An allergy to mascara is the body’s reaction to a cosmetic product due to its poor quality or intolerance to one of the components. 60% of women tint their eyelashes daily, and 40% periodically use this product to create makeup. But few people know that using it can cause an allergy to mascara. It occurs due to ignorance and incorrectly selected cosmetic products. What are the basic prerequisites, how to recognize symptoms, organize treatment? Detailed recommendations and advice will help you figure it out.
Causes of mascara allergies
The mucous membrane of the eye is very sensitive to external irritants. When applying makeup, cosmetic mascara can get on the tissues of the organ of vision, and even a minimal amount of dye that gets on the conjunctiva can cause severe irritation. The main causes of allergy to mascara are:
Individual intolerance of the body to any component included in the cosmetic product
An allergy, as a rule, does not appear to the mascara itself, but to one specific substance used to produce a certain brand of cosmetics. Allergens can be essential oils, silicone, color pigments, lanolin, polymers.
The use of a large number of chemicals in the production of mascara
Any decorative cosmetic product involves the use of chemical components. Some products contain less of them, others - more. That is why the main “culprit” of an allergic reaction is waterproof mascara; it contains many aggressive chemical components;
Low quality cosmetics
An unscrupulous manufacturer allows the addition of cheap and low-quality raw materials when producing products. At the same time, attention is not always paid to testing the chemical components used for toxicity;
Expired mascara
40% of women use mascara occasionally, so one tube of dye can stay in a cosmetic bag for years. When starting to apply makeup, the beauty does not even think that the service life of the mascara has long since expired. Even if cosmetics are expensive, high-quality and not dry, their components begin to decompose after a certain time, and the molecular composition of the substances changes and causes severe irritation.
You can also purchase expired cosmetics if you do not pay attention to the label before purchasing. A quality product must be marked with the date of manufacture and expiration date, which must be taken into account in order to exclude a possible source of allergy;
Also, mascara can pose a certain danger if its storage conditions have been violated and when borrowing someone else's cosmetics.
The most inexpensive
ESSENCE Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect simulates the texture of women's eyelashes while adding volume, curling and separation. The product comes with a conical fiber brush. The product separates and evenly coats each eyelash with a special hypoallergenic formula, creating the effect of an open cat's gaze.
ESSENCE Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara
Advantages:
- affordable price;
- available in various stores;
- water resistance.
Flaws:
- tends to crumble.
Cost: 330 rubles
Maybelline New York Lash Stiletto Ultimate Length Mascara – Very Black
Lash Stiletto Ultimate Length is considered one of the best hypoallergenic products in the budget price segment. It is also suitable for brittle and fragile eyelashes. With the addition of provitamin B5, it moisturizes and softens eyelashes. While the brush, made with Grip + Extend technology, grabs each lash and coats them with formula from root to tip to separate and instantly lengthen them, delivering an intense black lacquered shine.
Maybelline New York Lash Stiletto Ultimate Length Mascara – Very Black
Advantages:
- contains provitamin B5;
- gives a glossy shine;
- passed ophthalmological tests;
- Suitable for contact lens wearers;
- affordable price;
- The mascara is not waterproof, so it can be washed off easily.
Flaws:
- tends to peel off.
Cost: 560 rubles.
Symptoms
Signs of an allergy to cosmetic mascara, depending on the causes and individual characteristics of a woman’s body, can manifest themselves in different ways. For someone who is susceptible to allergic reactions, even the slightest irritation from decorative cosmetics can cause an acute complication: the eyes instantly become swollen and difficult to open.
And for some, an acute reaction does not occur immediately. More often, the symptoms of an allergy to mascara are confused with the first signs of a cold and appropriate treatment is not undertaken.
Signs of irritation appear the second or third time you use a cosmetic product, and then only intensify, aggravating the situation.
Therefore, you need to pay attention and respond promptly to even minor changes in the conjunctiva and skin of the eyelids. Each individual symptom causes discomfort and is expressed by the following manifestations:
- Redness of the eyeball;
- Tearing;
- Itching;
- Purulent discharge from the eyes;
- Rash and peeling on the skin of the eyelids;
- Edema;
- Pain when blinking.
It happens that allergy symptoms appear only on the eye where the mascara got in.
If treatment is not started on time and the allergen is not eliminated, inflammation can cause conjunctivitis, dermatitis, or even pathological eyelash loss.
