When you stop using a lash serum, your lashes won’t fall out or disappear overnight. But they will slowly go back to how they were before you started. If your lashes got longer, fuller, and stronger with the serum, those effects won’t last forever without it. In this article, we’ll explain why that happens, what to expect week by week, and what you can do to keep your lashes looking their best.
How Lash Growth Serums Actually Work
To understand how lash serums work, you first need to know about the natural eyelash growth cycle, which consists of three distinct phases that determine the length, thickness, and overall health of your lashes.
- Anagen: This is the active growth period lasting 30-45 days, during which the hair follicle produces new lash fibers and determines the maximum length your lashes can achieve
- Catagen: Followed by the catagen phase, a brief 2-3 week transitional period where growth stops and the hair follicle begins to shrink
- Telogen: Finally, the telogen phase spans 100 days as a resting period before the lash naturally sheds and the cycle restarts.
Most serums help keep lashes in the growth phase longer. That means they grow more before falling out.
Lash growth serums work by extending the anagen phase, allowing lashes to grow longer and thicker than they would naturally. The effect of various ingredients, when applied consistently over 6-12 weeks, can result in visibly longer, fuller, and darker lashes
The most effective lash serums contain prostaglandin analogs that extend the growth phase, peptides that stimulate keratin production and improve blood flow to follicles, vitamins like biotin that support hair cell development, and natural extracts that block growth-inhibiting hormones while providing essential amino acids for stronger lash structure.
These ingredients feed your lashes with the nutrients they need to grow longer and look fuller.
Why People Stop Using Lash Serums
You might stop using lash serum for a few reasons:
- Side Effects: Some people have sensitive eyes, and the serum may cause redness or dryness. If your eyes feel itchy or look red, it might be a sign to take a break.
- Cost: Serums can be pricey if you use them long-term. It may feel like another beauty expense that adds up over time.
- Pregnancy or Health Reasons: If you’re pregnant or going through certain health treatments, you may decide to stop using the serum out of caution.
- Unrealistic Expectations and Slow Results: Many expect to see significant changes within days or weeks when most serums require 6-12 weeks of consistent use to show noticeable results.
- Tired of Daily Use: You need to apply it every day, and some people just get too busy or forget. Skipping too many days can slow down results.
- Temporary Results and Reversion Concerns: Many users become discouraged when they realize that lash serum results are not permanent and that discontinuing use leads to lashes returning to their original state within 2-3 months. The temporary nature of results makes some people question whether the ongoing investment is worthwhile.
What Actually Happens When You Stop Using Lash Serum
Once you stop using the serum, your lashes stop getting that extra boost. They won’t fall out all at once, but gradually return to their natural baseline state over the course of 2-4 months, following the normal hair growth cycle that existed before you began treatment.
Here’s what you might notice:
- Less curl or shine
- Lashes start shedding a little more over time
- New lashes are growing shorter or finer than before
This is totally normal. The lashes that looked longer and fuller while using the serum will fall out naturally when they reach the end of their growth cycle. New lashes that come in won’t have the same help from the serum, so they grow in at their usual speed and strength.
The speed and extent of this transition depend on several individual factors, including your age, natural lash health, genetics, hormonal status, and overall health condition. Younger individuals with healthier follicles may experience a slower reversion, while older users or those with compromised lash health might notice changes more quickly.
Stopping the serum doesn’t damage your lashes. They just go back to growing as they did before you started.
Phases of Lash Transformation After You Stop
Weeks 1–2: Growth Maintenance (Weeks 1-2). Not much changes at first. Your lashes still look long and full. You might not notice any difference, especially if your lashes are still in the middle of their growth phase.
Weeks 3–4: Growth Phase Shortening (Weeks 3-4). Some of the lashes that looked longer might start to fall out. You may notice a few lashes on your pillow or makeup wipe. New lashes are growing in to replace them, but they might be shorter or less thick.
Weeks 5–6: Natural Shedding Acceleration (Weeks 5-8). Your lashes may start to look a bit less full. You might not get that same dramatic look when you put on mascara. It’s not a bad thing, just your natural lashes coming back.
Weeks 7–10: Baseline Return (Weeks 9-16). Most of the longer lashes from the serum have shed. Now your lash line looks like it did before you started using the product. Your lashes are still healthy, but they may not be as long or as full.
After 12 Weeks: Natural Growth Restored. Your lashes are fully back to their natural cycle. Any changes from the serum have faded. If you had a positive experience with the serum, this might be the time you think about restarting it.
Alternative Lash Growing Methods
If you stop using lash serum but still want great-looking lashes, here are some options:
- Natural Oils and Nourishing Treatments: Natural oils like castor oil, coconut oil, and vitamin E oil work by nourishing the hair shaft and follicles, providing essential fatty acids and moisture. Though they don't actively stimulate growth like prostaglandin-based serums, they create a protective barrier that shields lashes from environmental damage and makeup removal stress, potentially helping you retain more of your natural length by preventing premature breakage.
- Lash Lifts or Tints: Professional lash treatments such as lash lifts and tints can dramatically improve the appearance of your natural lashes by creating curl, lift, and color definition that lasts 6-8 weeks, providing a semi-permanent enhancement without the need for daily product application or growth stimulation.
- Peptide-Based Conditioners: These products feed your lashes with amino acids, helping them stay strong and soft.
- Lash-Boosting Mascara: Our ForChics Lash Growing Mascara not only makes lashes look longer right away but also helps care for them with nourishing ingredients. It’s a smart and simple swap.
- Healthy Diet: Nutritional approaches focusing on biotin supplements, collagen peptides, and a diet rich in protein, iron, and vitamins A, C, and E support healthy hair growth from within, addressing lash health at the cellular level rather than through topical application.
- Lash Extensions: You can also enhance your look with lash extensions. Just make sure any serum you use with them is extension-safe — our ForChics serum is, learn more here:
The fundamental difference between these alternatives and lash serums is their mechanism of action. While serums actively manipulate the hair growth cycle to extend the anagen phase, these methods work through protection, nourishment, and visual enhancement without altering your natural growth patterns. This makes them safer for long-term use but generally produces more subtle results that focus..
Final Thoughts
Stopping a lash serum won’t ruin your lashes. It just means your lashes won’t keep getting the special boost they had before. Over time, they’ll go back to their normal growth pattern. That’s not a bad thing - it’s just natural.
But if you loved the way your lashes looked while using the serum, or if you want to try it for the first time, it’s easy to start again. You can always return to using a gentle, safe, and effective product like our ForChics Eyelash Growth Serum.
It’s made with plant-based ingredients, doesn’t use harsh chemicals, and has helped thousands of people get longer, stronger, fuller-looking lashes.
