Makeup & Eye Health

Why these matter: Many of these ingredients are known irritants, endocrine disruptors, or carcinogens. When applied near your eyes, they can migrate onto the ocular surface with every blink — contributing to chronic inflammation, meibomian gland dysfunction, and dry eye disease.

Eye-Safe Product Recommendations

We've curated a list of brands and products that are safer for your eyes and your ocular surface:

Mascaras

• Eyes Are The Story

• Twenty/Twenty

• Zorah Pure Argan

• Mineral Fusion

• Nurturing the Soul

• Pacifica Stellar Gaze

• Jane Iredale

• Dime Volume

• Honest Beauty

Eye Liner

• Eyes Are The Story

• 100% Pure

• Beautycounter

• Ilia

• Pacifica

• Pure Haven

• Root Liquid

• Twenty/Twenty Beauty

Lash Serums

• Dime

• Lash Brilliance

• LashFood

• M2 Eyelashes Growth Serum

• Nurturing The Soul

• Organys Eyelash & Eyebrow Growth Serum

• Twenty/Twenty Beauty

Makeup Removers

• Beautycounter

• Farmacy Clean Greens

• Jojoba Oil

• HEKA Oil

• Magic Eraser Cloth

• Micellar Water or Wipes (fragrance-free)

• Mychelle Organic Argan Oil

Eye Health Tips for Makeup Wearers

Follow these guidelines for healthy, beautiful eyes:

• Apply eyeliner along the lash line — never tightline. Lining the inner waterline pushes product directly into your meibomian glands, blocking oil production and contributing to dry eye.

• Never get permanent makeup near the eyes.

• Avoid waterproof eye makeup. It requires harsher removers that strip the ocular surface, and the formulas themselves tend to contain more harmful adhesive chemicals.

• Avoid Retin-A/Retinols and Botox around the eye area. These can affect the delicate periorbital skin and tear film.

• Avoid eyelash perms, tints, and conditioning treatments. The chemicals used sit dangerously close to the ocular surface.

• Avoid lash extensions, false lashes, and most lash serums. Artificially lengthened and heavy lashes increase lid and lash bacterial load, leading to blepharitis, MGD, and dry eye symptoms.

• Replace eye makeup regularly — mascara every 3 months, liquid liner every 3–6 months.

• Never share eye makeup — bacteria transfer is a real infection risk.

• Remove all eye makeup every night — sleeping in makeup clogs meibomian glands and breeds bacteria.

The Connection: Makeup, MGD, and Dry Eye

Many patients who come to us with chronic dry eye, blepharitis, or recurrent styes don't realize that their daily makeup routine is a contributing factor. The meibomian glands in your eyelids produce the oil layer of your tear film — and when those glands are clogged by cosmetic particles, preservatives, or inflammatory ingredients, your tears evaporate too quickly and your eyes become dry, irritated, and red.

If you're experiencing dry eye symptoms and you wear eye makeup regularly, a product audit may be part of your treatment plan. Our team can help you identify which products to swap and which habits to change — often with noticeable improvement in comfort.

Learn more about Dry Eye Treatment → Learn about our MGD Protocol →

Helpful Websites and Apps

Want to check your current products? These resources make it easy:

• Beautycounter.com — clean beauty products screened against a "Never List" of harmful ingredients

• Eyesarethestory.com — eye-safe cosmetics designed specifically with ocular health in mind

• Think Dirty App — scan any product barcode to see its ingredient safety rating

Questions About Your Products?

Bring your makeup bag to your next appointment — we're happy to review your products and recommend safer alternatives. Your eyes (and your skin) will thank you.

Schedule Your Eye Exam →

Want to Learn More?

Join Looped to watch videos about dry eye, ocular surface health, and how everyday habits affect your eyes — and earn rewards toward future treatments:

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Proudly serving Edgewater, Sloan's Lake, Northwest Denver, Wheat Ridge, and Lakewood.