Eye-make up and eyecare

Today make-up products like mascara, blusher, foundation, lipstick and eyeliner are a daily necessity for many women around the world.

And yet, although they’re carefully designed to make you look good, it’s rare they’re designed to be good for your skin and your general health.

Many people know unhealthy makeup habits often cause problems like acne, oily skin, dryness, and ageing. But there are also other, sometimes less noticeable, negative effects that can come from daily makeup use.

Here we’re going to have a look at a few common questions surrounding eye makeup and some of the potentially harmful effects it can have on your eyes.

Is mascara bad for your eyes?

Mascara is an eye makeup that is designed to be applied around the area of the eye. Therefore, most mascara products take into account the sensitivity of the eye.

However, mascara, along with other eye makeups, does have a use-by date. It’s important to be aware of the use-by dates of makeups because, as makeup dries out or becomes over-used, the amount of dirt and bacteria within it increases.

As you might expect, when regularly used to cover your lashes, this means out of date mascara can irritate your eyes or cause an eye infection. It’s recommended to be aware of the use-by dates on all your eye makeup products — usually, it’s around four months after opening.

Is eyeliner bad for your eyes?

Eyeliner is one of the eye makeup products that comes closet to the eye itself. And so it comes with a high risk of getting particles in your eye that can cause irritation or an eye makeup infection.

Applying eyeliner is already a painstakingly slow process. But to avoid infection, try to spend a little bit more time leaving space between your eye and the black line. This will help maintain the health of your eyes without having to avoid eyeliner altogether.

It’s also suggested to avoid applying eye makeup whilst you’re on the move. If you’re in a moving vehicle like a car or on a train, you may be jolted unexpectedly, potentially causing you to not only to ruin your makeup but also damage your eye. The wand of your mascara or the pencil of your eyeliner may enter your eye and cause a painful corneal abrasion. This, if you’re unlucky, can then lead to a bacterial eye infection.

Are false eyelashes bad for your eyes?

Wearing false eyelashes is potentially dangerous for your eyes. The most obvious reason why is the danger presented by the use of adhesive so close to the eye.

If the glue of false eyelashes reaches the tear film or the surface of the eye, it can cause an eye infection which may lead to permanent scarring. It’s also been shown that the length of false eyelashes channels wind straight into the eye, carrying with it dirt and dust and drying out the eye.

So, despite the aesthetical benefits of artificial lashes, they do come with risky side effects that should be seriously considered.

Does curling your eyelashes damage them?

A natural alternative to false lashes is curling your eyelashes. However, this has its own risks as if not done correctly, the process can break your lashes and cause gapping in the line of your eyelashes.

To avoid this, pay attention to the instructions either given to you upon purchase or that are included in the box. On top of this, by not keeping your eyelash curlers clean, you also risk spreading bacteria across the eye. On that note, it’s essential to keep all of your makeup brushes, sponges, and applicators clean by washing them thoroughly and regularly in warm water.

This can be difficult to keep up regularly, but you only need to clean your makeup brushes once a month. Deep cleaning your brushes will help get rid of the harmful bacteria on the brushes that come from your skin—including sweat and dead skin cells—and the bacteria that comes from makeup products.

Failing to make a bit of time to clean your makeup instruments after each use means you run the risk of spreading bacteria and dirt around the area of your eyes and increase your chances of getting an infection.

Is it okay to share eye makeup?

It can be tempting to use a friend’s eyeliner or mascara if you don’t have your own with you, but this should be avoided at all costs.

Sharing makeup and utensils such as brushes is a common way of causing cross-infection, which can lead to much-unwanted irritation, redness, and swelling. Sharing a friend’s makeup products may be convenient in the short term, but it can thus be the source of much grief and trouble and is not beneficial for you or your eyes in the long term.

Should I always remove makeup at night?

Although it can be the last thing you want to do after a night out, taking off your makeup before going to bed (especially eye makeup) is essential to your skin and eye health.

If you do fall asleep in your makeup, this can block pores and increase the build-up of oils in your skin. If you don’t remove eye makeup, you’re also more likely to rub your eyes before you go to bed or when you wake up — spreading dirt and particles into your eyes.

Make sure your makeup routine includes taking it off at the end of the day with a makeup remover and then washing your face with a facial cleanser. You also want to make sure you use the right removal products, as otherwise you’ll just spread around the bacteria and increase the risk of causing an infection.

Looking great and looking after your eyes don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Find out how you can take years off and improve your vision by booking your Laser Eye Surgery consultation today.