The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) is warning about the risks posed by eyelash growth products containing prostaglandin-like substances — hormones that can cause irreversible iris darkening and loss of fat around the eye socket.
In February, the French health authority was alerted through its cosmetovigilance system to an adverse reaction in a young woman using an eyelash serum. After five months of daily application along the base of her upper lashes, she observed a marked darkening of her left iris, as well as fat loss around both eyes, which made her dark circles more pronounced. According to ANSES, the substance isopropyl cloprostenate — chemically similar to prostaglandins and present in the product — is believed to be responsible for these effects.
Substances under evaluation
Prostaglandins and similar compounds, used in ophthalmic treatments such as glaucoma eye drops, can stimulate eyelash growth but may also lead to permanent iris darkening, chronic irritation, and periorbital fat loss.
The cosmetic use of three prostaglandin analogues [1] — including isopropyl cloprostenate — has been assessed by the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS). In its preliminary opinion published in June 2025 and opened for public consultation, the SCCS concluded that none of these substances can be considered safe for use in cosmetic products.
Pending the European Union’s final conclusions, which could result in a ban or restriction of these substances, ANSES has wished to alert users to the risks associated with these products. Some effects, such as changes in iris color, are irreversible and “generally not listed on product packaging.”
