Sharon Wants To Know About Jan Marini and Eyelash Growth:
Is there evidence that the product by Jan Marini Age Intervention for eyelashes actually work?
The Left Brain Is Highly Suspicious:
Several readers have asked about eyelash growth. I looked into this product and can’t find any convincing evidence it works. Hair growth claims, be they for eyelash or scalp hair, are drug claims that are very hard to support. Beauty questions like this one make me skeptical until I see some hard data.
Did you know that by US law, any cosmetic that claims to have a physiological effect on the body (like stimulating hair growth) is technically a drug? And that if that product doesn’t have FDA approval, it is technically illegal?
Click here for more about the Jan Marini eyelash product.
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When will the “truth in advertising laws” impact the beauty industry?
The thing is most companies do follow the “truth in advertising laws”. However, advertising is designed to mislead you without actually lying to you. Take this product, it says “if you want noticeably longer, lusher, fuller and darker” eyelashes, this product will give it to you.
There is little doubt that that is true. Any mascara will do this! They imply that it’s because there’s something special about their mascara. But there isn’t. It works just like every other one.
So, they imply a permanent solution while providing the same solution as everyone else.
Truth in advertising? Yes. Creepy. Yes. That’s what some companies think it takes to succeed in the cosmetic industry.
I’m using Travatan eyedrops for glaucoma, and they actually do cause eyelash growth — it’s one of the known side effects. Obviously you wouldn’t use Travatan for that purpose, but I do wonder if the relevant ingredient is available in anything else.
(There’s one other problem, too, at least for me — they seem to have caused growth for only one eye, which unfortunately leaves me ocularly unbalanced.)
Are you talking about the Age Intervention Eyelash being a mascara? It isn’t. It’s in an eyeliner-type container, and you brush it on like an eyeliner. It has no color, and you don’t put it on the actual eyelashes, just at the base of the lashes.
I have been using this for about three months now and for me, it has worked. I started using it because I noticed my eyelashes were starting to get sparse. They are now fuller and longer, and I am very happy.
There is also another product called Double Lash by Mavala, and that one is much, much cheaper. That one DOES go on like mascara, but it, too, has no color.
So, take it for what it’s worth. It works for me.
I have been a makeup artist for film and television for 22 years. A few months ago I was working on a show with a hair dresser that has “Great” eyelashes, I commented on then. She told me she uses Jan Marini Age Intervention Lash. I didn’t believe that an over the counter treatment product could have that effect on your lashes. I am always the first to say a product is not going to do the “magic” that it says it will do. A couple weeks later myself and the other hairdresser received the J. M. Lash as a gift. It was free, so I desided to give it a try. I started appying a thin line right above my lash line each night after cleansing my face. It was about 10 days later that I noticed my lashes were fuller and longer. What? This stuff wasn’t supose to work. I talked to the other hairdresser and we noticed her lashes had improved also. ???????? This stuff works. Why? I don’t know, but it does.
Hey Left Brain: Given all the comments on this product we should start the Jan Marini challenge: All our readers should buy this product and use it ONLY on the eyelashes on their left eye. Then we’ll have everyone measure their left and right eyelashes after a month and see if there’s a difference. What do you think about that?
Right Brain
Makeup artist, thanks so much for your comments. Anecdotal evidence like the story you provide is interesting and is the kind of stories that scientists use to find new ideas. These new ideas are then tested under scientific conditions. Unfortunately, there is no supporting evidence that it is the Jan Marini Age Intervention product that is helping your eyelashes.
Just because you think it works, you can’t be certain that your eyelash growth had anything to do with the product.
I stand beside my statements, despite anecdotal stories to the contrary there is no proof that this product works. Again, save your money.
Right Brain, I can’t support such a contest. Did you see the outrageous prices that company is charging?
My girlfriend manages a dermotology group in Tucson. We all commented on her lashes and were told about Jan Marini’s eyelash “grower.” At three weeks, people were commenting and asking me about my “fake lashes.” *LOL* Another friend purchased it, and “Woo-hoo!”… same result. I have not met one woman who did not see an improvement in length and fullness within 3 to 4 weeks tops. After that, our lashes have only gotten more gorgeous – like when we were in our teens (we are all 40-45). Now we are all jsut trying to maintain the fullness using it sparingly until it’s back on the market. None of us have had side effects except maybe, sometimes, a little itching, but it’s not bad nor bothersome. The tube lasts 6 months. Expensive – yes. Is it worth the big bucks? Well, if you like long, thick, more expressive and NATURAL lashes framing your baby blues….absolutely! I’m hooked. BTW – I’m a conservative, science based teacher who kind of watches my money, studies things before buying them. This is a really good product that does what is says it will.
