Melissa Barnett, OD, FAAO, FSLS, FBCLA, has been telling her patients for years that their old makeup products are a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. But patients often continue to use these products longer than they should because the contamination is generally not visible. Plus, many of these products are expensive, so patients don’t want to replace them if they don’t “look” old.
However, a number of these products, such as mascara, eyeliner and eye shadow, can bring bacteria into direct contact with ocular mucous membranes, risking chronic inflammation. “Even products that do not come directly into contact with the eyes are problematic,” she says. Face serums break down, which can be a trigger for eczema or rosacea. Lip products are rife with bacteria because they come into contact with saliva at every use. And when people use the same brushes or their fingers to apply foundations or concealers, infections can occur.
A VISIBLE REMINDER
Knowing that words alone are not enough to build the habit of replacing mascara every three months, Dr. Barnett launched EyeVida, a beauty reminder system and accompanying resource that helps anyone who uses cosmetics understand the science behind the risk and how to avoid it.
With its tagline True Beauty Remembers, EyeVida includes a set of 144 stickers printed with the names of the months, 12 for each month to make product replacement simple and easy to remember. The packet comes with an insert message from Dr. Barnett about the importance of replacing makeup products. “As an eye doctor, I often see irritation, inflammation and infections, including styes—associated with expired or overused beauty products, usually without people realizing the cause,” she writes.
The directions are simple. If you open a new mascara or liquid eyeliner in June, for example, you’d put the September sticker on. When the three months are up, you’ve got the reminder that it’s time to replace that makeup.
Dr. Barnett, who is also a Professional Certified Coach, took her own advice about finding new ways to make an impact. On the eyevida.com website, readers learn the science behind the need to replace beauty products. It notes that organisms such as Staphylococcus and Candida can accumulate in products and contribute to soft tissue infections, styes and persistent skin irritation.
The concern is well documented. A 2019 study in the Journal of Applied Microbiology (Bashir & Lambert, Aston University) found bacterial contamination in 79-90% of used cosmetics, including mascara and lip gloss. And research published in Optometry-Journal of the American Optometric Association (Pack et al., 2008) found microbial growth in 36.4% of mascara after just three months of daily use, the basis for the long-standing three-month replacement guideline for eye makeup.
REPLACE YOUR MAKEUP
Each beauty product has a window before it should be replaced. That’s noted on the open-jar PAO symbol, but she also provides this general timeline:
- Mascara and liquid eyeliner: 3 months
- Vitamin C serums and eye creams: about 6 months
- Foundation, concealer and moisturizer: 12 months
- Lipstick and powder products: up to 24 months
EyeVida stickers make it easy to avoid potential hazards from contaminated makeup. Photo courtesy of EyeVida.
EyeVida is available now at eyevida.com and on Amazon. Learn more at eyevida.com.
