrow growth serum contains hyaluronic acid, hydrating botanicals, and biotin to help nourish and protect the brows against damage by increasing moisture and flexibility, says Vanessa Coppola, founder and cosmetic aesthetic specialist at Bare Aesthetic in Closter, New Jersey. For those looking for hair loss remedies, this serum may also be beneficial. “This serum contains a proprietary mix of peptides that may help to enhance brow growth and fullness, including Capixyl 5%, which is said to block Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a sex hormone that is linked to hair loss,” she says. “Blockage of this androgen has been shown to help improve hair growth, and this approach has been utilized in many hair growth formulas targeted to treat alopecia or other causes of hair loss in men and women.”

Do you need a prescription eyebrow growth serum?

Latisse, an FDA-approved prescription serum for eyelash growth, can also be applied to your brows, says Julie Woodward, MD, chief of oculofacial surgery at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. The active ingredient, bimatoprost, is also marketed as Lumigan for glaucoma. (Eyelash growth was a serendipitous side effect seen in glaucoma trials.)

Although using Latisse for eyebrow fullness is considered “off-label,” since it hasn’t been FDA approved for such use, some research has shown it to work. But you don’t necessarily need a prescription product for fuller, lusher brows, Dr. Woodward says. Over-the-counter products can help improve thickness, and some even encourage more hair growth as well.

How we chose the best eyebrow growth serums

We’ve carefully curated the best eyebrow growth serums based on recommendations from dermatologists and other experts, proven research, and positive user reviews. When choosing a serum, look for products that contain biotin (vitamin B7) and panthenol (a vitamin B5 derivative) to strengthen hair, as well as antioxidants, amino acids like arginine, moisturizing hyaluronic acid, or keratin, a type of protein that makes up your hair follicle.

“Prostaglandin analogs are another type of active ingredient that gives these serums their power,” says Dr. Woodward. Look for the suffix “prost” on the label to see if your serum contains a prostaglandin analog, which exerts hormone-like effects to stimulate hair growth. As a general rule, serums start to work within a few weeks, and the effects last only for as long as you continue to use them. Always do a patch test first to make sure the serum won’t irritate sensitive skin.

A word of caution

While over-grooming is often the cause of thin or thinning brows, it’s not always a purely cosmetic issue, says Candace Spann, MD, a Las Vegas-based dermatologist. “Sometimes thinning brows can be an underlying medical issue,” she says, “especially if the thinning is occurring on the outer thirds of your brows.” This is a telltale sign of a hidden thyroid problem, she explains. Check in with your doctor, especially if you have other symptoms of hypothyroidism such as weight gain, increased sensitivity to cold, and/or dry skin.

If that’s not the case, check out the list below to find the perfect eyebrow growth serum for your specific needs.

Sources:

• Julie Woodward, MD, chief, oculofacial surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
• Dermatologic Surgery: “Bimatoprost 0.03% for the Treatment of Eyebrow Hypotrichosis”
• Vivian Bucay, MD, a dermatologist and clinical assistant professor in the department of physician assistant studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center
• Joel Schlessinger, MD, a dermatologist in Omaha, Nebraska
• Howard Sobel, MD, director and founder Sobel Skin, and attending dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital
• Sarah Ford, an aesthetician in Los Angeles
• Ginger L. Urbaniak, MD, a cosmetic doctor in Largo, Florida
• Diane Hilal-Campo, MD, an ophthalmologist in Oakland, New Jersey
• Vanessa Coppola, the founder of Bare Aesthetic in Closter, New Jersey
• Candace Spann, MD, a dermatologist in Las Vegas

Originally Published: June 10, 2022