Help! I Can't Wear Eye Makeup Anymore

Are your eyes so irritated that you can't wear your eye makeup?  My patients complain about this to me all the time.  Why is this happening?

If your eyes are red and watery, they may be sensitive to the makeup you're putting on your lids and lashes.  That makes it difficult to wear makeup day after day. 

Years of wearing and caring for your makeup improperly can lead you to this point in your life.   I want to be the first to reassure you though. This is not your fault.  You didn't know that placing your eyeliner inside the eyelashes was harming your eyes.  You don't know which ingredients in your makeup are toxic to your eyes.  No one taught you how to do this properly and the resources weren't available for you to learn it on your own.

The U.S. Beauty Industry

The beauty industry here in the U.S. is largely unregulated.  The FDA has only banned 11 ingredients from the list of ingredients in makeup products. Whereas in Europe, over 1100 ingredients are banned, so toxic ingredients are making their way into your makeup.  Then you're putting these ingredients on your eyelids.  The eyelids are the thinnest skin in the body.  These toxins applied to your eyelids now have the quickest route into the bloodstream. 

Studies have shown American women apply mascara to their lashes nine times a week.  And, on average, a woman uses about nine different personal care products on a daily basis.

With women using nine personal care products a day, there could be hundreds of chemicals coming into contact with your eyes and body every day.  It is important to know whether or not those ingredients are toxic to the front surface of your eyes.

3 Ways to Educate Yourself About Toxins

What can be done to protect your eyes from these toxins?  I recommend three steps to take.

1) Know which chemicals are harmful. If you'd like to download a list, there is a list of the top 26 ingredients that should be avoided in your eye makeup products in my CLEAN Makeup Manual Course.  Find out more about the course here.

With the list in hand, read the labels of your products and check the ingredients against the toxins list.  Make sure the products you use aren't harboring any of those ingredients.

2) Use a brand that has your eye health in mind.  There is a new beauty brand on the market that does this exactly called Eyes Are The Story. It's a bio-beauty brand with a singular focus - eyes.  Five eye doctors came together and produced this brand, which has your eye health in mind.

All of the products from this brand are safe and healthy for your eyes. Currently, they offer a wonderful mascara and eyeliner. Use the Code: ISEA to get 20% off of your first purchase.

3) Check the Skin Deep database from the Environmental Working Group.  If you have a makeup product that you love and don't think you can live without it, check its level of safety using the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.

Want to Start Wearing Makeup Again?

If you'd like to start to wear makeup again, I recommend starting a dry eye treatment regimen on a daily basis. I prescribe a simple four-step process to care for your dry eyes.  These 4 steps are:

1) Hydrate your eyes using preservative-free artificial tears to refresh your eyes.  Currently my favorite brand of tears is Refresh Mega-3. 

2) Harmonize the front surface of your eyes using an antiseptic cleansing spray.  I prefer OCuSOFT HypoChlor Lid and Lash Spray for daily use.

3) Heat your lids with a warm compress. My favorite is the Bruder warm compress mask.  Just place the mask in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.  Then lay it over your eyes to melt the oils of the oil glands in your lids.  Melting the oils allows them to come out and moisturize the front surface of the eye.

4) Help your eyes to produce high-quality tears by providing your body the nutrients it needs to make them.  HydroEye is an anti-inflammatory supplement, which has been scientifically developed to provide your eyes with the exact blend of nutrients to aid in the production of healthy tears. 

Conclusion

If you are no longer able to wear the eye makeup you once loved, it is time to show your eyes some love.  Take my CLEAN Makeup Manual Course.  In this course, you'll be able to watch several videos that will step you through learning about the best ways to wear and care for your makeup. 

The 5 short videos teach you which makeup remover is best for your skin and your lifestyle, knowing the ingredients to avoid in your makeup products, the best practices for wearing makeup, which ingredients to avoid in your makeup, how to care for your makeup (including how often you should be throwing out your mascara or your eye shadow and replacing it with new), and finally, there's a curated list of all the beauty products that are clean and safe for your eyes.

Don't let your dry, scratchy eyes hold you back from wearing the makeup you love.  The fastest path to relief is through a simple 4-step dry eye regimen followed by a few changes to your makeup routine.  Get the CLEAN Makeup Manual Course today and start feeling more confident in your makeup.