Rodan + Fields is an expensive skincare company that formerly operated as a multi-level-marketing (MLM) business before transitioning to an affiliate model in 2024. Most of their best-selling products cost over $100, and the brand claims they'll help get you the "best skin of your life."
But can a topical serum really improve lash thickness and quality? Is the brand's anti-aging product well-formulated? Why did Rodan + Fields agree to a $38 million settlement? And is Rodan + Fields better or worse than other popular lash boost brands?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in two of the brand's most popular products to give our take on whether or not they're likely to be effective, and whether or not they're healthy.
We'll review Lash Boost and Total RF Serum (an anti-aging serum).
We'll also explain why Rodan + Fields agreed to a $38 million lawsuit settlement, why the brand received a warning letter from the FTC, and compare the brand to other popular lash boost brands in terms of formulation quality.
Key takeaways:
- Brand agreed to $38 million settlement over Lash Boost lawsuit
- Both products we reviewed contained inactive ingredients we consider unhealthy
- We do not currently recommend Rodan + Fields
Lash Boost Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Rodan + Fields Lash Boost are shown below:
image source: https://www.rodanandfields.com/
This product is extremely expensive, costing $170 for 0.17 fluid ounces, which is around half of the price of gold by weight, at the time of updating this article.
The brand claims this product can promote the appearance of "longer, stronger and darker-looking lashes."
Hydrolyzed keratin is a form of the most predominant hair protein called keratin. A clinical trial found that a recombinant (genetically-altered) keratin increased hair diameter by almost 50%.
Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) seed extract was shown in a 2021 clinical trial to induce hair growth in women suffering from pattern hair loss.
Copper tripeptide-1 is clinically shown to stimulate the elongation of human hair follicles, suggesting this ingredient may support lash growth.
Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative.
As we discussed in our NuFace reviews article, we recommend avoiding preservatives in cosmetics, especially those applied around the eyes.
Chlorphenesin is another synthetic preservative, which has medically documented toxicity concerns and irritates the eyes, making it a strange choice for a preservative in an eye serum.
Isopropyl cloprostenate is a synthetic compound used in glaucoma treatments. This is the ingredient at the center of the class-action lawsuits against Rodan + Fields.
The European Union's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published an opinion concluding that isopropyl cloprostenate "cannot be considered safe" for use in cosmetic products intended for promoting eyelash and eyebrow growth.
We consider Rodan + Fields Lash Boost likely to be effective for supporting lash growth, but we don't currently recommend this product due to the inactive ingredients highlighted above.
Why Was Rodan + Fields Sued?
Rodan + Fields has dealt with legal issues from consumers, competitors, and governmental bodies.
In 2024, the company agreed to pay $38 million to settle class-action lawsuits related to its Lash Boost product.
The lawsuits alleged that Rodan + Fields failed to disclose that Lash Boost contains isopropyl cloprostenate, a drug ingredient, and that the product caused harmful side effects including eye redness, eye irritation, iris color change, and dry eye.
Consumers who purchased Lash Boost between October 1, 2016, and March 11, 2022, were eligible for cash payments of up to $175 (or $350 with proof of multiple purchases).
In 2020, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published a warning letter to the brand, because the "Consultants" involved in the MLM were suggesting that partnering with the company was a great earning opportunity during the COVID-19 crisis.
Rodan + Fields has also dealt with pressure from a non-profit organization over another potentially toxic ingredient called benzophone.
Inclusion of this ingredient requires a Prop 65 Warning, to demonstrate potential health risks to California residents, but Rodan + Fields is alleged to have added a "click here" link in the warning to an industry-funded website minimizing the risk of the ingredient.
This Environmental Working Group (EWG) letter to the FDA suggested that this strategy by Rodan + Fields was intentionally misleading, and potentially harmful to consumers.
Total RF Serum Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Rodan + Fields Total RF Serum are shown below:
image source: https://www.rodanandfields.com/
Total RF Serum is an anti-aging serum. It costs $175 for 1 fluid ounce, equivalent to around $2,600 per pound.
