Vaseline For Eyebrows: Can It Make Them Grow Fuller?

Many swear by the potent powers of cabinet ingredients for boosting hair lushness—but do they actually work? According to experts, probably not. The same, unfortunately, goes for our beloved tub of Vaseline; despite its large array of magical skin perks, it won't grant you Rapunzel-esque strands. However, it will help condition—an important aspect of hair growth, eyebrows included!

To discuss the effects of putting Vaseline on eyebrows, we reached out to trichologist Isfahan Chambers-Harris and board-certified dermatologists Zain Husain and Justine Park.

Keep reading to learn whether Vaseline can benefit your eyebrows.

What Is Vaseline?

Vaseline is a petrolatum-based product that has a wide array of uses in skin care, including moisturizing, healing wounds, protecting the skin from environmental elements, reducing friction, and serving as a physical barrier. Just like our sacred collections of oils, Vaseline will infuse dehydrated strands with a powerful punch of moisture. Plus, the fragrance-free salve can help relieve pesky scales and flakes and other topical skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema, which can hinder healthy-hair efforts. 

Benefits of Using Vaseline on Eyebrows

• Moisturizing: The primary benefit of using Vaseline is that it's incredibly moisturizing. "Vaseline may help condition the brows and provide an optimal milieu for brow growth," says Park.
• Smooths: As it smooths onto and over your brows, Vaseline works to make even sparser brows feel and look much fuller. But it can also help the skin underneath by relieving dry skin or any redness.

Does Vaseline Work For Brow Growth?

If you're wondering how to make eyebrows grow faster with Vaseline, both experts note that there are no scientific studies proving it actually works for brow growth. That said, the salve can give your brows a fuller appearance. "Even though Vaseline has many beauty perks, including relieving topical skin conditions, it doesn’t do much to stimulate hair growth for your eyebrows," notes Chambers-Harris. "However, applying Vaseline can give the appearance of fuller brows because it can coat each strand making them seem thicker. It can also work as a brow gel, helping them stay in place."

FYI: The hair on your eyebrows grows through a regular growth cycle just like the rest of the hair on your body. Chambers-Harris notes that eyebrow hair grows actively for about three to four months, and is then followed by a resting phase, after which the hairs are shed from the skin. "So, if you’re suffering from overplucked or sparse brows, I suggest, first and foremost letting your brows grow without plucking," she says. "Also, you can try an all-natural oil–they work by nourishing the hair follicle and speeding up the renewal process for thicker, fuller brows."

Is Vaseline Safe to Use On Eyebrows?

While Vaseline (aka petroleum jelly) is regarded as safe to use on things like cuts and scrapes, it is a derivative of oil refining and is also a mixture of mineral oils and waxes. Of course, precautions should be taken to make sure that Vaseline doesn't hit too close to the eyes, but because petroleum is a derivative of oil refining, Chambers-Harris also says to be mindful of the brand of petroleum you use, as it can be found in different grades of purity. If you suffer from breakouts or sensitive skin around the eyes, stick to a fragrance-free option.

How to Apply Vaseline to Brows

There are different schools of thought when it comes to applying Vaseline pre- or post-makeup. Either way, a small amount should be used and it's best applied with a tool. "First, you should comb the eyebrows with an eyebrow brush or clean mascara wand, then pick up a small amount of Vaseline and take the brush upward," says Husain. 

Potential Side Effects of Using Vaseline

Applying Vaseline to your eyebrows can create the illusion of moisturized, hydrated hairs and skin, but it could come at the expense of your pores. "It’s water-repellant and not water-soluble, meaning it will create a barrier so that moisture does not leave the skin," explains Chambers-Harris. "So, initially, you may feel instant gratification of a softened moisturized eyebrows, but prolonged use can lead to blocking moisture from getting to your brows and skin, which will ultimately lead to dry brows and skin." These clogged pores could lead to acne, milia, and bacterial contamination from unclean handling. Park tells us that "individuals with acne prone skin may break out from the Vaseline on their skin." She says the cause of that is the "potentially comedogenic effect of petroleum jelly."

Other Brow Growth Solutions

• Latisse: Park explains that "Latisse is an eyelash lengthening treatment which is available as a prescription. It can be used to stimulate eyebrow growth as an off-label treatment area with good success."
• Minoxidil: At a 2% solution, Minoxidil can be useful for increasing both thickness and fullness of eyebrows.
• Supplements: Hair growth supplements can benefit your eyebrows in addition to the hair on your head. "Patients can take over the counter vitamins to support and use topical prescription products to stimulate hair growth," says Park. Examples of these include Nutrafol and Hers Rx.
• OTC brow growth products: There are over the counter products for brow growth that use the same active ingredient as found in Latisse. However, they aren't as well-controlled. "There are many over the counter versions of Latisse that are available that work via a similar mechanism, but the safety of these products is not studied as these products are not FDA-approved," she explains. There are also OTC options with different ingredients from Latisse, such as Vegamour's GRO Brow Serum.
  

The Final Takeaway

Bottom line: Vaseline isn't a proven solution for eyebrow growth but can make brows look fuller if you're looking for a quick fix, otherwise you're better off using a brow serum. And as always, if you're experiencing serious hair loss, it's best to speak to your doctor to figure out a long-term solution for hair growth.