Careprost Eyelash Serum: what it does, week by week
Quick answer: Careprost is a bimatoprost 0.03% solution from Sun Pharmaceutical Industries. Bimatoprost 0.03% is the strength approved in Latisse for thin or short lashes. In the Latisse study, 78% of users improved by week 16, against 18% on vehicle. It can darken the iris permanently, so use it only as your doctor directs.
Buy Careprost onlineSee week-by-weekEarly weeks: the Latisse study published no percentage before week 8. Keep a steady nightly routine and take a daylight photo to compare.
50% improved by week 8 in the Latisse study, against 15% on vehicle.
69% improved by week 12, against 20% on vehicle.
78% improved by week 16, against 18% on vehicle. Average length +25%, fullness +106%, darkness +18%.
Careprost 3 ml
Choose a pack
Prices as listed on the product page today and may change. Compare Careprost With Brush or Careprost Plus if you want a different pack.
Careprost course calculator
Plan your course
Pick how long you and your doctor plan to use it. The calculator estimates nights, applicators and bottles, and shows the study result for that week.
Too early for a study figure: the Latisse study reports its first percentage at week 8.
Add 3 bottles to cart50% improved at week 8 in the Latisse study, against 15% on vehicle.
Add 3 bottles to cart69% improved at week 12 in the Latisse study, against 20% on vehicle.
Add 3 bottles to cart78% improved at week 16 in the Latisse study, against 18% on vehicle.
Add 6 bottles to cartEstimate based on the Latisse kit: 3 mL of solution with 70 applicators, and a new applicator for each eye every night, which is about 35 nights per bottle. Your Careprost pack may include a different number of applicators, so check your leaflet. Prices are the listed pack prices today. This is not medical advice; ask your doctor how long to use it.
What is Careprost?
Careprost is a sterile ophthalmic solution whose active ingredient is bimatoprost, a synthetic prostaglandin analogue. Bimatoprost was first used to lower raised pressure inside the eye in glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Patients noticed longer, darker lashes, and the same ingredient at 0.03% was later approved as Latisse for hypotrichosis of the eyelashes. Our listing mentions both eye-pressure and lash uses, so ask your doctor which applies to you. New to the topic? Start with eyelash serums for beginners.
Why lashes respond
The Latisse label says the exact mechanism is unknown. Growth is believed to come from more lashes in the growth (anagen) phase and a longer phase. See the eyelash growth cycle.
Why it takes weeks
Each lash cycles through growth, rest and shedding, so change shows slowly. Read how long Careprost takes.
What to expect, week by week
These numbers come from the 16-week Latisse study of 278 adults (bimatoprost 0.03% against a vehicle with no active drug). They show what is possible with this strength, not a promise for any person or brand. Nobody published study percentages for weeks 0 and 4, so we do not invent them.
Week 8
improved, against 15% on vehicle
Week 12
improved, against 20% on vehicle
Week 16
improved, against 18% on vehicle
| Measure at week 16 | Bimatoprost 0.03% | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| Lash length | +1.4 mm (25%) | +0.1 mm (2%) |
| Lash thickness (fullness) | +106% | +12% |
| Lash darkness | +18% | +3% |
After treatment stops, lashes are expected to return to their earlier look over several weeks to months.
Plan your 16 weeks: lash calendar and cost calculator
Your Careprost plan
Pick a start date and how long one bottle lasts you. We show the study checkpoints and the smallest pack that covers 16 weeks.
Planning tool only, not medical advice. Percentages come from the Latisse study, not a Careprost study. The 3 ml bottle length is your own estimate: follow your leaflet for the discard date and do not stock more than you will use.
How to apply Careprost
- Prepare. Wash your hands, remove all makeup and take out contact lenses.
- Use a clean applicator. Put one small amount of solution on a fresh sterile applicator. Never touch the bottle tip to anything.
- Apply once, at night. Draw the applicator along the skin of the upper eyelid at the base of the lashes, from inner to outer corner.
- Blot the extra. Dab any solution beyond the lid margin with a clean tissue.
