Keep an eye on this…

Did you know? April is Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month. And we all know that getting our swerve on – uh, putting on makeup is a big part of a women’s day. Here’s some great info – believe it or not from the FDA – on how to get it going on while being safe about it.

1. Keep everything clean and wash hands (I know, kind of basic, right?) 
2. Don’t moisten cosmetic products. Don’t add saliva or water to moisten eye cosmetics. Doing so can introduce bacteria. Ew!
3. Don’t share or swap. Women can be harmed by others’ germs when they share eye makeup. This includes “testers” at retail stores. Hmm. 
4. Don’t apply or remove eye makeup in a moving vehicle. Any bump or sudden stop can cause injury to your eye with a mascara wand or other applicator. Duh!
5. Check ingredients, including color additives. As with any cosmetic product sold to consumers, eye cosmetics are required to have an ingredient declaration on the label. If they don’t, they are considered misbranded and illegal. Oy. 
6. Use only cosmetics intended for the eyes on the eyes. Don’t use a lip liner as an eye liner, for example. You may expose eyes either to contamination from your mouth or to color additives that are not approved for use near the eyes. Keep your lips and your eyes apart. 😎
7. Say “no” to kohl! Also known as al-kahl, kajal, or surma, kohl is used in some parts of the world for enhancing the appearance of the eyes. But kohl is unapproved for cosmetic use in the United State. Darn! (Kidding)
8. Don’t dye eyelashes and eyebrows. No color additives are approved by FDA for permanent dyeing or tinting of eyelashes and eyebrows. Permanent eyelash and eyebrow tints and dyes have been known to cause serious eye injuries. Guess that means no eye tattoos. 
9. Use care with false eyelashes or extensions. False eyelashes and extensions, as well as their adhesives, must meet the safety and labeling requirements for cosmetics. Since the eyelids are delicate, an allergic reaction, irritation, or injury in the eye area can occur. Check the ingredients to make sure you are not allergic to the adhesives. That sounds like a no-brainer. 
10. Don’t use eye cosmetics that cause irritation. Stop using a product immediately if irritation occurs. See a doctor if irritation persists. Okay, again – you don’t need to be a mental giant to figure that one out, right? 
11. Avoid using eye cosmetics if you have an eye infection. Discard any eye cosmetics you were using when you got the infection. Also, don’t use eye cosmetics if the skin around the eye is inflamed. That’s not a good look, for sure. 
12. Don’t use old eye cosmetics. Manufacturers usually recommend discarding mascara two to four months after purchase. Discard dried-up mascara. That one makes my wallet cringe. 
13. Don’t store cosmetics at temperatures above 85° F. Preservatives that keep bacteria or fungi from growing can lose their effectiveness, for example, in cosmetics kept for long periods in hot cars. Yeah, but then I’d look hotter, right? 
14. Maintain good eye health and have an eye exam. Okay, this one I can’t argue with.