Eyebrow Growth Serum: Which One Should You Recommend in the Salon?
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An eyebrow growth serum is a cosmetic serum your client applies along her brows every day to condition the hairs and make them look fuller, based on peptides, prostaglandin analogues or oils – and which type you recommend depends on your client and on the risks she is willing to accept;
More and more clients with thin brows ask about an eyebrow growth serum. They want to know whether their brows can grow back and which serum would suit them. As a brow professional you owe them an honest answer: what a serum can and cannot do, which active ingredients exist and when you would advise against one.
Our lash serum collection includes two serums for lashes and brows: a gentle, hormone-free serum and a serum with prostaglandin. Below you will find how they differ and how to choose together with your client.
Why do eyebrows get thinner?
Thinning brows have several causes. The best known is years of over-plucking: over-tweezed brows often grow back thin or not at all. Age, hormones, genetics, diet and stress also play a part.
Diet supports healthy hair growth. Nutrients such as folic acid, minerals, sulphur and vitamins A, B3 and E contribute to healthy hair, and less stress helps too. A serum therefore works best as part of a broader approach.
Medication can affect hair growth as well. If your client suspects a hormonal cause or a side effect of medication, refer her to her GP. A serum is a cosmetic product, not a solution for a medical cause.
Can eyebrow hair grow back?
That depends on the hair follicles. Follicles that are no longer active will not come back. Follicles that are simply in a resting phase can produce hair again. The sooner your client starts caring for her brows properly, the more there is to gain. If a brow has been thin for years, adjust her expectations accordingly.
What types of eyebrow serum are there?
Peptide serums: gentle and hormone-free
Peptide serums work without hormones or prostaglandin. They condition the hairs and the surrounding skin so the brows look fuller and healthier. The result builds up gradually.
The Marie-José Gentle Lash & Brow Serum without Hormones contains the peptides Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 and Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, together with panthenol and hyaluronic acid. It is free from hormones, prostaglandins and fragrance, dermatologically tested and suitable for sensitive eyes. With daily use, most users assess the result after 8 to 12 weeks.
Serums with a prostaglandin analogue
Serums with a prostaglandin analogue, such as isopropyl cloprostenate, extend the growth phase of the hair and usually give visible results faster. These ingredients are related to substances used in glaucoma eye drops and are pharmacologically active even at low concentrations. Reported side effects include irritation and redness of the eyes or eyelids, darkening of the eyelid skin and, in rare cases, a change in iris colour.
In February 2026 the SCCS, the scientific committee that advises the European Commission on cosmetic safety, concluded that the safety of isopropyl cloprostenate and similar substances in lash and brow products has not been demonstrated. The EU is therefore preparing a ban on prostaglandin analogues in cosmetics; the date it will apply has not yet been set.
Marie-José stocks the Aphro Celina Lash & Brow Serum Original, a prostaglandin serum made in Germany and applied daily before bed. Only recommend it to clients you have informed in advance about how it works and its possible side effects. Read more about the difference between a hormone-free serum and a prostaglandin serum.
Oil-based serums
There are also serums based on oils such as castor oil. Oils contain no ingredient that affects the growth phase, but they do keep the hairs supple and conditioned.
Serums with bimatoprost
Bimatoprost is a medicine and may not be used in cosmetics in the EU. Marie-José therefore advises against serums containing bimatoprost.
When to advise against a brow serum
Do not recommend a brow serum during pregnancy or breastfeeding, for children or during chemotherapy. Also advise against a prostaglandin serum for clients with an eye condition or who use eye drops, unless their doctor approves. Your client should apply the serum along the hairline only and never in the eye; contact lenses come out first. If redness, itching or irritation develops, she stops using the serum straight away and contacts her GP if the symptoms persist.
How to choose the right serum with your client
Step 1 — Hold a short consultation
Ask how long her brows have been thin, whether she has plucked a lot, whether her skin or eyes react easily and whether she uses eye drops. Check the situations in the box above as well.
Step 2 — Choose the serum
Make the gentle, hormone-free serum your starting point: it suits almost every client, including those with sensitive eyes. If, after your explanation of side effects and regulation, your client still wants a prostaglandin serum and there is no reason to advise against it, discuss Aphro Celina.
Step 3 — Agree on expectations
A serum does not work overnight. With the hormone-free serum most users assess the result after 8 to 12 weeks; for Aphro Celina, Marie-José quotes around 8 weeks. Agree that your client uses the serum every day during that period.
Note in the client record which serum your client uses, when she started and what you discussed about side effects. Take a photo of her brows at the start so you can assess the result together at the next appointment.
A serum fits naturally with your brow treatments. Send your client home with a serum after shaping or tinting so she can maintain the condition of her brows. Torn between the two serums? Read which to recommend: Aphro Celina or hormone-free.
Frequently asked questions
Can eyebrow hair grow back with a serum?
Follicles in a resting phase can produce hair again; follicles that are no longer active will not come back. The sooner your client starts, the more there is to gain.
What is the difference between a prostaglandin serum and a peptide serum?
A prostaglandin analogue extends the hair's growth phase and usually works faster, but it can cause side effects and is likely to be banned from cosmetics in the EU. A peptide serum is hormone-free, gentle and builds results gradually.
When should you advise against an eyebrow growth serum?
During pregnancy or breastfeeding, for children and during chemotherapy. Also advise against a prostaglandin serum for clients with an eye condition or who use eye drops, unless their doctor approves.
Does castor oil help eyebrows?
Castor oil contains no ingredient that affects the growth phase, but it does keep the hairs supple and conditioned.
Which Marie-José serum is hormone-free?
The Gentle Lash & Brow Serum without Hormones. It contains peptides, panthenol and hyaluronic acid and is free from hormones, prostaglandins and fragrance.
Can the Marie-José serums be used on brows and lashes?
Yes. Both serums are designed for lashes and brows.
Well-founded serum advice for your clients
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