Ensuring Proper Eye Care – Avoiding “Mascary” Situations with Makeup

We’ve all done it at one time or another, when applying mascara we get a little too close to our eyeballs with the application tip and the result is a teary, black mess. While there’s little risk of “you’ll put your eye out” while applying eye makeup, there’s still a risk of some more minor issues like a scratched cornea or other problems when participating in this popular practice. The bottom-line is that you need to ensure proper eye care!

While beauty is said to be “in the eye of the beholder,” safety is in the hands of the person handling the products and their applicators. Here are some important safety tips to remember when applying eye makeup.

Sharing is NOT Caring

Never share eye makeup products or their applicators with family or friends. Even if it’s your baby sister or your BFF, the risk of transmitting bacteria is still present and should be avoided by trading utensils and supplies.

Outside Only

Back in the seventies and eighties, many young women were applying eyeliner to the inside portion of their lower lid, and this can be hazardous on many levels. Only apply eyeliner or shadow to the outside portions of your lids to prevent problems.

Sharper is Best

Keep your eyebrow pencil well-sharpened at all times, although it would seem this would make the potential for injury more prevalent, the opposite is true. Just like a chef keeping their all important knives razor sharp, this makes application more precise and requires less pressure to get the desired effect, which actually reduces the risk of problems.

Save the Date

Even though the vast majority of makeup products don’t come with a “date code” like processed foods for example, it’s still recommended that after you open something, you shouldn’t use it after three or four months have passed.

When in Doubt, Throw it Out

Even if ninety days or more hasn’t happened, if a product appears “out of the norm,” clumpy mascara or eyeshadow that looks like it’s deteriorating, if it looks at all questionable, throw it into the round bin. Don’t attempt to dilute mascara with water or add powder to shadow due to the risk of bacteria, just throw it away and be safe, rather than sorry.

Infection Protection

Keeping quality eye care in mind, if you’ve had any kind of an eye infection or disease like conjunctivitis (better know as pink eye), discard and replace all of your makeup immediately. Again, the risk of spreading bacteria and reigniting the cured condition is too great to ignore.

Car Trouble

Even though we’ve seen in throughout the ages in movies and on television shows, never apply makeup in a moving vehicle, even if you’re not the driver. One little bump can make the difference between a good look and a bad trip to the emergency room.

Take it Off

Don’t forget to remove all of your makeup at the end of the day, especially eye makeup and mascara. These few minutes spent daily can help to reduce possible allergic reactions and other problems that can come with prolonged wear.

Even though it might be a little more costly to follow some of this advice, your priceless vision is impossible to replace. Spend a little bit more today to avoid some costly or perhaps painful problems in the future. All of this is important for your eye care!