I recently attended a Webinar (online seminar) put on by Allergan, the pharmaceutical company behind the upcoming lash-enhancement prescription product Latisse. As those who read my Lash Wars blog entry know, Latisse is poised to become the hot lash product women nationwide will be clamoring for.
There is no doubt Latisse will work to make eyelashes longer, thicker, and darker, with maximum results visible after 4 months of daily treatment. The Webinar was full of impressive before-and-after pictures from the 278 women who participated in the clinical trials that led to FDA approval of Latisse for eyelash growth. I imagine anyone watching the Webinar and bemoaning the state of their small or sparse lashes is eagerly awaiting this product—I know I would be and as someone who had used the Jan Marini version that was confiscated by the FDA I can vouch for how impressive the active ingredient can be!!!
Allergan certainly isn’t taking the sorry state of the U.S. economy into account—a 30-day supply of Latisse will set consumers back $120. With ongoing use, you’re looking at spending over $1,400.00 per year to maintain impressive lashes. Ouch! While some women won’t bat an eye at the cost, I’m sure others will pause before contacting their physician about a prescription for Latisse (it’s shipping now and expected to be widely available by the end of March). I was willing to spend that much on a 10-year supply when I bought up all the Marini product I could after it was no longer available.
Granted, applying an already excellent mascaras to lashes that have been made longer and thicker will produce greater results, but when is enough enough? Considering the average drugstore mascara we rate highly costs around $8 and lasts for 3-4 months, you’re spending a minute fraction compared to using Latisse and renewing your prescription every month and using Latisse doesn’t mean you will no longer want to use mascara. And that’s what Allergan said during the Webinar: 90% of the women involved with the clinical trials for Latisse reported that they will still use mascara even though their lashes were now longer, darker, and thicker. The folks at Allergan were quick to point out that Latisse is not trying to compete with the $1 billion + mascara industry (U.S. sales figure). Rather, Latisse improves the “lash canvas” and mascara is the “paint”. I like that analogy, but it shouldn’t have to cost this much to improve your lash “canvas”!
To further put the price issue into perspective, consider that Lumigan, the anti-glaucoma eye drops that contain the same active ingredient (bimatoprost) as Latisse, costs around $81 per bottle. Since glaucoma is a medical condition, these prescription eye drops are likely covered by most health insurance plans. Not Latisse. I can’t imagine the health insurance provider that is going to deem longer, thicker eyelashes as “medically necessary”! Maybe you should ask your ophthalmologist if you can just use a glaucoma medication which would last far long and be far cheaper. Okay just teasing, well sort of.
All of this comes down to how much you’re willing to pay for improved eyelashes—if using an excellent mascara can get you close to the results you want (and many of them can) you have to come to the conclusion that a prescription for Latisse isn’t worth the hit to your beauty budget. But expect to be very, very tempted to give it a try, I know I was!