Shanon: Thanks for your well thought out comments. I have to admit, I’m a bit intrigued by this product even though as the Left Brain has pointed out, the evidence is all anecdotal. I still think we should give it the Beauty Brains challenge. We’ll use it on one eye for 3 weeks. We could take pictures every week and post them on the blog. Then we could ask our reader to guess which side was treated with Jan Marini and which side is the control. I think that’s a pretty good experiment. Come on Left Brain, what do you say?
Right Brain
Shanon: Thanks so much for your story. It’s great that you found a way to feel better about your eyelashes. Since whatever you’re doing is working for you, I say keep it up.
But to the rest of the Beauty Brains crowd (Right Brain included), this is an excellent example our natural human tendency to create connections without real proof. It’s exactly the same reason that we fall for magic tricks, psychic readings, and ghost stories.
The human mind is so wonderful that it can take any bit of evidence and craft an entire rationale which could be perfectly logical but completely wrong.
Take this eyelash product for example. A user has a problem with her eyelashes. A (>$100) product is recommended by a dermatologist. They use the product and voila, they believe their eyelashes to be thicker and fuller.
There are a number of flaws in this scenario.
1. You rely on your memory to figure out whether your eyelashes are really fuller and thicker. Memories are faulty and vastly inaccurate.
2. The “expert” who recommended it is not unbiased and could be getting a kickback (commision) for getting customers to buy it.
3. The person using the product wants to believe so will look for reasons why it works. Since no one wants to feel like they’ve been taken advantage of, they would rather believe that a product works. Who wants to be thought of as a sucker?
4. Scientists & other highly educated people are not immune from being taken in by con artists. They want to believe in things just like everyone else. On some level, more education makes people more gullible. The marketers can create more advanced stories that make sense but are completely false. Unless you’re skeptical, you’ll fall for it.
Put all these factors together and it’s no wonder someone will believe that a product works.
But here’s the truth….
NO COSMETIC PRODUCT will make your eyelashes grow fuller and thicker!
If it actually makes your hair grow thicker and fuller then it is a drug. And drugs are regulated by the FDA (in the US) and require extensive testing to validate that they work. Since this product is not endorsed by the FDA, the testing hasn’t been done. And unless you can PROVE something works we should assume that it doesn’t.
I have been using the JMSR eyelash treatment for over 12 months and while my memory can be questioned on many things – my eyelashes have grown and have maintained their length and fullness. I have seen extraordinary before and after photos from a trusted source and the results are amazing.As most of your commentators have noted the product works whether it is FDA endorsed or not!
I’ve been using Jan Marini eyelash treatment for about 1 year and I have also had amazing results. My eyelashes were commented on by people that had NO idea I was using the product. I began using it after I saw with my own eyes, in person, a girl who in fact was using it on only one eye. She, like the rest of us, was extremely skeptical. She had one eye with long, thick lashes, and the other eye with average length lashes. “Brains”, you really should do your 1 eye only test…I think you’ll be “scientifically” surprised.
I have been using Jan Marini Eyelash for several months now. My lashes are so much longer that they are starting to curl up at the ends and they are much thicker too. After having skimpy lashes for my entire life, I am beyond thrilled. Looking at them in the mirror every morning makes me giddy!
I had considered lash extensions, but after friends said that they fell out quickly and often unevenly, required frequent touch-ups, and put a serious dent in the wallet, I decided against them. Then I saw some photos on a beauty board of a JME user and several positive comments from others on their results, so I decided to take a chance.
I completely understand your comment about people seeing want they want to see because they want a product to work so badly. I have certainly done that myself on occasion. That is definitely not the case with Jan Marini Eyelash. There is NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER that it is working. The difference is that obvious. I still can hardly believe how incredible my lashes look because I definitely had my doubts. I am generally a cynic who needs absolute proof of everything, and I have been burned many times by false product claims. So this was a wonderful surprise. A good friend of mine started using it at the same time I did, and she had similar results. People keep asking her if she got lash extensions.
Now I am using it every other night to try and make it last until it becomes available again. Everyone is sold out.
All I can say to you is … try it for yourself. You’ll see. : )
All of these comments are interesting but not very helpful. We have no way of knowing who the people are that are commenting and what their motivation is. In fact, every comment follows the same form. “Some (authority/friend) told me about the product, I was skeptical, I tried it and it definitely works” It almost seems like people from the company are writing in.
