Mascara Tips for Healthy Eyes

Although wearing mascara is completely safe, bacteria build up on mascara over time and if these bacteria get into your eyes it can cause a rather nasty eye infection. These infections can cause your eyelashes to fall out, eye injury or worse, it can cause blindness.

Many types of mascara contain preservatives that help prevent the growth of bacteria, however as your mascara ages the preservative breaks down and your mascara is vulnerable to producing dangerous bacteria. For this reason your mascara should be thrown away after about 3-4 months. Additionally, while the eye normally offers a good barrier against bacterial invasion, a slip of the mascara wand can scratch the cornea and introduce infection.

Here are some safe recommendations for how to use and store your mascara for maintaining your eye's health

Never share any makeup with friends, especially eye makeup and mascara.

Never use mascara samples at a makeup counter.

If you smell a strange odor coming from the mascara tube, throw it away immediately. Bacteria found on the applicators and in the product can and have lead to severe eye damage, even blindness.

If you do get an eye infection, throw away your existing tube of mascara; don't risk reinfecting your eyes.

Never put water or anything else in your mascara it will promote the growth of bacteria. It's not worth losing your vision for especially if you wear contacts.

If your mascara dries out or clumps, throw it away. Do not attempt to add water, baby oil or any other substance; this is how bacteria can grow.

Don't pump your mascara brush in and out of the tube, this allows air to get inside and it will dry out faster. In addition, this pumping motion can increase the growth of bacteria.

Never use saliva to moisten mascara. Your mouth has millions of bacteria that can get into the mascara and eventually will transfer to your eyes.

Additionally, don't assume that hypoallergenic mascara is safest against harmful bacteria. Some tests have shown that hypoallergenic mascara often produced the most bacteria over long periods of time.

The safest way to use mascara is to follow the above recommendations and see a physician at the first signs of any infection.