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5 Makeup Hygiene Tips for Healthy Eyes

April 7th, 2020

It’s easy to have both healthy eyes and glamorous eye makeup — as long as you follow good hygiene practices.

For centuries, women and men alike have used cosmetics to enhance the appearance of their eyes. Even the ancient Egyptians applied soot or antimony to darken their lashes, and while the chemical composition of eye makeup has changed, the practice hasn’t diminished at all. As the growing number of YouTube beauty vloggers can attest, elaborate eye makeup looks have only grown more popular. 

If used safely and correctly, eye makeup should have no effect on eye health — but if used improperly, it can make your eyes susceptible to infection and even have a negative impact on your vision. 

The Risks of Using Eye Makeup

As long as you’re using eye makeup properly, you shouldn’t experience any negative health consequences. However, bad makeup hygiene habits, improper application, or unknown allergies can all cause irritation, infection, or other problems. The most common makeup-related eye health problems include:

  • Irritation from the chemicals in makeup, which can lead to dryness, itchiness, puffiness, and watery eyes
  • Infection caused by bacteria in expired or improperly-stored makeup — these infections can lead to conjunctivitis (pink eye), blepharitis, or keratitis
  • An allergic reaction to one or more of the chemicals in makeup — symptoms include irritated, itchy, or watery eyes
  • Styes or blepharitis caused by clogged pores from improper makeup removal

Safe Eye Makeup Habits

To enjoy eye makeup while keeping your eyes healthy and safe, follow these five guidelines:

    1. Never share your eye makeup. Eye bacteria can easily spread through shared eye makeup, so it’s best to keep your eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara to yourself.
    2. Remove makeup before you go to sleep. Removing makeup at the end of the day prevents bacteria from building up and keeps the makeup from clogging your pores. Be sure to use a makeup remover, not just water, to ensure that you lift every bit of makeup. 
    3. Check the expiration dates on your products regularly. Many people don’t realize that cosmetics are perishable, just like food and medicine. All makeup products have an expiration date. You can usually find it on the label, or alternatively, search online for the estimated lifespan of your product. It’s easy for bacteria to grow on expired makeup, so always toss products that you’ve had for too long.
    4. Regularly wash your makeup brushes and applicators. After every few uses, rinse your eye makeup brushes and applicators with warm water and a makeup-brush cleanser. Product buildup allows bacteria to grow — and it shortens your brush’s lifespan, too.
    5. Don’t apply makeup in moving vehicles. Though it may be tempting to apply your makeup on the train or at a red light, attempting to do your makeup in a moving vehicle is risky. If you scratch your eye even a little bit, your eye will become vulnerable to infection.

If you’re experiencing any symptoms that you think were caused by eye makeup, reach out to Kleiman Evangelista today. Your premier Texas vision center, we have offices in Arlington, Dallas, Plano, Southlake, Mount Pleasant, and Gun Barrel City. Don’t suffer through discomfort in silence — make an appointment with us and find relief.

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