Tired of applying coat after coat of mascara to make your lashes look longer and more voluminous?

Latisse, a prescription lash serum, might be the answer to your cosmetic prayers. Doctors aren’t exactly sure why it works, but science suggests that it stimulates the hair cells to go into a growth cycle when normally they would be in a hibernation state, says Julius Few, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon .

Typically, it takes several weeks to start seeing eyelash growth by stimulating the hair growth cycle, says Few. While you may see eyelashes sprouting in as early as one month, the most dramatic change won’t be visible until three to four months after you’ve started using .

It’s really important to not stop use when you first notice growth, says Few. The general rule of thumb: The time it takes to see the lashes grow is how long it takes to see the lashes go back to normal if you stop using the medication. So if you quit at the first sign of a fuller fringe, that won’t last. Yep: That means you need to continue using it if you like the results.

The safety of this product has not been tested in pregnant women and therefore is not recommended in pregnancy.

Once you’ve gotten that, here’s how to apply Latisse, says Few: Use the included sterile applicator to swipe the serum onto freshly washed lids. Just keep this in mind: Experts recommend avoiding getting the serum on lower lid, because you might get a little too much hair growth for lashes to look natural.