Magic Serum

There is no gatekeeping here!

Every December, I celebrate a strange anniversary, because it was the December before I turned 11 that I plucked my first noticeable chunk of eyelashes. I remember the moment vividly — a little too vividly (thanks, trauma).

My brother and I were watching Muzzy, that language learning program, on VHS, lent to my mom by a family friend who insisted it greatly benefited her children. I won’t blame Muzzy as a direct trigger, but I think of that moment often and realized when I’m watching/doing/in something that isn’t stimulating or is annoying (sorry, Muzzy), it acts as a trigger. That’s why I try to avoid watching shows or movies with characters that are extremely insufferable.

Almost 30 years later, and I’m still navigating this thing I know will always be a part of my life. It’s not easy, and every major episode leaves me feeling low for days, physical self-esteem temporarily damaged, the desire to face people squashed, but the lessons have been interesting.

Only within the last decade did I begin talking about it more openly, but it’s still something I’m sensitive about. I do, however, love seeing how more and more trichotillomania sufferers have built digital forums and communities centering around support. Things like these were nonexistent when I was first diagnosed, and that’s because the internet then was only just being born.

Now the resources are far more accessible, but I noticed the “remedies” for supporting hair regrowth remain scarce and outdated. Google is still giving us grandma’s remedy of castor oil, but for 27+ years, it’s really never done anything except leave my pillowcases with greasy residues. I mean sure, it’s a healthy natural option that hydrates the hair and skin, but it doesn’t really do much to stimulate and accelerate hair regrowth healthily. I compared how well it supported lash and brow regrowth after an episode vs. not applying, and the results were identical. I tried various lash serums, anything from expensive to organic to domestic brands to international brands, but nothing worked. Each one either failed at supporting regrowth and/or caused severe irritation.

Then a few years ago, I came across this new serum that left me a little skeptical. I mean, if none of the top rated, luxury level serums did anything to speed up regrowth of lashes and brows, why would this be any different?

At first, it was really the price that deterred me. The full size is almost $100 and I had gotten quite tired of the amount of money I was spending on managing my trich, but I decided to give it a shot because I found it in the clean beauty industry, which is a rarity. So what is this magical serum I’m alluding to? It’s the Lash & Brow Enhancing Serum from Plume Science; and just last year, they released an upgraded version, the Plume Elite Prostaglandin-Free Prescription Drug Alternative, and I have to say, both are quite spectacular!

For starters, both are nontoxic (a.k.a. clean, and y’all know me — it’s all about the clean ingredients when it comes to skin care, body care, and make up). It is also cruelty free and vegan. Second, neither serum causes any type of irritation whatsoever, and I mean none. When your eyelids lack eyelashes, it’s far easier to accidentally poke your eyeballs when applying serums or liner, and let me tell you, every previous serum left me with severe stinging or burning that caused vision impairment for prolonged periods. Not Plume Science!

I have officially tried both the original serum and the elite serum, and while I can’t see a major difference between the two, I sense a slight boost from the newer one, but I’d still vouch for the original as an excellent hair regrowth supplement for lashes and brows. It speeds up regrowth far better than castor oil ever has alone.

The other upside to Plume Science is they sell mini sizes of a lot of their products, including the original serum, which is a great way to try it out. They also do have good sales, as well as frequent Gift with Purchase deals, so there are definitely ways to save up while you recover some hair. And if you’re wondering about their other products, I use quite a few.

Their liquid liner is another godsend, especially during post-episode recovery periods, because the liner is easy to apply, covers up the bald spots, and lasts all day. The brow gel is excellent because not only do they have a good range of shades, it also holds brows in place, while nourishing them and supporting regrowth. Finally, I love their mascara, for the days when I do have lashes present, haha. It’s non-clumping, hydrating, lifting, and comes off so easily with an oil and/or micellar cleanser, which is essential for those of us with weak lash follicles from years of trich.

While Plume Science is Canada based, their products are available on Amazon, The Detox Market, and Credo Beauty — the latter two also have great sales during various holiday and seasonal events.

None of this is a paid promotion of any sort. It’s just that the other day, as I was applying the serum before bed, I was thinking about what a gift it has been to have this and realized, “Why haven’t I shared about this with others who are struggling with lash and brow loss?!?” There is no gatekeeping here! So I hope this helps others the way it has for me, as these products have made the “recovery” time a lot more manageable after hitting the low of an episode.