Makeup Tips to Keep Your Eyes Healthy | Develop 4 CARE Habits

Your eyes do a lot for you—you’ll want to keep them healthy while you perfect your glam look. Did you know that your makeup routine could be putting your eye health at risk?

Small mistakes like applying expired mascara, using dirty brushes and sponges or wearing makeup to bed can lead to eye infections, styes and worsening Dry Eye disease. 

Here’s how to keep your eyes safe while rocking your best look.

Use CARE For a Proper Makeup Hygiene

If you wear makeup, protect your eyes with these 4, easy-to-remember CARE habits each day:

C—Clean your face and eyes gently but thoroughly every night. Don’t go to bed wearing makeup or mascara. Also clean your makeup tools like brushes and sponges often to reduce bacteria buildup.

A—Avoid waterlining and tightlining. Though trendy, applying eyeliner or eye shadow to the inner rim of the eye can clog oil glands, increase bacteria and irritate the cornea. 

R—Replace your makeup frequently. Check and heed the product’s expiration label. General recommendations call for mascara and eyeliners to be replaced every 3-6 months and cream eye shadow every 6-12 months. 

E—Exclude metallic or glittery eye shadow. These particles, with their tiny, sharp edges, can easily migrate to the eye and scratch the cornea. If you wear contact lenses, the glitter can get trapped behind them, causing irritation, pain and even infections. 

These CARE habits minimize the risk of infections, irritation and other makeup-related eye issues.

What You Need to Know About Permanent Eye Makeup

From eyelash extensions, growth serums and tattooed eyeliner, semi-permanent and permanent beauty treatments tempt us with money and time savings and flawless applications. 

Here’s what you want to know about their safety.

• Tattoo Eyeliner: Not recommended. It can damage the meibomian (oil-producing) glands and cause scarring, which can lead to chronic and progressive dry eyes.
• Lash Serums: Careful. Lash serums containing certain chemicals like prostaglandin analogs (PGAs) should be avoided. They can cause darkened eyelids or irises, irritation, redness, sunken eyes or worsening dry eye symptoms. Look for serums labeled ophthalmologist-tested or free of PGAs.
• Lash Extensions: OK if done properly and well taken care of. But they have been linked to a higher risk of infections and allergic reactions so if you’re using them, pay close attention to your eye health.

Best Practices to Protect Your Eyes

• Schedule annual eye exams with your local optometrist. Regular check-ups are not just about vision and glasses or contacts. Your eye doctor can also spot issues caused by makeup and dry eye and early signs of serious conditions like diabetes, hypertension, glaucoma and Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
• Practice good eye hygiene. Even if you don’t wear makeup, clean your eyelids and lashes properly each day to maintain overall eye health.

With thanks to Dr. Shelby Brogdon of McFarland Eye Care for sharing these tips.

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