Product Review: GrandeLASH MD

I have fairly decent eyelashes, but since we’ve both never heard anyone say, “Man I hate my eyelashes they are too long and gorgeous!” I went on a quest to enhance my assets. My eyelashes, that is.

What is GrandeLASH MD

GrandeLASH MD is an eyelash growth serum distributed by Grande Cosmetics founded by Alicia Grande.  I was confused about the “MD” in the name as I didn’t see those initials next to Ms. Grande’s name. It turns out she’s not a doctor (nor does she claim to be), and GrandeLASH MD is not a prescription that requires a doctor’s order like Latisse. It gets its namesake due to the fact it was formulated by a doctor.  I see what you did there, Ms. Grande.

Most recently GrandeLASH MD won the NewBeauty Award for 2020, and has countless features in all the blogs and magazines.  It is sold on GrandeCosmetics’ website and through Sephora (amongst other authorized retailers)which is a nod to its somewhat exclusive status above your run-of-the-mill drugstore purchase yet more accessible than prescription Latisse.

Information from Sephora’s website:

What it is:
A revolutionary lash enhancing serum that promotes longer, thicker-looking eyelashes.

What it does:
This award-winning lash enhancing serum infused with vitamins, antioxidants, and amino acids to promote naturally longer, thicker-looking lashes in just four to six weeks, with full results in three months. It’s a favorite for helping to enhance short or thinning lashes, and it’s also ideal for restoring the appearance of brittle or damaged lashes.

GrandeLASH-MD is available in a three-month supply as well as a six-week starter supply. The six-week starter supply will yield initial results. To see full results, continue to use the formula for a full three months.

What else you need to know:
This product is ophthalmologist-tested and approved, and cruelty-free. It is safe to use with eyelash extensions and can help promote a longer lasting bond life.

Please note: to receive the full treatment, be sure to finish the entire tube (a three-month supply) within a three month time period.

Research results:
In a consumer perception study after 12 weeks:
– 100% reported GrandeLASH-MD was easy to use
– 97% reported more visible lashes
– 94% reported healthier looking lashes
– 91% reported longer looking lashes

These are some pretty stellar numbers. Did it live up to the hype? Read on, Readhead readers!

Price & Packaging

The packaging donned GrandeCosmetics’ brand of shouty pink, gold and black. The brand has a feel of a home grown baby that had earned its stripes and climbed the ranks into something more sophisticated, but misses a little bit of the finesse and sophistication of its fellow Sephora classmates with massive packaging budgets.

However, it’s not to say it looks cheap and you could argue that the product speaks for itself. The box it comes in is a cardboard like you’d expect a higher-end cosmetic to be in. The tube itself was a pleasant surprise; a solid plastic with gold foil and bold black GrandeLASH MD font. It twisted open easily. It didn’t feel flimsy, but it did not have the incredible weight of something like Thrive Causemetic’s tubing mascara which could double as nunchucks if you were in a pinch. It was worthy of its price tag (more on that below) and felt substantial.

Once opening the tube the thin applicator with the tiny brush came out easily with some tension, and no mess or extra product to guck up everything. BONUS POINTS. I was worried the little brush may get smooshed when putting it back into the tube but it didn’t. Extra bonus. It was clear that this was GrandeCosmetic’s flagship product and thought had been put into appropriate packaging that didn’t deter and enhanced the user experience.

As mentioned, this is not a drugstore product and the price solidifies that. The 12 week (3 month supply) contains 2 mL and sells at Sephora for $65. There is a trial size with six weeks of product for 1 mL for $34. This is less than its competitors Latisse (prices and sizes vary) and Rodan & Fields’ Lash Boost which sells at a whopping $155, albeit for more than twice the amount at 5 mL.  It is more of a stretch vs. the RapidLash which can be found for around $45 and available with coupons from just about any drugstore.

Ingredients

The description touts effectiveness with the use of antioxidants and hydrators. I’ve pointed out in orange the ingredients that are beneficial to nourished hair growth.

Ingredients and descriptions listed on Sephora’s website:

–L-Proline: An amino acid essential to healthy, fortified lashes.
–Hyaluronic Acid: Conditions, protects against breakage, and brings hydration to dry, brittle, or damaged lashes.
–Glycosaminoglycan: Locks in moisture and supports lash resiliency and luster.

