When women think of applying makeup, they may not consider how it can affect their eye health. While it’s fun to achieve the perfect makeup look, you also want to make good choices when it comes to eye makeup products and techniques. It is especially important to consider proper eye care when it comes to using eye makeup such as eyeliner.
Regardless of whether a person wears glasses, contact lenses or has had LASIK, there are some things to keep in mind when using eye makeup in order to maximize your eye health.
Get the best products for your eyes
Read the ingredients on the eye makeup before you buy. Some brands will be marked as safe for contact lenses or hypoallergenic. These can be good options, but it’s still a good idea to test the makeup on your hand to see if it causes any sensitivities. The skin around your eyes is thinner and more sensitive than the rest of your body, so you should avoid using anything that causes irritation.
Don’t apply eye makeup to your waterline
The waterline is the inner edge of your eyelids—the flat area behind the root of your lashes. Using eyeliner on the waterline (referred to as “tightlining”) has become a common practice. While popular, this eye makeup technique is risky. You run the risk of blocking important glands like your tear ducts. This can lead to dry, uncomfortable, and red eyes. It also makes it easy to introduce bacteria into the eyes. When you tightline, some of the eyeliner will rub off onto the surface of your eye. If your eyeliner has any germs or bacteria, it will be transferred to your eye.
If you don’t want to avoid tightlining entirely, try to limit how often you incorporate this technique into your eye makeup routine, and be sure to use only clean products and applicators.
Keep your eye makeup tools clean
The best way to support your eye health when it comes to eye makeup is to keep your tools, applicators, and eye makeup products clean.
If you use a pencil eyeliner, sharpen it every time you use it. This way, you will have a clean surface. Don’t leave the caps off your eyeliners, as it exposes them to bacteria. If you use twist-up eyeliner, simply wipe the end or cut the tip off each time to expose a clean surface area.
Any tools or applicators you use, such as brushes or liners, also need to be kept clean. Invest in a good cleaning solution and clean your tools often.
Get the right makeup remover
You should never sleep in your eye makeup! When you go to remove your eye makeup at the end of the day, use the right makeup remover for your eye care routine. You can choose makeup remover cloths or a liquid remover but avoid oil-based eye makeup removers. These can block pores and glands in your eyes. Additionally, alcohol-based makeup removers (or those with an added fragrance) can be harsh on your eyes.
If you wear contact lenses, you also want to take extra care when removing your eye makeup. Contact users who like to wear a lot of eye makeup each day may want to switch it up and ask for disposable contacts to avoid product debris buildup on your lenses. When taking out contact lenses, it is important to wipe the lenses before putting them in the solution to ensure any makeup has been removed.
Those individuals who are tired of having to work around their glasses or contacts to apply their eye makeup may want to consider laser eye surgery, which can improve or correct a person’s eyesight. A LASIK surgery procedure consists of reshaping the cornea and changing the focusing power of the eye.
If you are interested in LASIK, talk to your eye doctor or schedule a consultation with a LASIK specialist. Not everyone is a candidate for LASIK. However, the number of those who are eligible continues to increase each year. Those who were once denied may now be candidates for the procedure.
If you’d like to discuss your options and find out if you are a candidate for LASIK, schedule a free consultation at a location near you.
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