11 Makeup Tips For Good Eye Health

Many women wear makeup. Although the use of makeup is extremely common, many don’t think twice about makeup and eye health.

Let’s dive into the dos and donts of makeup for eye health tips.

11 Makeup Tips For Good Eye Health

Taking care of your eyes is important for good vision. This includes discussing the things that come into close contact with or around the eyes. Dr. Spearin, an eye doctor, has shared with us some tips that are helpful to consider when using makeup around the eyes.

1. Never Wear Waterproof Mascara

It is best to wear waterproof mascara on a daily basis. If you are a contact lens wearer, it is very easy for mascara chunks to stick to your contact lenses. This may cause irritation, increase discomfort, and can reduce wear time in your contacts.

Waterproof mascara is extremely hard to remove from your eyelashes. The force you have to apply to remove your mascara can damage the lashes, and oil glands, and may even cause wrinkles if used daily over many years.

Oftentimes, waterproof mascara is so hard to remove that chunks are left behind. These leftover particles can increase your risk for bacteria build-up which can lead to blepharitis and infection of either the upper and lower eyelids or eyelash mites.

2. Avoid Glitter Eye Shadow

Don’t we all love a little glitter?! But please use glitter with caution. Although glitter eyeshadow is fun, it is very common that these glitter pieces get into the tear film and may cause an immense amount of discomfort, especially for individuals who wear contact lenses. If the glitter pieces are large and fall into the eye, it may cause a corneal abrasion or a scratch on the eye.

Glitter in eye shadows is usually made with aluminum and other plastics. Just like many avoid aluminum in our deodorant we should avoid these metals and plastics in our eyes too.

Because there have been ecological concerns with glitter the FDA has approved some biodegradable glitter. Although these biodegradable products might be better for the ocean and environment, they aren’t necessarily better for the eyes. Biodegradable glitter still takes some time to degrade. In the best case scenario about 4 weeks. This means glitter can still get stuck in your eye and cause discomfort and an allergic reaction. It also means that it can pollute our oceans and water systems as well.

3. Always Remove Makeup Before Bed

From a skin and eye standpoint, it is best to remove your makeup before you go to bed at night. Just like makeup left on your skin can clog your pores and cause breakouts, eye makeup can clog the meibomian or oil glands that line the upper and lower lash line. Chronically clogged oil glands can lead to dry eye and eyelid inflammation.

Demodex which are parasitic mites that live on the eyelash margin love to eat old makeup and debris. Although it is normal to have a few mites on your eyelashes, it is not normal to have an infestation of them.

4. Discard Makeup Promptly

A good rule of thumb is to throw away most makeup products three to six months after opening.

Throw away:

• Mascara after 3 months of use
• Liquid eyeliner after 3 months of use
• Pencil eyeliner after 12 months of use
• Powder eye shadow after 2 years

Never use makeup that is expired, has a bad smell, or has changed color. These are all signs that the product has gone bad. All products need to be taken care of and stored in a dry place and used with clean makeup brushes. Makeup brushes should be cleaned once a week.

5. Don’t Tightline With Eyeliner

Tightlining is a technique where eyeliner is applied on the waterline. The waterline is where the oil glands are. If the meibomian glands are covered with eyeliner they get clogged and can cause dry eye due to an insufficient tear film. In terms of eye health, tightlining is bad for your eyes.

Tightlining your eyeliner is an easy way to introduce bacteria to the ocular surface. If not applied carefully eyeliner pencils can poke your eye causing an abrasion.

6. Avoid Harsh Chemicals

There are so many harmful chemicals in makeup products. Even if you don’t have sensitive eyes it is good to choose products with less harsh chemicals

Some ingredients you should avoid are:

• Parabens
• Carbon black
• Retinal
• Formaldehyde releasers
• Phthalates & artificial fragrances
• Benzalkonium Chloride (BAK)
• Synthetic Prostaglandins
• Polyethylene Glycols (PEGs)
• Phenoxyethanol
• Titanium Dioxide

These ingredients are commonly used in most of our makeup products. Many of these ingredients are carcinogenic, endocrine disruptors, and can cause allergic reactions.

7. Sharing Isn’t Caring

Please don’t share your eye makeup products with your friends! The biggest reason you shouldn’t share eye makeup is to reduce the likelihood of sharing bacterial infections like pink eye. The bacteria that cause styes are also easily transferred.

8. Clean Brushes and Application Tools Often

Cleaning application tools and brushes weekly is a great way to reduce the risk of bacterial and viral infections. It also keeps your makeup products usable for a longer period of time.

9. Don’t Wear Lash Extensions

Wearing eyelash extension are extremely popular. Although they enhance your overall look, they do come with risks. Lash extensions can cause dry eye. Your lash length is very specific to each person to protect them and allow for a certain airflow. When this airflow is altered the lashes can increase the airflow into the eye drying out the tear film.

Lash extensions can cause severe allergic reactions due to the glue and adhesive products used. In some cases, if lash applications is not done correctly conjunctival and corneal abrasions can occur.

10. Avoid Eyelid Tattooing

The ingredients in the dye used for tattooing are not healthy for the eyelid margin. A common ingredient is carbon black. Carbon black is carcinogenic and may lead to lung disease.

Tattooing the lid margin also damages the meibomian glands. This can lead to meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eyes.

11. Don’t Use Prostaglandin Eye Lash Growth Serums

Eyelash growth serums derived from prostaglandins work really well at lengthening eyelashes. They are used often as a treatment for glaucoma, to reduce the pressure inside of your eyes.

Prostaglandins have some side effects such as causing inflammation, dryness, irritation, and redness along the lid margin and conjunctiva. They can change the skin color around your eyes making them appear sunken and in rare cases change the color of your iris.

Is Eye Makeup Safe for My Eyes?

Using eye makeup is safe to use around your eyes especially when you are using products with less harmful ingredients, throwing away your makeup in a timely manner, and cleaning your makeup brushes properly.

If you have any questions are concerns about your eye health please visit your local optometrist.

Why Does Makeup Irritate My Eyes?

Makeup can irritate your eyes because of the ingredients that are used in makeup products. They can cause allergic reactions and be extremely irritating when glitter for instance falls into the tear film.

The tear film provides lubrication, nutrients, and protection to the ocular surface. When the tear film gets disrupted or when the glands get clogged due to makeup, it can cause dry eyes. Symptoms of dry eyes are redness, burning, tearing, foreign body sensation, and vision to fluctuate.

Dry eyes can be extremely frustrating and uncomfortable. Makeup can exacerbate dry eye symptoms as well as be the cause of them. Try to find makeup products that don’t cause irritation and use lubrication drops when necessary.

Makeup Tips for Good Eye Health Wrap-up

Wanting to wear makeup and look your best is natural and quite frankly to be expected. Wearing eye makeup can be very safe especially if you are following the right precautions. Keeping your application brushes clean, throwing out makeup in a timely manner, and not sharing your makeup with others is crucial for good makeup hygiene.

Knowing what is good for your eyes is the first step towards keeping your eyes healthy. By following these makeup tips for good eye health will keep your eyes feeling and looking their best.