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Treatment
To get rid of an allergy to mascara, you should neutralize the negative side effect. To do this, immediately after detecting allergy symptoms, you should quickly rinse your eyes. This must be done initially with a cotton pad, which is moistened in micellar water, and then rinse the eyes well with warm water to completely remove any remaining makeup.
If signs of allergy remain, use periodic rinsing to remove any remaining mascara from your eyes. After thoroughly cleaning the skin, it is important to take restorative measures:
- An allergist may prescribe antihistamines in tablet form and, less commonly, antibiotics. This neutralizes the effect of the infection that was introduced into the body through the mucous membrane of the eyes. Popular medicines against allergies from mascara are Citrine and Suprastin.
- The skin of the eyelids should be carefully anointed with anti-inflammatory ointment. To do this, you can use “Bepanten” or “Panthenol” to restore the delicate tissue of the skin around the eyes.
- In addition to taking pills, treatment for mascara allergies includes taking home measures to restore the skin. To do this, dry chamomile is brewed with boiling water. Keep the compress on your eyes for 10 minutes up to 5 times a day.
- Doctors do not recommend applying mascara to your eyelashes until the allergy symptoms completely disappear, as this can aggravate the allergic reaction. In addition, such actions will lead to the formation of rashes and inflammations throughout the facial skin.
An allergy to mascara is a protective reaction of the body to a low-quality cosmetic product due to intolerance to at least one of its components. About 60% of the fair sex use mascara at least once a day, and 40% of women only occasionally use this cosmetic product. But few people know that an allergy to mascara can occur. It occurs due to ignorance and incorrectly chosen cosmetics. In this article we will study how to recognize the symptoms and carry out treatment.
After the first symptoms of an allergy to mascara, photophobia and severe swelling of the eyelids may appear. Such signs occur both in one eye and in both. With severe allergies, acute purulent inflammation of the eyelash hair follicle, conjunctivitis or even contact dermatitis appears.
There are no ugly women in nature. Is it so? People have different opinions on this matter. Women's charm and beauty can work wonders. But to keep fit and be beautiful 24 hours a day, women have to put in a lot of effort, whether they are a top model or a simple housewife.
Bella Hadid, a successful and sought-after model, shared with us the beauty secrets she uses outside her profession. According to her, natural beauty is now back in trend. Therefore, Bella advises using nude shades of varnish and natural shades of mascara. The girl also says “no” to false eyelashes, considering it a sign of bad taste. Eyelash extensions for a model are an acceptable option only if a professional takes care of it.
Bright makeup and disco-style manicure fade into the background. Nowadays, such methods of attracting attention are resorted to only at fashion shows or at thematic photo shoots. In everyday life, even models allow themselves to only slightly tint their eyelashes, and that’s enough.
As another girl from the world of modeling, Gigi Hadid, said in an interview, naturalness is valued much more than the artificially created appearance of a doll. Another reason for refusing comprehensive makeup can be problematic skin. Allergies to cosmetic products have ruined more than one pretty face, making its owner nervous. It is especially offensive for a girl to discover that the reaction was caused by ordinary mascara.
What to do if you are allergic to mascara, how to choose the right product, what is prevention - we will try to answer all the questions in order.
How to confirm the diagnosis
To determine that irritation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and skin of the eyelids is caused by mascara, and not by ARVI, it is necessary to correctly diagnose the disease. To confirm it, special tests will be required. It is possible to determine exactly which component triggered the allergy using tests prescribed by an allergist.
Scarification skin tests
Skin testing is a diagnostic method for identifying a specific allergen to which a reaction has occurred. With the help of such tests, many types of allergies can be diagnosed. The most successful detection of allergens that enter the body through the skin. The study is carried out through specially organized, local and strictly dosed penetration of the allergen into the patient’s body. A specific allergen can be introduced:
- On a small intact area of the epidermis. To do this, a substance containing an allergen is applied to the skin in the form of an application. The application is a circle soaked in the test product and attached to the cover using an adhesive plaster. The test is carried out within 48 hours. This method is usually used to detect allergies to medications and various chemicals;
- Scarification method. Scarification is damage to the integrity of the surface of the skin. A small amount of a substance containing the allergen is applied to the skin, then a shallow incision (scratch) is made in the same place using a scalpel. Bypassing the protective layer of the epithelium, the allergen penetrates faster into the layers of the skin and the result of the study can be obtained within 15 minutes. These skin tests can detect reactions to soil, mold, food and cosmetic products, including mascara.