This is one reason anecdotal evidence is not evidence of anything. It could be just completely made up!
If you want to leave a message to tell everyone how great this product works, please back it up with more than a story about how it worked for you. Anyone who spends >$150 on a product is certainly going to be more inclined to sing it’s praises than admit that they’d been taken in by a scam.
Let me repeat, NO COSMETIC CAN MAKE YOUR EYELASHES GROW THICKER! If a product does, it is a drug. And drugs have to be tested according to FDA regulations. Until the makers of this product can prove different (and a simple, double blind study could easily prove it), you have to assume that it does not work. Don’t waste your money until you see REAL proof.
How do we give this the beauty brains challenge? I, too, am extremely skeptical. The stories sound great but it’s hard to say where they are coming from. If we can give it an unbiased test I would gladly purchase this product.
I just have to weigh in on this topic. Yes, another anecdotal tale, and I wish I had before and after photos. My teenage daughter, who has always had short, straight lashes, started losing her eyelashes. After much research and Dr. visits, we were basically left with nothing to do. I stumbled upon information on the JMEI, called the company and figured it was worth a try…although I was skeptical and the cost was huge. Not only did my daughter’s eyelashes fill in (and she has not had bare spots since), but they are now darker, fuller and at least a third longer and curl up! It is truly a miracle, and I have an admitted vested interest in making sure people know this works; I want it to continue to be manufactured because the difference in her eyelashes is so dramatic I don’t think she could ever be happy going back to the “before” lashes. (She has now been using the product for a year. Within 3 weeks we knew it was working.) Also, I decided to try it (I have long, curly lashes and didn’t really need the product, but I was curious, and, hey, I’m 45 and maybe I should be preemptive.) II had to stop using it because my lashes did get longer and I could no longer use mascara because my lashes were too long and the smudge on my upper lid was a problem. I promise, this stuff works and truly was an answer to prayer. (By the way, I am a true skeptic and have an M.A. degree in philosophy and usually don’t buy into any of the hype.)
OK you sold me! I will give it a try… Thanks for the honest opinion
Out of curiosity, has anyone bought this product and had it NOT work?
Rachel, the stories don’t really sound great. They all sound like they are written by the same person.
See how they all have the same formula, “I was skeptical, I tried it, it worked like a miracle. Oh yeah, I’m a skeptic/scientist too”
Michelle, a true skeptic would never spend $150 on an unproven eyelash treatment. They might try a free sample but none of the skeptics I know would take a chance with their money like that.
Soo… is it possible to do a test? Back in the Beauty Brain laboratories? Let’s settle this discussion once and for all!
Hello Everyone,
I can’t stand the confusion anymore. Here is the scoop. The “OLD” Jan Marini eyelash product did indeed work. It had a DRUG in it for GLaucoma that had a known side effect of hair growth. A larger company already has a patent on it for this use. THAT IS THE REASON WHY IT WAS TAKEN OFF THE MARKET FOR MONTHS. Not surprisingly, the “active” secret ingredient was not disclosed on Jan Marini’s label. It did work however, so I hope that settles the confusion. People were using a DRUG!!!(for glaucoma)
The “NEW” formulation does not have the drug in it. It was released last week. the new product probably will not work since there is nothing in it that can make eyelashes grow. The company is in fact writing letters to consumers telling them that the product is different. THis is such a travesty. Thouosands of people are waiting for the back ordered product, and now they will be getting nothing. The public always loses. I guess it is very difficult to come up with a safe, cosmetic product that indeed makes eyelashes grow. So, the “OLD” JM EYElash did work for most people, and now that is GONE. THe new one has no drug in it. We are too late to do any studies. Sorry!
This stuff works its for real.All the beauty boards like makeupalley.com., essentialdayspa.com makemeheal.com etc…all have extensive threads on JM eyelash intervention.The stuff works for most EVERYONE.My eyelashes are so long now they hit my glasses and people think I have false lashes when I am not even wearing mascara let alone false lashes.If you will just get on the net you will see everyone is having fabulous results,its no BS..some things do work and this is definitely one of them so get over it.
KYoung,
Thanks for the comment. We did do some research on the Internet Specifically at places with peer reviewed articles like pubmed.com. Sites like makeupalley, essentialday spa, etc are public forums with anecdotal stories from sources that may or may not be reliable. We can’t recommend that our readers use public forums as sources for anything more than entertainment.
And according to our research from real scientific studies, all reports of this stuff working are most likely psychological anomalies and not really biophysical realities.
If you have a scientific study published in a peer reviewed journal you can direct us to, we would love to review that.
