Does mascara have the effect of “promoting eyelash growth”?
There are some products on the market that claim to make eyelashes “thick” and “longer”, such as eyelash nourishing liquid, eyelash serum and other products, usually Film-forming agents, colorants, etc. are attached to the eyelashes to achieve the effect of coloring, thickening and lengthening the eyelashes by physical action. Such products are ordinary cosmetics, and the product filing should be completed before listing or importing. The above-mentioned mascara does not have the effect of promoting the growth of eyelashes.
In fact, in the “Cosmetics Classification Rules and Classification Catalog” issued by the State Food and Drug Administration, there is no efficacy category of “promoting eyelash growth”. So far, the State Food and Drug Administration has not approved any cosmetics that claim to have the effect of promoting eyelash growth.
Can bimatoprost be used to promote eyelash growth?
According to reports, it has been clinically found that some patients will experience eyelash growth, increase and thickening after using bimatoprost, travoprost and other drugs to lower intraocular pressure. These drugs are prostaglandin analogs and need to be used under the guidance of a doctor in accordance with the instructions of the drug. The safety of long-term use of these drugs in healthy people is unclear.
In the “Catalogue of Used Cosmetic Raw Materials” revised and released by the State Food and Drug Administration in 2021, cosmetic raw materials containing “prostaglandin” in the name are not included. The State Food and Drug Administration has not registered or filed any “prostaglandin”-related cosmetic raw materials. Therefore, the use of bimatoprost and other prostaglandin analogues as cosmetic raw materials in cosmetic production violates the relevant provisions of the Regulations on Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics and should be prohibited. (Thanks to Tian Yan, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Dermatology, Air Force Specialty Medical Center, and China Fragrance, Flavor and Cosmetics Industry Association for their strong support for the SFDA’s cosmetic safety science work!)
(Source: SFDA official website)