After the allergen is introduced, it is observed whether a certain reaction occurs to it. If a rash (blister) and redness appear at the site of scarification or application, the test is considered positive, that is, the diagnosis is confirmed.
Determination of immunoglobulin E level
In case of severe signs of allergy, the patient is sent for analysis to quantify the level of the total IgE fraction in the blood. IgE or immunoglobulins are antibodies (proteins) involved in protecting the body from viruses, bacteria, and allergens. Immunoglobulin E is associated with allergic reactions, when the human immune system begins to react inappropriately to antigens, in particular, to the chemical components of mascara.
The analysis is carried out using venous blood. To do this, the patient should avoid heavy physical activity and medication the day before and on the day of the test. Come for examination on an empty stomach, you can only drink water. The analysis result will be ready within a day. An increased level of IgE directly indicates the presence of an allergen in the body.
Determination of immunoglobulin E level
A special study - a blood test to determine immunoglobulin E - allows you to determine the level of immunoglobulins in biological material. If the test results are overestimated, then this only confirms the fact that an allergic response is being formed in the body. An increase in the concentration of the substance indicates a pronounced pathology.
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The immunoglobulin E test can also identify exposure to specific allergens (irritants). Such a test is allowed to be carried out during the active course of the allergy. The great advantage of this test is that it does not require close contact of the patient with the possible allergen.
How to treat allergies
Usually, an allergy to cosmetic mascara is determined quite easily. Signs of irritation appear immediately after applying the paint, or worsen during the day or while the mascara is on the eyelashes.
If you feel discomfort and the first symptoms of an allergic reaction after applying eye makeup, you should take the following measures before consulting a doctor:
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- Immediately remove mascara from eyelashes and rinse eyes thoroughly. Wash with warm running water; it is better not to use detergents (soap and special cosmetics), as they can aggravate the situation;
- If the watery eyes and itching do not go away and your eyelids continue to swell, you should take an allergy pill.
Premium class
COVERGIRL Lash Blast Volume Mascara
CoverGirl universal mascara is as hypoallergenic as possible. GH experts used the Visia Complexion Analyzer in the lab to measure length and volume transformations using enlarged before-and-after photographs. The mascara received high marks from consumer testers for ease of application, volume, lengthening and definition of lashes. The formula also scored nearly perfect in water resistance tests, with no smudging even after testers doused it with warm water 10 times. This means that even if the girl cries, the mascara will remain in place.
COVERGIRL Lash Blast Volume Mascara
Advantages:
- absolute water resistance;
- has an excellent cosmetic effect.
Flaws:
- high price.
Cost: 1775 rubles.
La Roche-Posay Respectissime Extension
If a woman wants a high quality hypoallergenic mascara that will protect her eyes and give her a glamorous look, then this is the perfect product for her. La Roche-Posay will eliminate unevenness, lengthen and curl eyelashes. The mascara formula contains polymer. Eyelashes will look well separated and combed from root to tip thanks to the double-sided brush made of hypoallergenic nylon.
Respectissime Extension is free of fragrances, parabens, allergens and irritants. Girls don't need to worry because the mascara is specially designed for sensitive eyes. So, if a woman wants noticeably longer eyelashes, it is recommended to use this product.
When applying, you need to slowly move towards the ends of the lashes from their beginning to separate them. Finally, walk along the entire length. There is no need to repeat this manipulation. Respectissime Extension is one of the best hypoallergenic products available today.
La Roche-Posay Respectissime Extension
Advantages:
- ergonomic brush;
- safe composition.
Flaws:
- high price.
Cost: 2500 rubles
Mia Adora 3D Fiber Lash Mascara
Made with non-toxic and hypoallergenic ingredients specially designed for people with sensitive skin. But the safe formula of Mia Adora 3D Fiber Lash Mascara is just the tip of the iceberg. As the name suggests, this mascara is not like most products where the woman only applies the product to her eyelashes.
3D Fiber Lash is a three-step product that comes in two different tubes. The first tube is a lengthening gel that can be used on its own as it is similar to regular mascara. The second tube is a fiber brush that separates and adds volume to the eyelashes.
