In a viral TikTok, user Marina Neuman (@marinainmiam) starts off by sharing her “official review of Grande Lash.” Based on her swollen eyes, viewers might be able to guess the review is not favorable.
Neuman, who regularly posts about makeup and boasts 88,000 followers, uses her video to warn viewers to avoid the product at all costs. Her message has been received loud and clear, as the viral video has reached over 4 million views as of Tuesday.
In the TikTok, Neuman talks directly to the camera, her hair clipped back to reveal her red and puffy eyes. Her right eye has a large lump underneath it, and the left eyelid is swollen.
“I was very hesitant to even make this video because they sent me a sample but if this can help any other girl I figured I should talk about it,” she says.
She explains how as bad as her face looks, it is better than it was.
“It’s finally now starting to look like a massive stye. I looked like Quasimodo from the hunchback of Notre Dame yesterday,” she wrote in the comments.
Neuman says she visited a doctor who diagnosed her with a severe allergic reaction and possible infection.
“When I saw the doctor on Tuesday, my face was so swollen that it was actually draining out blood. My eyelid was halfway closed,” she says. She wrote in the comments that the doctor explained the reaction she experienced to one of the ingredients in the product is quite common.
@marinainmiami Everyone praying on my downfall is going to love this – apparently Grande Lash is in a class action lawsuit ?? Ya’ll stay safe out there #grandelash #grandelashserum #grandelashsideeffects #lashserum #productreview ♬ original sound – Marina Neuman
According to Grande Cosmetics’ website, the serum is designed to “promote the appearance of longer, thicker, healthier looking lashes in 4-6 weeks.” The description continues, “Powered by a proprietary lash complex, this ophthalmologist-tested serum creates luxury-level lashes — all your own.” Grande claims that “safety is a priority” in their skincare and makeup products, and it’s true that their website shows evidence of extensive testing and is backed by ophthalmologists.
@marinainmiami Deinfluencing you ☺️🥰 The number of responses I’ve received from girls who have had the same or a very similar experience is ridiculous. Don’t risk it. #grandelash #grandelashserum #grandelashsideeffects #lashserum #productreview ♬ original sound – Marina Neuman
In a follow-up video, Marina claims that the amount of comments and messages she’s gotten from other girls “who have had the same experience is absolutely overwhelming.”
The comments section blew up with personal stories, with over 4,000 people sharing their thoughts on the initial video.
User @meghan3377 wrote, “HI BABES this exact thing happened to me on both eyes.”
“Grande lash made my eyes SOOO RED! And I could tell right away that I was losing fat around my eyes!!” another added.
However, not all users experienced the adverse reaction.
“I used Grand Lash (purchased from them directly -important) for 5 years and it even helped my husbands patchy beard. I couldn’t recommend them enough,” user @mascaramemoirs commented.
Grande Cosmetics settled a class-action lawsuit this month. The $6.25 million settlement comes from allegations that Grande’s products do not list all ingredients. According to topclassactions.com, “The settlement benefits consumers who purchased GrandeLASH-MD, GrandeBROW or GrandeHAIR from Grande between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 14, 2023. According to the class action lawsuit, Grande failed to warn consumers that its GrandeLASH-MD, GrandeBROW and GrandeHAIR products contain isopropyl cloprostenate—a drug used to treat glaucoma. Isopropyl cloprostenate can allegedly cause eye inflammation and other serious side effects that Grande Cosmetics did not disclose.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Grande Cosmetics to comment on Neuman’s and the related lawsuit she referenced in her clip.
A representative for the brand shared that they reached out to Neuman to let her know that “sensitivity may occur, but please know our lawsuit was not about injury & GrandeLASH-MD has 10+ safety studies.”
When asked about the ingredient isopropyl cloprostenate, which is reportedly not FDA approved and is the main ingredient in Grande Lash, Grande Cosmetics said, “Isopropyl Cloprostenate is a cosmetic hair conditioning ingredient. This is its formal definition in the cosmetic ingredient dictionary, INCI, the industry standard for recognizing and classifying cosmetic ingredients internationally. Just like with retinols or Vitamin C, there is always a possibility of a sensitivity when trying new skincare products. Sensitivities can also occur with improper application and use of too much product.”
In regards to the claim that the drug is used to treat glaucoma, Grande Cosmetics labeled it as “misinformation.”
“GrandeLASH-MD is a cosmetic product, does not contain, and has never contained any drug used to treat glaucoma,” the representative said. “Isopropyl Cloprostenate and Bimatoprost are two ingredients that have completely different structures and activities.”
INCI Decoder, an online resource for understanding cosmetic ingredients, further elaborated on isopropyl cloprostenate: “[It] does work when it comes to eyelash growth, however, it is not without possible side effects and is kind of a controversial ingredient. An FDA-warning letter mentions among others ocular irritation, hyperemia, iris color change, macular edema and ocular inflammation that may happen and the FDA is generally not happy about prostaglandin analogs being used in cosmetic products.”
In the same statement, INCI Decoder also addressed the glaucoma reference, stating that isopropyl cloprostenate is a “synthetic prostaglandin analog that belongs to the same class of actives used originally on glaucoma patients. As a side effect, people noticed longer and stronger eyelashes so prostaglandin analogs made their way into eyelash growth products.”
With all the attention to Grande Lash Serum, some viewers were uncertain about their own use of the product. One user shared their concern, writing, “Not me watching this on week 3 of using Grande Lash!! Tossing right now!”
The Daily Dot reached out to Neuman via direct message.
