It
is a make-up staple for women around the world. But applying eyeliner
incorrectly could damage the eyes, scientists have warned.
They say liner applied on the inside of the lash line is very likely to move into the eye itself and cause symptoms.
Eye
doctors often see patients coming into clinics with eyeliner residue
stuck to contact lenses - or trapped in the coating over their eyes
called the tear film, said study leader Alison Ng, of the University of
Waterloo, Canada.
The
waxes and pigments in makeup may bind to contact lenses, reducing
vision quality and potentially even causing blurred vision.
Danger: Eyeliner applied to the inside
of the lash line is very likely to move into the eye itself and cause
problems such as blurred vision and infections, scientists in the UK
Applying liner close to the eye also means the eyeliner can become seeded with bacteria.
Dr Ng added this is the first research to show that particles from pencil eyeliner move into the eye.
'We
wanted to look at how differently eyeliner migrated into the tear film
when applied in two different ways: inside the lash line and outside of
the lash line,' she said.
For the study, three women aged between 26 and 30, with no known eye conditions, had their eyes filmed.
The volunteers were assigned to one of two groups.
One
applied eyeliner inside the lash line, close to the eye, while the
other applied eyeliner to the skin outside of the lash line, further
from the eye.
They returned the next day and received eyeliner in the opposite location.
To
test the effect of eyeliner, the researchers took video of each
participant's eyes five to 10 minutes after applying make-up, then
counted how many particles of eyeliner moved into the eye.
They
found that between 15 and 30 per cent more particles moved into the eye
when eyeliner was applied to the inside of the lash line.
The makeup also moved more quickly into the eye when eyeliner was applied inside the lash line.
A
second round of videotaping two hours after applying the make-up showed
there was little to no eyeliner remaining in the tear film, Reuters
Health reports.
Dr
Ng said: 'We noticed that the makeup migration happened quicker and was
greater when eyeliner was put on the inner lid margin.'
In
many cases, most of the particles wash away within two hours but they
can stick to contact lenses causing greater discomfort and are worse for
sensitive or dry eyes.
And it is worse if eyeliner is continuously being applied because tiny particles are allowed to then build up, said Dr Ng.
Make-up wearers
can reduce the risk of complications by keeping products away from the
inner lid margin - and only applying eyeliner to the outside of the
lashes along the eyelid
This
is because many of the ingredients of eyeliner, such as oils,
silicones, gums and waxes are designed to make the product stick so it
adheres to eyelids.
Dr Ng added: 'People who wear contact lenses are most likely to notice some problems.
'If they have eyeliner stuck to their lenses, increasing deposits might cause vision disruption as the lens becomes cloudier.'
The
researchers say that make-up wearers can reduce the risk of
complications by keeping products away from the inner lid margin - and
only applying eyeliner to the outside of the lashes along the eyelid.
Dr
Ng advised: 'If you thoroughly sharpen your pencil eyeliner before each
application and get rid of the stuff that's stuck to the end, you'll
have a fresh tip which can help prevent infection.
'With twist-up eyeliner, cut some off the end before each use. And always make sure to fully remove eye makeup before bed.'
However
writing in the journal Eye and Contact Lens, she warns the results may
not apply to everyone because the participants were all Caucasian.
She explained that Asian people's eyelid shapes in particular may differ from those of the test subjects.
However she added it's unclear whether this will affect the way eyeliner moves into the eye.
Commenting
on the study, Dr Joseph Ciolino, a physician at Massachusetts Eye and
Ear Infirmary, pointed out the study used a glitter eyeliner pencil to
more easily spot the particles.
However
he said the results can likely be applied to a range of different
products, including mascara, as the dye from the make-up can build up in
the tear duct and cause excess tearing.
Indeed,
getting eyeliner in the tear film can be uncomfortable, particularly
for people with sensitive eyes or dry eye syndrome.
People with dry eyes may have fewer tears to dilute the makeup, Dr Ng noted.
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