Are you a fan of wearing eyeliner? If so, there’s nothing worse than having an allergic reaction to certain ingredients or preservatives in your eyeliner.
Here, we’ll provide you with everything you need to know about eyeliner allergies, and provide you with some hypoallergenic eyeliner product recommendations. We’ll even answer some frequently asked questions, read on to find out more!
Can You Be Allergic to Eyeliner?
Yes, you can be. More specifically, you could be allergic to preservatives or ingredients in the eyeliner.
What Are The Symptoms Of An Eyeliner Allergy?
Some symptoms of eyeliner allergies include:
- Skin peeling
- Burning
- Stinging
- Redness
- Excessive tearing up
Any discomfort you feel around your eyes either immediately after you put the eyeliner on or after a few hours could be signs of an eyeliner allergy. It is also possible to develop an allergy after months or years of using the same product.
How To Treat An Eyeliner Allergy
If your eyes are itchy or swollen, you can consider taking an oral antihistamine as it’ll target the chemical that causes allergic reaction symptoms – histamine. Alternatively, you can also take an oral corticosteroid that’ll help with inflammation. Though it can be difficult, you should also avoid scratching or rubbing your eyes.
What Ingredients In Eyeliner Cause Allergies?
When it comes to purchasing an eyeliner, there are some ingredients that you should avoid. They include:
- Carbon black
- Parabens
- Ethanolamine compounds
- Formaldehyde
- Aluminum powder
- Heavy metals
- Retinyl acetate
- Titanium dioxide
Some ways to avoid purchasing eyeliner with harmful ingredients include carefully reading the labels. Waterproof eyeliners are especially prone to including harmful chemicals and additives so be extra vigilant when shopping for these.
Much like tattoo ink, black pigments used to give eyeliner that deep dark look are often derived from heavy metals, even toxic ones.
Best Hypoallergenic Eyeliners For Sensitive Eyes
If you’re looking to replace your eyeliner, here are some great options to get you started.
Physician’s Formula
The Physicians Formula hypoallergenic eyeliner comes in a set of three custom shades for you to create your own unique looks. It’s long-lasting, water and smudge-resistant, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and safe for those who wear contact lenses or have sensitive eyes.
The Physicians Formula’s product range is created without any of the harsh ingredients that’s usually found in other personal care items and is recommended by allergists, dermatologists, and ophthalmologists.
Almay
Another great hypoallergenic eyeliner is Almay’s water-resistant eyeliner pencil that comes with a built-in sharpener. It comes in six shades and even has vitamin E added to the formula. Like all hypoallergenic eyeliners, Almay’s eyeliner is ophthalmologist tested, fragrance free and cruelty free.
La Pure
Last on the list, you’ve got La Pure’s Waterproof Eyeliner Stamp that’s made of natural ingredients such as shea butter, jojoba oil, canola oil, and other all-natural ingredients. You’ll also get a perfect consistent finish every time as you just have to stamp on your wings and you’re good to go. The eyeliner is also smudge-proof and water-resistant so you’ll have no problem wearing it throughout the day.
FAQS – You Ask, We Answer
Below are answers to some of the commonly asked questions we’ve received.
What age should you stop wearing eyeliner?
Honestly, it doesn’t really matter! You’re free to wear eyeliner until whatever age you’d like. Just be mindful of how your skin changes and any sensitivities that emerge, even with existing products you’ve been using.
Should I put eyeliner on my bottom lid?
You can if you want, but keeping it to the top lid has a more lifted and youthful effect. If you really want to add eyeliner to your bottom lash line, you should use a lighter color there in comparison to what you’re using on the top.
Heavy handed applications on the bottom lid can also lead to eye allergies as pigments of your mascara can more easily enter the eye socket.
Can the same old eye makeup you’ve been using since practically forever suddenly trigger allergies?
Yes, it can happen. Even if you’ve been using the same eyeliner for a while, you could end up with allergic reactions such as itchiness and puffiness. Why does this happen? Simply because reactions to cosmetics can develop over time after repeated exposure.
How often do you need to buy new eyeliner to avoid eye infections?
Eyeliner and mascara usually go hand in hand, and you want to make sure that you’re not using mascara or eyeliner that’s been around for way too long. Hanging onto old makeup isn’t doing your eyes any favors and could result in eye infections – which is less than ideal.
Does using old eyeliner result in bacterial growth?
Different types of microorganisms live on your facial skin – including your eyelids. When you use eyeliner, these microorganisms could cling onto your wand and end up in the tube. Eventually, they’ll build up and can end up spreading to your eyelids and eyeballs as you apply makeup.
Sound terrifying? That’s exactly why you should be tossing out your old eyeliner and purchasing a new one every 3 months. In the case of liquid eyeliner, you should replace it the moment you start hearing a popping noise when you open it.
So there you have it folks! The ultimate guide to avoiding eyeliner allergies and our list of the best hypoallergenic eyeliners for sensitive eyes. Remember that you should always toss your eyeliner if you’ve had it for an extended period of time. After all, the last thing you’d want is to get an eye infection!
