Beauty Clinic: Eye make up for dry eye and blepharitis
Q. My GP diagnosed me with dry eye syndrome and gave me some drops, which are rectifying the problem. The optician said I also have blepharitis. She said I could wear eye make up but the leaflet she gave me says to avoid it. Could I wear hypoallergenic products?
A. As you’ve found, there is disagreement on your question. Sarah, who has dry eye syndrome, was told by one consultant never to wear mascara - she recommended eyeliner instead. Another said that was 'rubbish'; he'd never seen a problem and did a diagram for me to explain how impossible it was for make up to get in the eye...
Like all similar concerns in health and beauty, it’s important to manage the underlying problem as well as possible as the first stage. So lets look at the problems.
Dry eye syndrome is a common condition, especially for over-50s and screen workers, that happens when your tears can’t provide enough lubrication for your eyes. Your eyes feel itchy, sore and gritty and may (counter-intuitively) be more watery than usual. They often look red and may be sensitive to light and your vision may be a bit blurry. (For Causes and more information see the NHS website on Dry Eyes.) As well as your doctor, a local pharmacist should be able to advise on drops and other measures, including cleansing products.
Pharmacist Shabir Daya has written a useful article on Tackling Dry Eye Syndrome for Victoria Health website here, which we recommend reading. As well as daily care, he suggests taking a supplement with essential fatty acids, especially those containing omega-7, such as Sibu Omega-7 Sea Buckthorn Oil.
Blepharitis affects your eyelids, making them red, swollen and itchy. It’s often linked to dry eyes, and sometimes to cysts and conjunctivitis. Symptoms include sore eyelids, itchy and/or gritty-feeling eyes, flakes/crusts around the roots of the eyelashes plus red eyes/lids. Eyelids may stick together when you wake up.
Neither of these conditions is serious in themselves but as you’ve found they can be distressing and debilitating, particularly if you work at a screen.
For suggested products, again do ask a pharmacist. Also, Shabir Daya, the in house pharmacist at Victoria Health has compiled a store of useful products including Blephaclean wipes /£7.99 for 20 wipes and Blephagel /£11.49 for 30g, both by Thea.
So – to make up. Like all similar concerns in health and beauty, it’s worth managing the underlying problem as well as possible first. Then our best advice is to introduce make up one product at a time to see if they irritate or your eyes or not.
A large number of cosmetic products now are hypoallergenic but that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t cause individual reactions.
We would be tempted to start with a capsule collection of make-up for sensitive eyes from La Roche-Posay which you can find here, the French pharmacy brand. There are three mascaras and an eyeliner (which tends to stay where it’s put).
Sarah virtually never uses mascara now, just eyeliner or a smudge of shadow round her eyes. If you do use mascara, avoid taking it down to the roots, just colour the ends. For greater impact you can use eyelash curlers. And don't pump the mascara wand into the product as it invites contaminants. (Interestingly, Sarah’s lashes, which were getting sparse, are really recovering since March and no mascara….)
Other experts suggest avoiding powder eye shadow, especially anything with glitter.
When choosing eye make up, always make sure it is ophthalmologist tested for allergens.
If you want to use a foundation/concealer round the eye, try a specialist brand such as Oxygenetix Oxygenating Breathable Foundation /£45 for 15ml, which experts agree is safe to use on upper eyelids, under the lower lash line and in the shadowy corners either side of the nose.
As with everything, if you experience any sensitivity reactions stop immediately.
Finally, please please don't use old eye make up or leave the container open. And if you wear a light-blocking eye mask at night, keep it scrupulously clean to ensure any bacteria do not breed.