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 that's clinically shown to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and improve the surface structure of skin.
Pterocarpus marsupium bark extract was shown in a 2020 clinical trial to have anti-aging and skin-brightening effects.
Sodium acetylated hyaluronate is a derivative of sodium hyaluronate, which is one of the most well-studied anti-aging ingredients, as we documented in our review of Hanacure.
A 2021 clinical trial published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that sodium acetylated hyaluronate inhibited gene expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) which degrade skin with age.
The study authors described this ingredient to have "a significant and efficient anti-wrinkles effect."
While Total RF Serum contains many effective anti-aging ingredients, it also contains several filler ingredients we recommend avoiding.
Fragrance was described as neurotoxic in a 2017 medical review.
Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative, and we explained in the previous Ingredient Analysis section why we recommend avoiding it.
We believe that Rodan + Fields Total RF Serum is likely effective for anti-aging, but we don't currently recommend it overall due to the inclusion of the preservative and fragrance ingredients discussed above.
Questionable Clinical Claims
Several product pages on the Rodan + Fields website have clinical claims, as documented in the image below:
image source: https://www.rodanandfields.com/
The brand claims that Lash Boost caused 90% of users to experience fuller-looking lashes, and there's a "View Full Study" link at the bottom of the section.
But that link does not actually go to a full study. It goes to a summary page and there is no way to access the full study at the time of updating this article.
We recommend that consumers entirely disregard claims of efficacy made by cosmetics brands based on "clinical trials" that are not published in peer-reviewed journals. The potential for bias is too high.
There is a high standard of methodology for a clinical trial to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, which is why this is the type of research we cite on Illuminate Health to form our opinion about the potential efficacy and safety of products.
We urge consumers to ask themselves when the last time was that they visited a cosmetic brand's website which reported that a "clinical trial" found the brand's products ineffective.
Rodan + Fields vs. Popular Lash Boosts
Here's how Rodan + Fields Lash Boost compares to other popular lash boost brands in terms of formulation quality, in our opinion:
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum
The Ordinary's lash serum uses a peptide-based approach to lash growth, rather than prostaglandin analogs.
A 2024 clinical trial found that a peptide and glycosaminoglycan-based eyelash enhancer caused significant increases in lash length, width, and volume at 12 weeks with no adverse effects reported.
The Ordinary's formulation has the advantage from a health perspective because it's free of isopropyl cloprostenate.
Winer: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum
Babe Lash Serum
Babe Lash is a popular lash serum brand that also uses a peptide-based formula.
The brand's Essential Serum contains amino acids and peptides intended to condition and strengthen lashes, as we documented in our Babe Lash Serum review.
Babe Lash Serum is the winner from a health and safety perspective given its superior inactive ingredient profile.
Winner: Babe Lash Serum
GrandeLASH-MD
GrandeLASH-MD is one of the best-selling lash serums on the market.
The brand uses a blend of vitamins, peptides, and amino acids in its formulation, and claims to promote the appearance of longer, thicker-looking lashes.
GrandeLASH-MD does not contain isopropyl cloprostenate, and the brand has not faced the type of regulatory and legal scrutiny that Rodan + Fields has over its Lash Boost formula.
Winner: GrandeLASH-MD
Our Clean Skincare Pick
MindBodyGreen Best Skin+ is our top anti-aging skin supplement.
It contains orange extract which is clinically shown to increase skin moisturization, skin elasticity and skin radiance.
This supplement also contains astaxanthin which is clinically shown to cause "wrinkle formation reduction."
This supplement is free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Rodan + Fields Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Effective formulations with clinically-backed active ingredients
- Lash Boost has ingredients shown to increase hair thickness
- Total RF Serum should have anti-aging effect
- Updated Total RF Serum removed an unhealthy additive
Cons:
- Both products reviewed contain phenoxyethanol
- Total RF Serum contains fragrance
- Company sued over allegations of harmful side effects
- Company received warning letter from FTC about business practices
- Non-profit suggests that the company misled consumers
