My lashes looked tired by the end of summer. Two months of waterproof mascara, a few rounds of strip lashes, and way too much rubbing at night when I was half asleep. So this fall I'm doing the bare-lash thing everyone keeps posting, which really just means less mascara and more care. That's how I ended up testing Korean lash serums.

Quick note before the picks. A lash serum isn't magic and I'm not going to tell you it changes your lashes in two weeks. What I like about the Korean ones is that they feel like skincare for your lash line: light, easy to use every day, and not a big commitment.

What I'm actually doing differently

Honestly, most of it is boring. Serum on clean lashes at night, a gentler mascara on days I want one, and taking it off properly instead of dragging a wipe across my eyes at midnight. The serum is the fun part, the removal is the part that probably matters more.

The one that does lashes, brows and hairline

Close-up of an eye with HEIMISH Dailism Peptide Enhancing Lash Serum applied to the lashes — HEIMISH Dailism Peptide Enhancing Lash Serum

HEIMISH Dailism Peptide Enhancing Lash Serum is the one I reach for most. It's built around multi-peptides and it's meant for lashes, brows and hairline, which is nice because my brows are patchy at the tail and I can just swipe it there too.

There are two ends. A little ball tip to dab along the upper and lower lash lines, and a brush you comb through from roots to tips. It dries light with a primer-like finish, so on mornings I'm running late I put it on and go straight in with mascara.

For nights when I want zero effort

KIERA Blooming Professional Eyelash Serum lying on a soft beige background with feathers — KIERA Blooming Professional Eyelash Serum

KIERA Blooming Professional Eyelash Serum is the clear, simple one. You apply it along the lash line and through the lashes, and that's the whole routine. It's lightweight and doesn't leave a heavy film, which matters to me because I hate anything that makes my eyes feel sticky when I put my contacts in the next morning.

It's made for daily care, and the idea is to keep lashes conditioned, softer and healthy-looking. Mine definitely feel less crunchy than they did in August.

A serum with a little color in it

KIERA Blooming Eyelash Black Serum tube next to pink flowers — KIERA Blooming Eyelash Black Serum

This one is for the days I want lashes to show up a bit but don't want actual mascara. KIERA Blooming Eyelash Black Serum is a tinted serum that gives a natural, defined look, and it went on without clumping for me.

The trick is in the steps: curl first, brush it on, let it dry, then curl once more so the lashes set neatly. I skipped the second curl the first time and they dropped by lunch, so don't skip it.

If you still want mascara (I do, sometimes)

HEIMISH Dailism Smudge Stop Mascara in Brown on a soft pink background — HEIMISH Dailism Smudge Stop Mascara Brown

Going bare doesn't mean never wearing mascara. I just switched to HEIMISH Dailism Smudge Stop Mascara in Brown, which is a tubing formula. It coats each lash, and then it comes off with warm water and your fingertips, no rubbing or pulling.

The small curvy wand gets the bottom lashes too. It comes in Curling and Volume. I use Curling, and the brown looks softer than black on bare-ish lashes.

The remover my lashes needed

Model holding 2aN Easy Off Mascara Remover on a light blue background — 2aN Easy Off Mascara Remover

For the days I do wear waterproof mascara (windy bike commute, it's not optional), 2aN Easy Off Mascara Remover made the biggest difference in how my lashes feel. It looks like a mascara tube. You brush the oil gel on like you're applying mascara, wait about 10 seconds, then wipe it off with a cotton pad.

It has plant-derived thickeners like coconut oil so it clings to the lashes, and the dense brush works from root to tip. Way less tugging than my old cotton-pad scrubbing.

And for a night out while you wait

Model holding a pack of Coringco TOKTOKHARA No Glue Half Eyelash on a pink background — Coringco TOKTOKHARA No Glue Half Eyelash

I'm not giving up lashes for events. My sister's birthday dinner was last week and I wanted a bit more, so I used Coringco TOKTOKHARA No Glue Half Eyelash. They're half-length pieces with no separate glue, you lift them off with tweezers and tuck them up under your own curled lashes.

Even one or two on the outer corner looks good, which is the whole appeal. They come in Ready, Anime and Pure. Ready was the most natural on me.

None of this is a quick fix, and I'm still figuring out what my lashes like. But if yours feel tired too, start with one serum and a gentler way to take mascara off, and see how it goes after a while. Everything else for eyes is in our eye makeup collection.

MAKEUP

Korean Lash Serums and the Bare-Lash Routine I'm Trying This Fall

FAQ

Will a lash serum make my lashes grow?

We can't promise that, and the serums in this post don't claim it either. They're described as daily care that conditions lashes and helps them look healthier, fuller or more defined. Think of it like conditioner for your lashes rather than a treatment.

When should I put on lash serum?

Most people do it at night on clean, dry lashes so it isn't sitting under mascara. Some serums, like HEIMISH Dailism Peptide Enhancing Lash Serum, have a light primer-like finish, so you can also use them in the morning before mascara.

Can I use lash serum if my eyes are sensitive?

Try a small amount along the lash line first and stop if anything stings or feels uncomfortable. Keep it on the lashes, not inside the eye. If you have an eye condition or wear contacts and aren't sure, check with your eye doctor before adding something new.

How do I take off mascara without pulling my lashes?

Use something that dissolves the mascara instead of scrubbing it off. A lash-sized remover like 2aN Easy Off Mascara Remover sits on the lashes for a few seconds and then wipes away, and tubing mascaras come off with warm water.

Written by Hyerin Park

Hyerin has always loved shopping—fashion, beauty, and pretty much anything worth adding to cart. Since starting Baerry, that habit has turned into testing dozens of new beauty products that land on the team’s desks in Seoul, plus plenty she buys herself. An ISTJ with a very high bar for what makes the cut, she treats her own face as the testing ground before recommending anything.