Does GrandeLASH Have Prostaglandin?

Yes. GrandeLASH-MD contains isopropyl cloprostenate (ICP), a prostaglandin analog that signals through the same receptor pathway as prescription prostaglandin drugs. ICP appears on the GrandeLASH-MD ingredient label, and Grande Cosmetics settled a $6.25 million class action lawsuit in 2018 over the failure to disclose ICP as a drug ingredient. The same compound has been banned from Canadian cosmetic products since 2019. If you're trying to avoid prostaglandin analogs, GrandeLASH-MD does not meet the criteria for a prostaglandin-free lash serum.

What is isopropyl cloprostenate?

Isopropyl cloprostenate is a synthetic prostaglandin F2-alpha analog. Pharmacologically, it functions like bimatoprost — the active ingredient in the prescription drug Latisse — by binding to FP prostaglandin receptors and influencing the hair follicle's anagen phase. Because of this drug-like mechanism, regulators in some jurisdictions classify ICP as a drug ingredient even when it is sold over the counter as a cosmetic.

The 2018 class action and the 2019 Canadian ban

The 2018 Grande Cosmetics settlement (Lopez v. Grande Cosmetics) addressed the company's marketing of GrandeLASH-MD as a cosmetic without adequately disclosing that ICP carries drug-like effects. The settlement totalled $6.25 million.

In 2019, Health Canada reclassified ICP as a drug rather than a cosmetic ingredient and removed it from the list of substances permitted in Canadian cosmetics. Products containing ICP can no longer be sold as cosmetics in Canada.

Documented side effects of prostaglandin lash serums

Prostaglandin analogs, including ICP, are associated with a clinical syndrome ophthalmologists call prostaglandin-associated periorbitopathy (PAP). Reported effects include:

• Permanent darkening of the iris (most common in mixed-color irises)
• Orbital fat atrophy — loss of fat around the eye, leading to a sunken or hollowed appearance
• Eyelid hyperpigmentation
• Deepening of the upper eyelid sulcus
• Chronic dry eye and irritation

These effects are documented in the FDA prescribing information for bimatoprost and have been observed in cosmetic prostaglandin users. Recovery after discontinuation is not guaranteed.

How to spot prostaglandins on a label

Common prostaglandin analog names include bimatoprost, isopropyl cloprostenate (ICP), DDDE (dechloro dihydroxy difluoro ethylcloprostenolamide), cloprostenol isopropyl ester, and methylamido dihydro noralfaprostal. As a general rule, ingredients ending in -prostenol, -prostal, or -prostenolamide indicate a prostaglandin derivative.

The prostaglandin-free alternative

Peptide-based and plant-based formulas avoid prostaglandins entirely. For a side-by-side comparison of named brands, see our prostaglandin-free lash serum guide.

Plume Elite combines a 5-peptide clinical complex with a patented forskolin and ricinoleic acid blend to support the appearance of visibly fuller-looking lashes and brows — without prostaglandins, hormone analogs, or hormone-mimicking ingredients. The formula is ophthalmologist-endorsed and dermatologist-tested.

For an alternative, see our guide to truly hormone-free lash serums and what to look for in a clean formula.

Shop Plume Elite →