Top Tips for Healthy Eyes

Makeup can enhance the way our eyes look, but if we use it carelessly, it can cause an infection or not perform as well as it should. Here are some of our top tips on how to keep your eyes healthy and beautiful.

Remove Makeup Before Bedtime

Never go to bed wearing makeup. Your mascara can rub and fall into your eyes, causing redness and irritation. If you keep going to bed using eye makeup, the oil glands and hair follicles on your eyelids may get clogged and cause inflammation or result in eye disorders called styes. These are bumps on your eyes that usually disappear on their own but sometimes may need medical treatment.

Not Sharing is Caring

It can be tempting to help out a friend if they forgot their mascara. However, allowing others to use your makeup is a big no-no. Sharing mascara, eye shadow, kohl pencils, liquid eyeliners, or makeup brushes makes you vulnerable to infections or bacteria that may get passed on to your or your best friend’s skin. On this occasion only – not sharing is caring!

Wash Your Brushes

Your makeup brushes, no matter how big or small, have direct contact with your skin when you are applying makeup. This is why it’s important to wash your brushes as often as possible. Read our tips on how to wash your brushes efficiently in our step-by-step tutorial. Generally, it’s best to wash your brushes at least once a week. Cleaning brushes will prevent germs from spreading, not to mention that unexpected breakout!

Wash Your Hands

We wash our hands before we eat, and it is equally as important to wash our hands before we apply makeup. When you are in a rush, you often correct or blend makeup using your fingers. But did you think about what surfaces you have touched before? From keyboards to smartphone screens, your fingertips pick up thousands of bacteria every minute. Make sure your hands are squeaky clean when applying makeup, especially around your eyes.

Makeup on The Move

Try not to apply make-up on the move. Uneven roads, sudden traffic stops and crowded trains are not the most ideal environment for a relaxing beauty routine. Sudden bumps in the road may not only ruin your perfect feline flick but could also cause you to poke or scrape your eye. In more severe cases, this can cause damage to the eye that will require medical help. Ouch! Avoid makeup on the move where you can; otherwise, take extra care.

False Lashes

If you are not careful when applying faux eyelashes, you may end up with some of the adhesives on the waterline, irritating your eye. Always take your falsies off before sleep.

Test Before Using

If you think you could be sensitive to certain ingredients, it’s best to test a small amount of product first. Where possible, opt for hypoallergenic eye makeup.

Look at The Use by Date

Just like food and some household products, makeup has an expiry date. While lipstick or eye shadow can last for more than 2 years, it’s best to change your mascara every three months. This is because the formula will start getting clumpy, and the application will become much more difficult. Using the same mascara for too long may also result in an infection as bacteria can build up on the wand over time. For more information on makeup shelf life, read our guide.

Working From the Office

Take Screen Breaks

Computers, iPads, smartphones – we are constantly glued to one screen or another. Dr Pixie recommends taking monitor breaks to prevent our eyes from drying. Dry eyes cause discomfort, light sensitivity and sometimes itching. Always remember to blink as much as possible before a screen.

Adjust the Brightness and Contrast of Your Screen

If you don’t feel comfortable in front of your screen, is it because of your monitor’s light and contrast setting might not be right for you? Play around with your screen options and find the setting that is right for you.