The nights are drawing in and that can only mean one thing—the scariest night of the year is just around the corner. With Halloween freakishly close, you are almost certainly thinking about costumes. You may have even decided who or what you are going to be already! Transforming your body is one thing, but when it comes to changing the appearance of your face, you may be reliant on masks, makeup or both. Our eyes are extremely sensitive and easily irritated by foreign objects, including some cosmetics. If your chosen costume requires makeup—particularly if it is around your eyes—there are a few health and safety tips that you should follow.
Don’t share eye makeup with friends
When you are buying eye makeup specifically for a special event like Halloween, it can be tempting to share with a friend and split the cost. Unfortunately, not all eye infections and problems manifest immediately, and there is always a risk that bacteria can transfer between people who use the same palettes and applicators. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you avoid sharing eye makeup with anyone.
Don’t test store samples
For the same reason, testing a store sample should be avoided whenever possible. If you must test a product, take your own applicators so you can minimize your risk of being contaminated with bacteria that may be in the products you are testing.
Out with the old and in with the new
If you have any cosmetics that are over three months old, throw them away and replace them with new products. This is good practice all year round, not just at Halloween. The reason for this is that bacteria can grow very quickly in certain types of makeup, particularly the creamy powders and liquids that are used in mascaras, eyeliners, and eyeshadows.
Sensitive eyes and glitter are a cosmetic horror story
Glittery eye makeup can look great, but if you have sensitive eyes, you could be in for a nightmare. Glitter gets everywhere—including in your eyes. This can cause irritation, soreness and even scratches to the corneal surface, known as corneal abrasions.
Color outside the lines
Eye makeup should only be applied outside of the lash lines. If you fail to stay outside the lines, you could block important glands and ducts—which could put you at risk of irritation, soreness, and infections.
Handwashing is essential
In an ideal world, we should always wash our hands before we touch our eyes!
Don’t go to bed with your makeup on
After a full night of Halloween festivities, we wouldn’t blame you if you just wanted to crawl into bed. Nevertheless, it is just as important for you to remember to remove your makeup on Halloween as any other night of the year. Failing to do so could result in accidentally getting cosmetics into the sensitive tissues of your eyes which could cause problems down the line.
If you are concerned about your eyes this Halloween, don’t wait for things to get gruesome. Simply follow these helpful steps for keeping your eyes happy and healthy on the spookiest day of the year. Or schedule an appointment with one of our expert eye doctors in Olathe or Leawood. Happy Halloween!
