Bad eye health habits to avoid
We’re all guilty of a few beauty lapses – whether it’s waking up in smudged mascara, or shunning the hair brush because you’ve hit the snooze button too many times.
But you may not know that some of these less-than-perfect habits can impact your eyes, including the skin around them, your eyelashes and potentially even the eye itself.
“The eye area is one of the most sensitive parts of the face,” explains dermatologist Justine Hextall.
“The skin here is much thinner than other areas and can quickly become dry and irritated.”
More than one in five of us (21%) believe our eyes are our most attractive feature, so to ensure they stay that way it’s time to break those habits and prioritise our eyes.*
Bad habit #1 – Wearing old mascara
Mascara is the staple of most of our make-up bags. Whether you go for high volume or ‘less is more’, a lick of mascara helps our eyes look bigger, brighter and more youthful.
But if you don’t use an appropriate mascara, it could irritate your eyes. And the three biggest risks?
“Infection, infection and infection,” says optometrist Francesca Marchetti.
“The lovely warm dark environment of a mascara tube is heaven for horrible, nasty bacteria.”
To prevent any nasties, Francesca advises replacing mascaras and liquid eye liners every three months and washing eye make-up brushes regularly.
“If you have an eye infection, it’s important to stop wearing eye make-up and ensure you throw away the make-up you’ve been using, as the bacteria can live in it for a long time,” she says.
BAD HABIT #2 – HARSH MAKE-UP REMOVERS
If you routinely remove your make-up before bed, you’re following the golden rule of skincare. But it’s worth double checking that you’re using the most suitable remover for your sensitive eye area.
If you choose your make-up remover based on how quickly you can wipe off your mascara, your product may be too tough for delicate lashes and eyelid skin.
“If people are prone to sensitive skin, then the eye area will be even more sensitive,” says Francesca.
“Avoid highly-perfumed eye lotions and potions. Watch out for the preservative chlorhexidene (CHG), which you should keep away from the eyes at all costs because it can cause irritation, inflammation and allergies,” she advises.
Choosing the right remover will help you wake up with bright eyes each morning so you can start your make-up routine from your best natural look.
BAD HABIT #3 – FAILING TO DO YOUR RESEARCH
Shunning mascara in favour of lash treatments such as extensions or tints isn’t always the safest option for eye health if you haven’t done your research.
According to a Nouveau Lashes survey, price is the number one consideration when choosing a lash treatment, with more than half of women (52%) telling us this drives their choice.*
Meanwhile, just 16% choose a treatment based on the beautician’s competence.*
In fact, the quality of treatments and technical expertise varies considerably from salon to salon, which means that if you don’t do your research, you could be left with a nasty eye infection or lasting damage to your natural lashes. “Cheapest is not the best option, but neither is the dearest,” says Francesca.
“If imitation lash products are used that perhaps have not been tried and tested, they may damage your lashes, causing them to break off and fall out. They may also damage the hair roots, which cause the eyelashes to die off and not grow back.”
Francesca recommends researching the safest type of lash techniques, checking the salon’s online reviews, and booking an informal chat with your lash technician before treatment.
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