You like to make your eyes pop. No matter what color they are, your eyes make a statement. And you want to make this facial feature stand out by accenting it with makeup.
Whether you use minimal makeup or you go all out, all that glimmer and glam actually has an effect on your eye health. To reduce your risk for makeup-induced eye issues, we’ve provided seven tips you can use as you apply or remove your makeup. Read on to see how these simple steps can boost your eye health.
1. Start With a Clean Face and Clean Hands
Before you apply any kind of makeup, wash both your face and your hands. Over time, small amounts of debris, like fibers, dust, and bacteria can get on your skin. The debris or bacteria could accidentally transfer from your hands or skin to your eyes—and your eyes could become irritated. Washing your hands and face removes most of the debris and bacteria, reducing your risk of irritation.
2. Toss Your Expired Cosmetics
All cosmetics have an expiration date—in fact, you shouldn’t hold onto an open, used bottle or palette for more than two or three months. If your bottle of foundation or your tube of mascara is still full, you may feel tempted to use that makeup until it’s gone. However, bacteria thrive in moist, dark environments, and your cosmetics tubes, brushes, and sponges provide the perfect home for them.
As soon as you open tube of mascara or a container of eyeshadow, write the current date on the top or bottom in permanent marker. Or, you can write a date three months in advance. Either way, the date serves as a constant, visual reminder that you should throw away the makeup and buy a new one. By throwing away expired makeup, you reduce your risk of getting bacteria near your eyes that could cause an infection.
3. Don’t Share Makeup
Every person has different bacteria on their bodies. So when you share makeup with another person, you introduce new bacteria to your eyes and skin. Additionally, that person could have an eye infection or another issue and accidentally cause you to develop the same problem.
When you don’t share your makeup, you can use your makeup without posing as big a risk to your eye health
4. Apply Makeup Carefully
Think back on when you first learned to apply makeup. You probably had some smudging, or you even got mascara or eyeliner in your eyes. Now, you’ve learned how to put makeup on like a pro. You know that taking time is everything if you want your makeup to look perfect.
But when you’re in a rush, you likely aren’t as careful as you should be. You may accidentally poke your eye with your mascara wand or eyeliner. Those accidents, though, can accidentally scratch your eye. Or, if you use an eyelash separator (or similar tool), you could also scratch your eye and damage it. Every time you apply makeup, no matter how much time you have, do so carefully.
5. Look Out for Signs of an Eye Infection
Even if you take care to avoid an eye infection, you can still get one. For example, a child with pink eye may accidentally transfer the virus to you. If you’ve used your makeup while you’ve had an eye infection, those bacteria or viruses can remain in your makeup. The next time you apply eyeshadow or mascara, you expose yourself to the bacteria and increase your risk for another infection.
The easiest way to avoid this issue is to look out for signs of infection, such as redness in or around the eyes, watery eyes, or puffiness. If you see any of these signs, dispose of your makeup and see an eye doctor immediately for treatment.
6. Take Care If You Wear Contacts
If you need corrective lenses, chances are you wear contacts so you can display your ocular artwork. However, contacts can easily trap makeup between the lens and your eye. Always put your contacts in before applying makeup and use extra caution to keep makeup out of your eye.
7. Remove Makeup Before Bed Each Night
While you sleep, you may rub your eyes with your hands accidentally, or smudge your eye makeup against your pillow. If you wear your makeup as you sleep, you risk getting it in your eyes and causing irritation. To keep your eyes healthy, and to improve your skin, remove your makeup before bed each night. Use a makeup remover that’s gentle on the eyes to further prevent irritation.
Trust Your Eye Doctor to Care for Your Eyes
The tips listed above can help keep your eyes safe from makeup-caused infections and issues. While you can use these and similar tips to preserve your eye health on a daily basis, you should ultimately trust your eye health to your optometrist.
If you see any signs of infection or if you experience any problems with your vision, contact your eye doctor at All About Eyes. When you visit one of our locations, we’ll examine your eyes, make a diagnosis, and provide appropriate treatment to cure any eye infections or correct your vision.