Folligen Hair & Scalp Nutrient Cream is a copper peptide-based potion to restore thinning hair. I have tried it and it works extremely well. Recently I was asked by Lim whether it would also work on eyelashes and brows. There was only one way to answer that: I promised to give it a try. As experiments go, it was an unqualified success. Folligen will give you bushier brows and longer lashes.

I must admit, I was wary at first. Copper peptide potions are the lethal-looking blue/green color of a spectacular bruise. Was it really a good idea to put it anywhere near my eyes? So, I started out cautiously with a dab on my outer left eyebrow where the hairs, in my opinion peter out a little prematurely. Nothing untoward happened and so I dabbed a little every day for about 10 days. My left eyebrow now sweeps elegantly above the outer corner of my eye.

It was time to give the eyelashes a go. Folligen is very liquid and I wasn't too sure how to go about it. After experimenting with a cotton bud, I found the best solution to be an eyeliner brush. Dip it into the Folligen and run it carefully under the lower lashes. All was well, with no irritation. A week later, a little gap between the lashes has started to fill in.

It is worth noting that copper peptides work on hair growth in a very different way to traditional remedies and, most certainly, to most of the eyelash growth products on the market. Many of the eyelash growth products use a glaucoma drug called prostaglandins (possible side-effects include the risk that your eyes will change color). Most hair growth treatments focus on dihydrotestosteone. This is a major factor in male baldness, beard growth and pubic hair. But has nothing to do with eyebrow and eyelash growth.

As we age, the hair follicle's anagen (growth) phase progressively shortens while the telogen (dormant) phase lengthens. The size of the follicle shrinks and the hair that grows is thinner. Studies show that there is less capillary blood in aging hair. Copper peptides act to simulate the capillaries and studies have shown that they help human follicles switch from the dormant telogen state into the hair-growing anagen state.

Thanks to Lim, I've made a great new discovery: Folligen, made by copper peptide specialists Skin Biology, is an effective and safe alternative to prostaglandin-based eyelash growth products.

Ingredients in Folligen Cream

Purified water, copper peptides (hydrolyzed soy protein and copper chloride), squalane, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, ethylhexyl palmitate, stearic acid, cetyl alcohol, cupric chloride, propylene glycol (and) diazolidinyl urea (and) methylparaben (and) propylparaben, allantoin, tocophersolan (Vitamin E), menthol, lavandula augustifolia (lavender) oil, fragrance, mixed (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) tocopherols.