Thanks
You simply refuse to believe that it does work no matter what anyone tells you,I am living proof it works and there are thousands of women who are living proof, you just dont want to believe the truth no matter what. Its not a psychological anomaly,no…growth can be measured with a tape meaure, the tape measure DOES NOT lie.,you just refuse to believe.
It’s not true that we refuse to believe. We just require better evidence than anecdotal stories. For all we know your eyelash growth could have nothing to do with using the product.
There are 3 things that can happen. 1. Your eyelashes grow longer. 2. Your eyelashes fall out. or 3. Your eyelashes don’t change.
These same 3 things can happen whether you use the product or not. It is up to believers to prove that their proposed treatment works. It’s not up to us to prove it doesn’t.
Show us some scientific study published in a peer reviewed journal and I may be persuaded. Otherwise, I remain unconvinced and encourage everyone in the Beauty Brains community to remain skeptical
I am a chiropractor and had a patient come in recently who has such amazing eyelashes that I couldn’t stop looking at them! I assumed they were some really great fake ones, and when I asked her about them she told me about the product, which she also sells, as she owns a hair salon. Well I gotta tel you that I am NOT the type to buy into paying 175.00 for such a product. however, the massuse who works in my office also works for her and when I asked her about it, she also raved about it. And she is definitely not in a financial position to plunk down a lot of money for something like this. I’ve been using it for a mere 10 days and already see a difference! I would not have bought it if I had not already witnessed the effects. Beauty brains can be skeptical all she wants, but this product definitely works! Also, I think that the reason they have a “new” product is because the FDA was after them for making this claim. Not unlike the FDA does with vitamin products where they make the manufactuer take off claims of what it can do. I suspect that it is the same product with reworded claims as to appease the FDA.. nevertheles, this product truly does work!
I urge everyone to just try it…the proof is in the pudding.You will see a difference within 21 days.
Thank you everyone for your comments. It’s quite a lively topic. Clearly Jan Marini has its defenders. But we here at the Beauty Brains are scientists in spirit and belief. It is our mission to stamp out misinformation and misguided “magical” beliefs. That is what we are doing here.
We are willing to believe. We WANT to believe. But we’re also not fools. We don’t lap up every anecdote and marketing story that we hear. Stories by users are not reliable evidence.
You want us to believe? Give us proof. Show us the proof. Don’t give us another story about a salon owner, a chiropractor, a yadda, yadda, yadda who has seen results. Give us scientific, peer reviewed, proof. We’re still waiting.
When marketers try to dupe people into paying $150 or $175 for something that isn’t proven, The Beauty Brains must respond. And we say, until there is more REAL proof don’t waste your money on this product.
The stuff works but has a dangerous DRUG in it that is Lactanoprost or something very similar to it. That is thee “old” formulation. I believe the “new” formulation does not have this prescription medication in it and the new version will NOT hve the great results of the old. that is the scoop.
Well my mother who has recently bought this product from the local beauty store told me i should get some because we both have extremely blonde eyelashes and very short, at first i didnt believe her but once i tried this product it worked EXCELENTLY!! this product is amazing.
hello,
i’m VERY confused about one thing:
You say your opinions on this product are not swayed at all by the mounds of anecdotal evidence presented to you on various boards and threads, by literally hundreds of users who have experienced measurable and in some cases, drastic, results. If that is your position, why would you allow comments for this thread? what’s more, why would you be invested in answering these comments? Are you aware of the fact that all you will get as comments are anecdotal raves? I would say that by belittling everyone’s experiences here you are actually turning off your readers–there have been several posts on other boards expressing as much.
BTW: I am not a user nor a supporter of JM; I’ve just seen many photos and have been following this phenomenon with interest and am convinced that it works–but ONLY b/c it contained prostaglandins (the glaucoma technology), one of the known and scientifically proven side effects of which are indeed excessive eyelash growth. So success with this product would amount to experiencing the side effects of this medicine.
I started using the product 1 week ago and have a before picture. In two more weeks I will take an after picture. I will do my absolute best to post it. I too, know a person who used the product and had great results, otherwise I would never, EVER have purchased it or believed the claims. I’ve also spoken with JM reps and it seems the wording is the only thing that has changed with the product. We’ll all soon see, since I have the “new” formula. One more interesting addition is that I met with a rep from an organic line that was really turned off by the unlisted ingredients in JM Eyelash. However, throughout her caution warnings, and speculation as to the future of the product, she just couldn’t keep from repeatedly saying, “But it works!” So we’ll see. I believe the old formula worked. I hope the new one works. And I’ll do my best to remember to post my before and afters.