Mia Adora 3D Fiber Lash Mascara
Advantages:
- water resistance;
- does not leave an imprint on the eyelid;
- microfiber with green tea extract.
Flaws:
- high price;
- Sold only in some online stores.
Cost: 1900 rubles
Medications
If the manifestation of irritation could not be stopped on your own, you should consult a doctor. After the examination, appropriate therapy is prescribed:
- Taking antihistamines “Zodak”, “Tavegil”, “Suprastin”, “Cetrin”;
- For inflammation of the conjunctiva, use ointment and drops of Lecroin, Cromohexal, Allergodil.
Traditional methods
Homemade lotions made from natural products will help you get rid of the signs of allergies in your eyes. To do this, prepare a decoction or mixture (gruel) according to the recipes, soak sterile wipes in them and apply to the eyes 2-3 times a day for 15-20 minutes.
Recipe 1 (“Chamomile”)
1 tbsp. Pour boiling water (1 cup) over a spoonful of fresh or dried chamomile flowers, leave covered for an hour, strain, cool to a comfortable temperature.
Recipe 2 (“Kalanchoe”)
Grind a few leaves of a houseplant and squeeze out the juice. Apply lotions and wipes 2 times a day.
Recipe 3 (“Black tea”)
Prepare a strong brew from loose leaf tea without additives or flavorings, cool until warm. You can use tea bags of high-quality tea, which, after soaking in warm water, are applied to the eyes for 20-25 minutes.
Recipe 4 (“Cottage cheese”)
For purulent discharge from the eyes, rinse with a weak solution of boric acid or potassium permanganate and apply a lotion of fresh soft cottage cheese. To do this, wrap the fermented milk product in gauze bags.
Recipe 5 (“Cucumber, apple, potato”)
All products must be fresh and raw. They are cleaned, crushed on a fine grater, wrapped in gauze and applied to the eyelids for 15-20 minutes.
Elimination of traces of allergies on eyelashes and eyelid skin
Depending on the degree of irritation, after swelling and redness have been eliminated, traces of allergy on the skin of the eyelids may remain on the skin of the eyelids - this is a rash and peeling, a feeling of tightness. To eliminate them, creams “Celestoderm” and “Advant” are used. However, it should be remembered that these drugs are hormonal, so their use should not exceed 5 days.
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Prevention measures
In order for the use of cosmetics to bring only satisfaction and help emphasize beauty, you should pay special attention when choosing it and observe the storage conditions:
- Buy quality mascara from trusted brands. You shouldn't skimp on beauty;
- The product must be hermetically packaged, the label indicates the composition and dates of manufacture and storage;
- New products with a strong odor should be categorically rejected. The same is done if there are lumps in the mascara;
- Before applying cosmetics to the eyes, it is recommended to first conduct a test on the skin of the wrist;
- Mascara should be renewed every 3-4 months;
- The product should be used individually, there is no need to give it to strangers, even to members of your family (daughter, sister, mother);
- It is necessary to store mascara in a dark, cool place, avoiding excess humidity and exposure to direct sunlight.
Rating of hypoallergenic mascara (video):
Allergy to cosmetics. How to quickly save skin (video):
When focusing on the eyes, we should not forget that this is a very sensitive organ that is easily damaged. The beauty and health of the eyes deserve careful attention. If you still cannot avoid an allergic reaction to cosmetic mascara, you should provide yourself with emergency help and consult a doctor. This will protect you from possible irreversible consequences.
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Rules for choosing and storing mascara
To prevent mascara from becoming a source of allergies, you need to learn how to choose the right product, use and store it:
- High-quality mascara should not be very cheap; this indicates the use of low-quality components for its production.
- If your eyes are sensitive, it is better to purchase hypoallergenic mascara that does not contain petroleum products and animal fats, with a neutral aroma. If you have problems with your eyes, be sure to use samples before purchasing. This will make sure that the product is suitable.
- It is better to avoid using waterproof mascara. Its water-repellent ingredients are harmful to the eyes and are difficult to remove from eyelashes.
- Remains of mascara can only be removed with a special gel or eye makeup remover. This should be done every time before going to bed.
- Mascara should be an individual product. You cannot use someone else's mascara and give yours to other people to apply.
- Renew mascara once every 3 months. During this time, a large number of bacteria settle on the brush, which affect the composition of the product. When contact with the eyes, pathogenic microflora causes inflammation.
- The product should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
