Fungus and bacteria can grow in old makeup, raising your chances of irritating your eyes and getting infections.
According to those in the know, clumpy eyelashes are coming back into fashion. Eyes encircled with what looks like old black mascara that’s become too thick to handle are about to hit the streets. It’s that my-eyes-are-heavy-wet-and-sexy look, that’s said to be a throwback to the rebellious glamour of the 1960s.
If you love to style it up, keep this in mind: your eyes need extra care. Infections and irritations can set in while striving to look your best, and take you down the opposite road than you intend.
Contaminants
Medical experts at the Cleveland Clinic have a few recommendations to keep you safe.
If you curl your lashes with an eyelash curler, do so before applying any mascara. This will help keep your tools clean and bacteria-free.
If your eyes are sometimes irritated by make-up, buy hypoallergenic products. Read labels and
avoid makeup containing lead, talc, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), urea, sulfates and phthalates. Some of these can cause irritation and others can contribute to cancer, with constant exposure.
And while it may sound pricey, throw away your makeup after 3 months, generally speaking.
Keeping it around for longer is an invitation for bacteria to accumulate and fungus to grow.
Related: 7 Things You Should Avoid Doing With Your Eyes
Last but certainly not least, don’t apply anything to your eyes while driving. This seems like a given, but you still see women in a rush applying eyeliner at a red light on the way to work, just about every week. If a reckless car slams into you, the pencil or mascara brush in your hand can slam right into your eye, causing serious medical damage to your sight.
Rule of thumb? Save your touch-ups for the parking lot or plan ahead and do it all at home. With enough time, you can make those clumpy lashes sticky-fantastic.
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