Is your makeup hurting your eyes?

There’s warning signs on millions of products containing harsh chemicals describing the dangers of direct eye contact, but what about makeup?

Are we knowingly creating systemic damage to our eyes with items that many consider a part of their daily routine?

Sensitive and Dry Eyes

Dry eye syndrome is an increasingly common condition that is caused by a lack of sufficient tears to keep the eyes nourished. In many cases, makeup can be a large contributor to the development of dry eye syndrome. When choosing makeup for dry eyes, try to choose products with the fewest ingredients, avoid extra dyes (like colored mascaras), and choose makeup that’s not difficult to remove (sorry waterproof lovers!).

Expired makeup

Like every product, makeup has an expiration date. Consider throwing your eye makeup products away after:

• 2 years (Eyeshadow)
• 4 to 6 months (Mascara)
• 6 months (Eye liner)
• 4 to 5 weeks (Eyelash glue)

Continued use after expiration can lead to a higher level of bacteria transfer and could potentially lead to infection.

Eye Infection

An eye infection is the result of harmful bacteria entering the eye causing inflammation. The symptoms of an eye infection include eye redness, eye pain, and potentially impaired vision. It’s important to continuously clean makeup brushes and sponges as bacteria can grow on them after multiple uses.

Obviously the best makeup to avoid damaging the eye area is using no makeup at all. But with so many brands moving toward clean, hypo-allergenic ingredients for their products, there is a market for safe usage. If you think you’re experiencing eye irritation as a result of makeup, reach out to your eye care professional for more information.