- Discard the applicator. Use a new one for the other eye. Never reuse or share applicators.
- Wait 15 minutes before putting contact lenses back in.
- Apply to the upper lid margin only
- Skip a missed night, do not double up
- Keep the cap on and the tip clean
- Apply to the lower lash line
- Use more, expecting faster growth
- Reuse an applicator
Full technique: how to apply Careprost. Avoid the errors in common Careprost mistakes.
Side effects and safety
The most common reactions in the Latisse study each affected fewer than 4% of users: eye itching, redness of the eye surface, skin darkening, eye irritation, dry eye symptoms and eyelid redness. Most were mild.
- Hair growth outside the area. Solution that repeatedly touches skin can grow hair there, so blot the excess.
- Infection risk. Contaminated multi-dose bottles have been linked to bacterial keratitis. Keep the tip clean.
- Contact lenses. Soft lenses can absorb the preservative. See contact lenses and serum.
- Glaucoma drops. If you use a prostaglandin eye drop, see your eye doctor first, because your pressure should be monitored.
- Pregnancy. No adequate well-controlled studies exist. Use only if the benefit justifies the risk, and ask your doctor.
More detail: bimatoprost side effects.
- have glaucoma, high eye pressure or use any prostaglandin eye drop,
- have eye inflammation, an eyelid infection or a recent eye operation,
- are pregnant, planning pregnancy or breastfeeding,
- are allergic to bimatoprost or the preservative,
- are under 18 or buying for a younger person.
Can you use Careprost on eyebrows?
This is the labelled use of bimatoprost 0.03% (Latisse, for hypotrichosis of the eyelashes).
Not part of the approved use. We have no Careprost study to quote for brow results.
The brow area sits closer to skin and eye surfaces, where the solution can spread.
If you still wonder about it, talk to a doctor before trying anything.
Careprost vs Latisse
| Feature | Careprost | Latisse |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Bimatoprost | Bimatoprost |
| Strength | 0.03% w/v | 0.03% (0.3 mg/mL) |
| Made by | Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd | Allergan (AbbVie) |
| Approved lash use | Check local approval where you live | FDA approved for eyelash hypotrichosis |
| Clinical study data | Not published for this product | 278-adult, 16-week study |
Same ingredient and strength do not prove the same formulation, so follow your own leaflet. Wider comparison: Lumigan, Latisse and Careprost, Generic Latisse (Bimatoprost) and Lashona (Generic Latisse).
Storage
The Latisse label says to store the solution between 2 and 25 degrees Celsius. Keep the cap on, away from heat, and write the opening date on the box. Follow the discard date in your own leaflet. See eye drops after opening.
Frequently asked questions
Is Careprost the same as Latisse?
Both contain bimatoprost 0.03%. Latisse is the FDA-approved brand with published study data. Careprost is made by a different company, so approval depends on your country.
How long until I see results?
In the Latisse study, half of users improved by week 8 and most by week 16. Individual results vary.
Will results last if I stop?
No. Lashes gradually return to their previous look over several weeks to months.
Can I wear mascara or extensions?
Remove makeup before application. See mascara and eyelash serum and extensions vs serums.
What if it gets in my eye?
The label says it is not expected to harm the eye proper. Do not rinse it out on your own, and call your doctor if irritation or vision changes appear.
Do I need a prescription?
Bimatoprost is a prescription medicine in many countries. Check the rules where you live and speak to your doctor.
Ready to compare products?
Check pack, price and delivery on each product page, and keep your doctor’s advice and the leaflet as your guide.
View Careprost Shop Eye CareThis page is general information and not medical advice. It does not replace a consultation with your doctor or the leaflet that comes with your product.
Sources
- LATISSE (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% full prescribing information: study results, adverse reactions, warnings, storage and dosing
- LATISSE prescribing information summary, Drugs.com
- LATISSE label, How Supplied (3 mL with 70 applicators), MedLibrary: basis for the calculator estimate
- American Academy of Ophthalmology: Position statement on Latisse