How eyeliner, kajal and other eye make-up can harm you

Eyes are one of the most delicate and sensitive organs of the body and protecting them from harmful external factors is important. You may cover them with expensive shades when you step out but what about the cosmetics that you use to enhance their beauty? Can they cause damage to your eyes? How harmful are they and can their prolonged use lead to any eye problems later? Such questions need to be tackled before you apply the next coat of mascara or liner on your eyes.

What goes in your eye make-up?

Various ingredients go in the making of cosmetics. While most of them may be fine for our skin, there are still some ingredients that can cause possible damage to the eyes. The commonly used eye cosmetics include mascara, eyeliner (liquid and pencil), eye shadow and kajal or kohl. While the rules of mentioning the ingredients in a product on the label are rather strict in the US, in India, they are a little relaxed. Cosmetics are regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules 1945 which states that there no need to mention the ingredients label on cosmetic packs of less than 60 ml for liquids and 30g for solids and semisolids. This poses a problem for eye cosmetics as they generally come in smaller packs. What one needs to be careful about while buying eye make-up is to avoid products which contain mercury, lead and parabens. These are extremely harmful and their prolonged usage can cause various health hazards and may even lead to blindness in some cases. You may not be able to notice any problems initially but using it regularly will lead to deposits of harmful chemicals in your body. In order to avoid this, opt for branded products where you can check with the store or company about the ingredients in the product and discard it if it irritates your eye or skin at any point.

Go natural

Nowadays, there are various chemical-free or natural make-up products available in the market. You can even give them a try and be assured that you are not damaging your eyes in the name of vanity. But a word of caution is to not just blindly opt for any herbal product. Check the company and the ingredients they have used to be sure about its authenticity. Once you find a brand you trust, stick to it. When using natural products, find out the expiry date of it as they may be shorter than the usual chemical products. Once they cross their usage date, do not use them at all as they will only cause harm to your eyes.

Why eye make-up removal is essential?

You may take hours to perfect the smoky eyes look or apply a dash of eyeliner and mascara but it is extremely essential to wipe your eyes clean before you hit the bed. No matter how tired you are, make it a point to remove your eye make-up before sleeping. While this goes for all make-up, it is particularly important when it comes to eye make-up. This is because the eyes are very sensitive and leaving make-up overnight, even if it is herbal, can lead to infections and other eye problems. It can cause dry eyes by blocking the tear ducts. The shimmery particles of eye shadow are for your eyelids and not your eyes and not wiping it before sleep can let it go inside which can lead to infections. If mascara, liner and kohl aren't wiped off, they get accumulated at the corners of the eyes and also seep inside the cornea.

If you wear waterproof make-up, then opt for an oil-free make-up remover. Dab it on a piece of cotton ball and gently wipe the make-up off your eyes. Do not rub in a vigorous manner. You can even buy eye pads which do not require any solution to remove make-up (similar to wet wipes) but made especially for eye make-up removal.

Simple tips

• The first rule for eye make-up is to avoid sharing it with anyone, not even with your best friend or sister as it is easy to get bacterial infection from one person to the other.
• Avoid applying any form of cosmetic inside the eye or the inner lining especially if you wear contact lens.
• If you have an eye infection then do not apply any make-up as it will further irritate the eye and can also lead to more infection.
• Do not use cosmetics beyond their expiry date.
• Always remove any speck of make-up at the end of the day.
• Always cap the cosmetics after use to avoid any chance of infection.
• If the make-up or make-up remover irritates your eyes, just stop its use.
• Never apply eye make-up when you are in a vehicle as one bump is enough to poke your eye and cause serious damage.

Follow these simple tips to avoid any damage to your eyes. They express a lot about you so keep them safe by careful usage of cosmetics and charm the world with their beauty.

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