Does Ideal Eyelash Length Exist? Science Says Yes

You flutter them to give your little ones tickly “butterfly kisses”.

You wink them and look up from under them when you’re feeling sly or flirtatious. You catch them when they fall and blow them from your fingertip, eyes closed, to make a wish. You turn to Latisse to make natural eyelashes grow thicker and longer.

But what, exactly, do eyelashes do? How long are eyelashes really supposed to be? And what’s the sign that’ll tell you what you need?

In a study published by the Journal of the Royal Society Interface in 2015, a team of researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology led by Dr. David Hu, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Biology, offered answers to both of those questions. The team studied 21 different mammals, including humans, and developed a wind tunnel simulation that let them re-create the protective effect of eyelashes of different lengths. The mammals were conducted through various mathematical experiments.

What do eyelashes do?

So what did they discover about eyelashes? It turns out that one of the main jobs of eyelashes is to control the flow of air around the eye, “catching” and deflecting air currents so that the surface of the eye stays moist.

Further, it turns out that size does matter—lashes that were too short weren’t effective enough at protecting the eye, while lashes that were too long would actually draw more air towards the eye! The perfect average eyelash length, they found, was about one-third the width of the eye opening. Human eyes are about ¾ of an inch wide, so our ideal lash length to search for is roughly a quarter of an inch.

That doesn’t sound like very much, does it? But before you give up on your dreams of luxuriously long lashes, listen to what researcher Alexander Alexeev, associate professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at GIT, had to say about it: “Even if they’re not the correct length, more eyelashes are always better than less. If fake eyelashes near the eye are dense enough, they may give the same overall effect in protecting the eye even if they are longer than one-third.”

Are long eyelashes for your eye better?

You heard that right. Search for eyelashes that’ll accommodate your style. If long lashes are also thick and dense enough, they can still protect your precious peepers! Thank the camel for that conclusion—the team speculated that the camel’s two rows of eyelashes gave it extra defense against the dry, sandy desert air. Even though Dr. Alexeev was talking about false eyelashes, the same idea applies when it comes to using Latisse lash growth treatment to get longer, thicker lashes that are with you 24/7.

If you’ve always had sparse or short lashes, or you’ve noticed your lashes thinning (a common sign as we get older), we can help you get started with a prescription for Latisse.

If you’re already a Latisse user, know that once you reach your maintenance phase, your lashes will remain at about the same length and thickness as long as you continue treatments. It also helps to learn more about Latisse through our FAQs. Thanks to the GIT research team, you can enjoy not just the beauty benefits of lush lashes, but also the knowledge that you have extra defense against too-dry eyes!