Hey..i have been looking up this product and i really really wanna buy it and i was convinced it works but now that u guys r saying the new one might not im scared = / !…Kelly i really really hope u remember to post cause your gonna b my decision maker lol =)
Kelly, we are very interested in your results. Please send along your pictures when you’re done. We’ll post ‘em when we get them.
I am currently trying the new formula for jan marini eylash intervention. I called the company to find out the difference between the old and the new product. Believe it or not she said the “only” difference was in the primary ingredient. That is a big difference. She said it was a similar formulation derived from the original ingredient. Well, I’m only on my first week so you can’t go by my experience. I’ll report back later. But the “primary” ingredient is the most
important and addressing the change as “only” is very misleading. If it works it won’t matter that much. I just wonder why the ingredient had to be changed. I am very interested in the results for the “new” formulation and if anyone knows why the original formula had to be changed.
Skeptical,
Thanks so much for the experiment. Please keep track of your health also. If the product actually contains an active drug for glaucoma, you may experience some side effects like headaches, rashes, etc.
The most likely reason an ingredient has to be changed from a cosmetic formula is because it has known unexpected side effects that the FDA has determined to be dangerous.
Jan Marini Age Intervention Eyelash is now just some moisturizers and thickeners. The big switchover appears to have occurred right after the company’s major coverage in all the news outlets. They were then “backordered” while they pulled the original (effective) product and replaced it with the new, ineffective product. The new product has no “eyelash growth factor”, which is probably the stuff that the FDA would really nail them over. The product went out of “backorder” in late January. Anyone who has purchased the new product, including me, was sold an ineffective product. I have gotten no results at all.
I just bought the JM eyelash growth received about 2 1/2 weeks ago; and sure enough, the eyelash growth in the ingredient list was deleted…..so, am I just getting a product that another much, much cheaper would work just as well? Say, Double-Lash, Talika, etc.? Pls reply
Hi,
I have been using the new JM eyelash growth for two weeks and have seen quite a bit of growth, especially on my lower lashes. I am still hoping for more growth and will keep on using it.
Unfortunately, I didn’t take any before pictures so I don’t have any supporting evidence to provide you, but in my opinion this product works, I hope that others can provide you some convincing evidence.
Revitalash does the same thing as the old JM. It was formulated by a dr. for his wife who had chemo and lost all of her eyelashes. It works well, has not been pulled yet by the FDA is only 70 on ebay.
By the way JM does work. 3 different people cam up to me at work to compliment me on my false eyelashes,I never had anyone say anything like that until after I used JM.I get comments everyday on my eyelashes.
why would it be dangerous
Rhonda, any time a chemical interacts with your body and changes your metabolism it is a drug that can have unexpected side effects. This is what makes drugs dangerous. Cosmetics are not supposed to have any interaction with the body and thus are not dangerous. Of course, this isn’t always true as some people have bad reactions to certain chemicals but it is generally true for cosmetics.
The FDA forced Jan Marini to remove her acitve ingredient which was originally used for glaucoma. Some kind of similar thing was substituted byt does not work nearly as well. It may not be safe either. However, Revitalash is pure glaucoma medicine and I find it terribly unsettling that people will risk their eyesight for longer eyelashes. there are other formulations that could be used.
I have been using Revitalash for just over 4 weeks. The other day my husband commented that my eyelashes were looking fantastic, so it must be working. They also look a bit darker.
I posted 2/16 and my eyelashes have continued to grow, which I am so happy about.
Can anyone tell me what side effects the glaucoma medication has. What are the risks of damaging eyesight?
thats not true-it was a labeling issue thats why it was pulled, it still has the ingredient that stimulates eyelash growth.The new stuff works too.
Elizabeth, we have no way of knowing whether what you say is correct. Please provide a link to your sources.
Erin, according to the Glaucoma Research Foundation side effects include…” a gradual change in eye color, due to an increased amount of brown pigment in the iris of the treated eye. The change in eye color occurs slowly and may not be noticeable for several months to years. Other side effects can include stinging, blurred vision, eye redness, itching, and burning…”
Is that really worth the risk?
I wish some one could really find out the truth on why it was pulled the difference and safley I called the company they were vage they said they did change the formula but this worked better…..
My 2 cents – I did try Revitalash on one eye only. The results were amazing. I have started on the other eye as of a few days ago. It took about 3 weeks of use before I saw indusputable results. I heard the key ingredient IS the same thing in a glaucoma medication and was one of those ‘accidental’ off label discoveries.
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