How to Prevent Makeup Related Eye Infections

Did you know that makeup and eye health are often related, often in a negative way? Eye makeup, in particular, can cause conjunctivitis (pink eye), allergic reactions, and even scratch your cornea if not used carefully. Since this is one of the most prevalent causes of eye infection, it’s important to know a few guidelines about eye makeup use. Here’s how to prevent eye infection from makeup, so you can still enjoy your beauty routine without sacrificing your eye health. 

Many contact wearers put their contact lenses in as soon as they wake up and keep them in until after they’ve removed their makeup at night. But this is a big no-no when it comes to taking care of your eyes. Instead, form a new habit by applying your makeup in the morning first, then washing and drying your hands thoroughly before putting in your contact lenses. At night, wash and dry your hands, remove your contact lenses and then remove your makeup last. 

Here’s the reasoning behind this... When you have contacts in, there’s more of a chance for products to end up in your eye and possibly become trapped under your contact lens. Removing your lenses before applying makeup or eye makeup remover to your face reduces the chances of this happening. 

Cleaning your makeup brushes is often an overlooked part of a beauty routine, but forgetting this can be dangerous. Not only can dirty brushes contaminate your products, but they’re also bad for your skin. 

Furthermore, when you wash your brushes regularly, loose brush hairs will fall out and be washed away in the sink. When you don’t, those brush hairs may instead fall into your eye. The takeaway? Clean your brushes once a week, at a minimum (and lay them flat to dry).

You probably know not to use other people’s eye makeup as a course of habit, but what if you find yourself in a pinch? Maybe you finished a yoga class and decided to shower after, but then realize you forgot your makeup bag and are meeting a friend for lunch. Isn’t it okay to borrow a fellow yoga student’s mascara, just this once? 

Of course, as you might’ve guessed, the answer is a big, resounding, “No!” This is a fast way to develop an eye infection. To prevent this situation, always carry your essential makeup products in your purse and never lend them to anyone else. 

Finally, how often do you throw away your makeup products and replace them with new ones? If you’re like most women, it’s probably not very often. After all, when you pay good money for products, you want to get every last ounce out of them. 

If you use products past their recommended shelf life, you increase your odds of developing an eye infection. When it comes to makeup and eye health, you must keep a schedule of your products’ expiration dates. Also, if any of your products start to smell funky or look strange, toss them right away. This could be a sign of bacteria or fungi, which you don’t want anywhere near your eyes (or face). 

The bottom line is to take precautions when wearing makeup, whether you wear contacts or not. Your eye health is worth it. Contact us to schedule an eye exam, or for more tips about keeping your eyes healthy.