Water, Glycerol, Glycosaminoglycans, Hyaluronic Acid, Butanamide, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, 2-Hydroxypropanoic Acid, Sodium Pca, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, L – Proline, Acathopanax Senticosus (Eleuthero) Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Extract, Actiphyte Of Chamomile Gl, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sorbitan, Gluconolactone, Triethanolamine, D-Glucitol, Leucidal Liquid, Geogard Ultra, Cloprostenol Isopropyl Ester.

Application

The directions are pretty straight forward; do not use multiple swipes, use once a day on clean lashes, apply to the lash roots on the outer line (and not the lashes themselves like a mascara, and on the inside of the lid like tight lining) and don’t poke yourself in the eye. Roger that.

The application was a breeze. It took all of 10 seconds per eye. I swiped it on one eye at a time just like eye liner after performing my nightly face wash and skincare routine (which takes considerably longer than 10 seconds..).

My Results

I purchased the 6 week trial size from Sephora. When I first started using it, I did have eye irritation exacerbated by the fact that I did a 20+ page paper and may have blinked my eyes 3 times that day. They were dry, red, and a bit angry. The areas I had applied it were a bit pink. This lasted me for about a week.  I wasn’t so much a fan of this but I’ve used RapidLash in the past (also effective) which caused irritation, and this is also a well-known side effect of Latisse.  I was cautiously optimistic.

That aside, once my eyes became accustomed to it and about three weeks in I noticed not only length, but multiple layers of lashes growing.  Now to be fair, I can grow hair for better or worse like the best of people. This may not happen for everyone. But I had two to three layers of lashes filling in. The first few weeks my lashes were a little uneven with new growth sprouting vs the longer existing lashes. After about 45 days my lashes were full, fluttery and healthy.  I noticed less lashes falling, the growth was slightly darker and had a lovely curl at the end. By three months they were beautiful. My lashes are naturally a bit of a sandy brown and therefore not particularly striking. However when I’d wear mascara people were like WOAH. I’m not kidding that just about every person who normally saw me without mascara and then with did a double take. My mascara game is pretty solid, more about how to get mega lashes here if you’d like to read. But it was true. They were PRETTY. LEGIT.  Take a look at my lashes before and after mascara about two months in. No lash curler used. Beautiful fresh hair and skin pre-COVID-19. Hay girl, hay.

Two interesting things I learned in this process is that true to my earlier comment of being able to grow hair like a wildebeast, I had lashes growing on top and bottom around my tear ducts. It was as if it was saying to me with a shrug, “What, you said grow hair. I grew hair. I cannot control my greatness” It was wild. And they were a bit annoying. It was like I was constantly poking myself in the eye. The other was that I was able to make my 6 week supply last for almost 3 months of daily use. So, it actually ends up being a fairly good deal and those other tubes of 5 mL seem to be overkill, especially when you should be throwing out your mascara every three months for risk of infection.

Final Decision

When it comes to growing lashes, I’ll give GrandeLASH MD my ReadHead Best seal of approval.

The pros were its ease of use, being able to get it from multiple sources and without and rx/MLM/subscription hassle, and it comes in two different sizes. It did what it said it was going to do, exceeded expectations, and provided fair value. I found myself not needing to use it as much as my lashes grew; it became more of maintenance every few days, further extending my trial size.

The cons are that it is slightly pricey, is not as readily accessible in drugstores and once I stopped using it for a few months my lashes went back to normal. However I still had good lashes from genetics, but increasing my vitamins and being gentle with them while staying away from mascara as much as possible has helped them remain decent.

Another con I must not downplay is the irritation is caused. I’m not sure if your eyes getting used to that is quite healthy for long term use (or at all for that matter). The ingredient Cloprostenol Isopropyl Ester is a key ingredient to helping lashes grow, but has been associated with dry eyes with chronic use. I stumbled across this blog with the post, “Is your lash grown serum causing lasting damage?” which highlights the adverse effects of lash serums for both dry eye and changing the color of the iris. I am not affiliated with this blog, nor am I providing medical advice or verifying its content. The blog is written by doctors and I linked it here purely for discussion and your awareness. Please consult your eye doctor or primary care provider for any questions about the use of eye lash serums, potential side effects and recommendations on long term use.

In conclusion, would I use this again? Yes absolutely, with breaks in between. I’m waiting on my next shipment as we speak.

Overall: 5/5

Certified ReadHead Best

Price: $$$$$

Packaging: 5/5

Have you used GrandeLASH MD or another lash serum that you’ve liked? Interested in trying it out? Drop us a line in the comments.