6 Makeup Tips for Good Eye Hygiene

It’s undeniable that make up is a huge part of much of the world’s daily routine, but it’s important to consider that our eyes, and surrounding areas, were not designed to have cosmetics applied to them.

Makeup can hold deep cultural meaning, can have a huge effect on our self confidence, and be a form of artistic and self expression. Not all eyes however, are created the same, and will respond differently to how we apply, and what we apply to our eyes. Consider the following 6 tips when it comes to your makeup and keeping your eyes healthy:

1. The water line, or eye lid margin is a popular spot for applying eye liner (myself included), but this can lead to bacterial infection, irritation and dry eyes. This is because we have a line of special glands along our eye lid margins, called meibomian glands, which are responsible for secreting important oils which help keep our eyes lubricated, and stop our tears evaporating too quickly.
   When we apply eye liner make up to this area, we are exposing these glands to bacteria which can lead to annoying styes and chalazion.
2. Try to avoid using make up products that you’ve had for longer than 3 months. Old make up is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, particularly liquid based products. Bacterial conjunctivitis is particularly infectious and can be stubborn to get rid of. Make sure you dispose of any make up that’s come in contact with a goopy, gunky eye.
3. Make sure you remove your make up before going to bed. This is a tricky one! We’ve all fallen asleep on the sofa, barely waking up to drag yourself into bed, then waking up the next day with eyes full of regret and irritation. Consider using a make up remover that will be gentle on your eyes with daily use (and remove your make up when you arrive home for the evening).

4. Don’t be tempted to share make up brushes with other people. This might seem obvious, but other than exposing yourself to bacterial infections, you can also develop inflammation in and around the eye depending on the ingredients of the make up those brushes have been in contact with.
5. Pay attention to the ingredients in the make up you’re using and how it interacts with the delicate skin around the eyes. People with allergies and a history of hypersensitivity could benefit from alcohol free, gentle products, and considering avoiding wearing make up.
6. If you’re a contact lens wearer, make sure you insert your contact lenses ahead of applying eye make up. This will avoid make up particles becoming stuck between your eye and the contact lens. This is also another opportunity to focus on really good hygiene habits, as contact lens wearers are automatically at much higher risk of developing eye inflammations and infections. Try Eyebou vitamin daily contact lenses which come in a solution immersed in a vitamin B6, B12, and E solution.

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Remember that your eyes are magical, unique features. Not a single other individual who has ever, or will ever walk the planet, will have eyes like yours. Celebrate their natural beauty, and try having a make up free day per week!

This post was written by Eyebou's lead optometrist, Mai Monavar.